From ugly duckling to swan: Stories of novice teachers

In this article, we examine processes that underlie the formation of novice teachers' professional identity through an analysis of three stories submitted as entries in a story competition. Analysis of the literary, psychological, and professional dimensions of the narratives reflect three aspects of professional identity-construction: conflict between personal and social-public perceptions of the teaching role; tension between biographical experiences and the perception of teaching; and a gap between fantasy and professional reality. Writing and publishing professional stories may contribute to our understanding of the generic components of teacher identity and what it means to be a novice teacher.