Shaping Pedagogical Identities

In this collaborative autoethnography (CAE), we examine a virtual doctoral (PhD) student pedagogy peer mentoring group’s experience within a social work program at a northeastern U.S. public research university. Our focus is on the experiences of PhD students who are preparing to teach. Utilizing CAE as our methodological approach, we identified themes salient to our group experiences. Key themes include navigating role and identity transitions, the value of community, the need for enhanced institutional support, and the role of educators as gatekeepers. Our findings underscore peer mentorship as a crucial component of doctoral training, not only for fostering camaraderie and reducing isolation, but also for enhancing teaching preparedness. We recommend implementing structured peer mentorship, expanding pedagogical training, and strengthening institutional support to better prepare doctoral students for teaching.