Professional Identity Development through Incidental Learning

Abstract: Chapter 2
This chapter continues to explore the concept of professionalism and attempts are made to link professional identity development of trainee teachers to informal, reflective processes as opposed to a mechanistic, criteria-based approach. This chapter studies theories of self and identity development with a particular focus on a constructivist model which provides a framework against which teacher development can be measured. Arguments are made about the impact that the mentor and the wider team have on teacher development, particularly when training within what is often described as a challenging sector. Alongside this the dynamic nature of the relationship between all participating members, is explored in terms of a transformative process that impacts on practice in an unbounded, informal way.