Community and Identity: experiences and dilemmas of vocational teachers in post-school contexts

Vocational teachers in the post-school phase of education come into teaching having already established themselves in their professional or vocational area. The process by which they move from one occupation to another, and develop (or fail to develop) new identities as teachers is complex and not well understood. Some aspects of a social theory of learning (Lave & Wenger, 1991) are examined here. The concepts of ‘community’ and ‘identity’ are discussed in relation to the experiences of four hypothetical teachers of different vocational subjects in New Zealand and the United Kingdom. On the basis of these ‘pen pictures’, conclusions are drawn about the importance of supporting and facilitating the vocational teacher's participation in and membership of relevant communities of practice. The current absence in both countries of a wider community of post-school teachers has implications for policy, as well as for those involved in teacher education and professional development