Becoming a Teacher, and the Everyday Performance of Teaching
05/14/25 • 30 min
In this episode, hosts Dr Sara Black and Liam Cini O’Dwyer are joined by Dr Sarah Steadman to explore her research into the emotional and complex journey of becoming a teacher.
Dr Steadman, a lecturer in English Education and Programme Director for PGCE courses at King’s College London, shares how her doctoral research unexpectedly led her to a deeper exploration of teacher identity—an area often overlooked in mainstream educational research. Rather than focusing on programme designers or institutional structures, her work centres the voices and lived experiences of the trainees themselves.
Our hosts and guest reflect on the pressure trainee teachers face, the complexity of navigating one’s sense of self in the classroom, and the individualistic nature of teaching in an increasingly standardised policy environment. Dr Steadman underscores the importance of acknowledging teacher identity in efforts to tackle recruitment and retention, especially as the profession continues to weather crises—from pandemic disruptions to policy shifts.
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🐦 Twitter: @justresearchpod
📧 Email: [email protected]
🌐 Website: kcl.ac.uk/its-just-research-an-ecs-podcast
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
In this episode, hosts Dr Sara Black and Liam Cini O’Dwyer are joined by Dr Sarah Steadman to explore her research into the emotional and complex journey of becoming a teacher.
Dr Steadman, a lecturer in English Education and Programme Director for PGCE courses at King’s College London, shares how her doctoral research unexpectedly led her to a deeper exploration of teacher identity—an area often overlooked in mainstream educational research. Rather than focusing on programme designers or institutional structures, her work centres the voices and lived experiences of the trainees themselves.
Our hosts and guest reflect on the pressure trainee teachers face, the complexity of navigating one’s sense of self in the classroom, and the individualistic nature of teaching in an increasingly standardised policy environment. Dr Steadman underscores the importance of acknowledging teacher identity in efforts to tackle recruitment and retention, especially as the profession continues to weather crises—from pandemic disruptions to policy shifts.
Follow us:
📸 Instagram: @itsjustresearchpodcast
🐦 Twitter: @justresearchpod
📧 Email: [email protected]
🌐 Website: kcl.ac.uk/its-just-research-an-ecs-podcast
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Previous Episode
War Stories and Fairy Shrimp — Interrogating the Military in Everyday Life
On this episode of ‘It’s Just Research: Critically Questioning the world we live in,’ In this episode, hosts Dr Sara Black and Dr Pippa Sterk are joined by Dr Antonia Dawes to discuss her critical research into the presence of the military in the UK and its enduring imprint on the national psyche.
We delve into how military power is normalised in public life, through everything from Remembrance Day rituals to the symbolism of the poppy. And Antonia reflects on the contradictions of military expansion framed as ecological stewardship—such as protecting fairy shrimp in tank-made ponds—while questioning the secrecy around military spending and access.
Antonia's latest book, England's Military Heartland: Preparing for War on Salisbury Plains, is out now and shifts focus to the sprawling Salisbury Plain Training Area—the largest military training site in the UK.
Follow us:
Instagram: @itsjustresearchpodcast
Twitter: @justresearchpod
Email: [email protected]
Website: https://www.kcl.ac.uk/its-just-research-an-ecs-podcast
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Follow us:
Instagram: @itsjustresearchpodcast
Twitter: @justresearchpod
Email: [email protected]
Website: https://www.kcl.ac.uk/its-just-research-an-ecs-podcast
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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