Reflections on Identity: A podcast series for educators

Series Wrap-Up

In the final episode of the podcast series, Carol and Neil discuss what they consider to be the important findings from the series and how these have affected perspectives on professional identity in education. The importance of context and the dynamic between role and identity are highlighted. Carol and Neil also discuss their own professional identities. Carol and Neil's book on professional identity in education [https://link.springer.com/book/10.1007/978-3-031-46794-3]

Afsan Redwan, Deputy Head of Sixth Form in a FE College

In this episode, Afsan Redwan discusses his professional identity in the context of Sixth-Form provision in a Further Education College. Afsan highlights the demands and challenges that come with this work and how this affects his sense of professional self. He also reflects on how the working environment for him as someone who is vision impaired has influenced his thoughts on identity and the responsibilities of organisations around inclusion.

Jane Pescow, Pre-School Manager

In this episode, Jane Pescow discusses her professional identity as a manager in an early years setting. Jane gives an insight into the values and practice she upholds in her work with colleagues and young children and the importance she gives to the children enjoying their experiences of the pre-school environment. She pushes back on notions that the Early Years sector is becoming increasingly over-regulated, arguing that pre-school managers and practitioners have autonomy to devise individualised learning for the children they work with

Roundtable Episode on Professional Identity and Physical Education and Activity

In this special roundtable episode of the podcast, Saul Keyworth and Oli Belas (both Senior Lecturers in Higher Education) talk about professional identity in relation to physical education and activity. They discuss how notions of what is deemed socially acceptable in terms of gender, the body, space and movement are based on norms and expectations that they critique as part of their research and informs their own thoughts on what it means to be a teacher and researcher in the field. Key philosophies and theorists in this area are also discussed as are ideas relating to community and collaboration

Lewis Stockwell, Principal Lecturer in Outdoor Education

In this episode, Lewis Stockwell discusses his professional identity in relation to his academic areas of philosophy of education and outdoor/environmental education. Lewis talks about the debates in education over what constitutes ‘outdoor education’ and how this affects his and other practitioners’ identities in the field. The importance of relationships between the human and not-human and how we teach about these in schools, colleges and universities form a central focus of the episode