From pupil to student to teacher?

In Switzerland, primary school teachers are qualified in a single-phase, three-year bachelor's programme, including practical professional studies (internships).

Based on habitus theory considerations and the idea of an image of a future teacher habitus already inherent in a student habitus ("silhouette" according to Werner Helsper), orientations of Swiss primary school students are reconstructed: towards their own school days, towards their studies (where they currently are) and towards their future academic appointment (experiences from internships).

The key question is: What orientations towards their own school years can be reconstructed among prospective primary school teachers? And subsequently: To what extent do they already indicate orientations towards their studies or pedagogical/academic appointments?

The students are interviewed after their internships using biographical-narrative, guideline-based interviews and asked to talk about their experiences during their internships. They are also explicitly asked to talk spontaneously about their own school days. The data will be analysed 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 of the University of Applied Sciences Northwestern Switzerland (Prof. Dr habil. Julia Košinár).

Contact: Martin Adam;