Abstract:
Part of the socialisation of undergraduate teacher education students is the transition from self as student to self as teacher. It is clear that some students make the transition quite naturally and easily distinguish between their role as a university student and their role as a practising teacher in a school. Other students find it quite difficult. This paper considers the factors that contribute to the transition from neophyte to professional. Data from a series of interview with teachers show that three main processes, mentoring, modelling and feedback have profound effects on the development of a professional self-image. Each of these processes is discussed as are some suggestions for pre-service teacher education programs.