From pupil to student to teacher?

In Switzerland, qualification as a primary school teacher is achieved through a single-phase, three-year Bachelor’s degree programme, including internships.

Based on habitus theory and the notion of an image of a future teacher’s habitus already inherent in a pupil’s habitus (‘silhouette’ according to Werner Helsper), the perspectives of Swiss primary teacher trainees are reconstructed: regarding their own school days, their degree programme (which they are currently undertaking) and their future profession (experiences from internships).

The guiding question is: What perspectives on their own school days can be reconstructed among trainee primary school teachers? And, following on from this: To what extent do these also already hint at perspectives on their degree programme or pedagogical/professional orientations?

The students are interviewed following each of their internships using biographical-narrative, guided interviews and are asked to recount their experiences during the internships. They are also explicitly asked to speak spontaneously about their own school days. Data analysis is carried out using the documentary method.

This dissertation project is being carried out as part of a research project funded by the Swiss National Science Foundation (SNSF) and based at the University of Teacher Education, University of Applied Sciences and Arts Northwestern Switzerland (Prof. Dr. habil. Julia Košinár).

Contact: Martin Adam;