Abstract

In this paper, a personal narrative autoethnographic methodology is used to begin mapping a transformative learning journey towards teaching and learning for social justice in early childhood teacher education. In autoethnography, personal lived experience is the primary source of data. This inquiry explores two stories of personal transformative learning using a journey metaphor to structurally frame the inquiry. Through a process of writing as inquiry (Richardson, 2003) and emotional introspection (Ellis, 1991) and using a conceptual framework based on postmodern perspectives, this autoethnographic research paper reveals the steps toward critical consciousness (Freire, 2006) taken by the author/researcher-a student in early childhood teacher education-as she uses personal narratives of lived experience in early childhood teacher education as primary data to explore the implications of this transormative learning process to explore themes around teaching and learning towards social justice in early childhood teacher education programs.

Highlights

  • We learn to live meaningfully in the stories of our lives....We learn to see and feel the world in a complicated manner and reflexively turn that lens on ourselves (Ellis, 2004, p. 98).In this paper, I use an autoethnographic inquiry methodology to begin mapping a transformative learning journey towards teaching and learning for social justice in early childhood teacher education

  • A number of narrative vignettes highlight my experiences during this research process, and provide the data with which to explore a conceptualization of autoethnographyas a relevant method of inquiry for professional development in early childhood teacher education

  • "It's not like I don't know how to write with a personal voice," I state, "I have had my fair share at reflections in the early childhood education program." Thoughts of countless reflective journals flood my mind telling of my experiences in field placements

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Summary

Introduction

We learn to live meaningfully in the stories of our lives....We learn to see and feel the world in a complicated manner and reflexively turn that lens on ourselves (Ellis, 2004, p. 98). I use an autoethnographic inquiry methodology to begin mapping a transformative learning journey towards teaching and learning for social justice in early childhood teacher education. The other story I share explores my lived experience, of professional development and identity as a student of early childhood teacher education. I have come to understand that I had begun to plan for a journey as I entered a new phase in my life after graduating from early childhood teacher education without even knowing it at the time. By sharing with others the story of significant events in my lived experience in an early childhood teacher education program, the insight of a student's perspective and authentic voice is presented whereby a meaningful transformative learning process is revealed in the context of professional development. How did I lose sight of that finish line? What happened to that dream? Where was I really headed?

A Separation
Narrative Discussion

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