Possibilities for using visual drawing with student-teachers: Linking childhood memories to future teaching selves

Abstract

Drawing from memory-work, this study examines the relationship between childhood and the pedagogical perspectives and practices of 16 pre-service student-teachers enrolled at one large university in the United States. In an analysis of their visual drawings and written narratives of childhood memories, student-teachers link childhood pasts with teaching futures in three distinct ways: 1) intimate connections with former teachers, 2) difficult life circumstances involving loss or trauma, and 3) the primacy of family and culture. Each set of memories is tied to a range of responsibilities that student-teachers vow to uphold, leading towards more reflexive practices in teacher education programs.