The world is not a stage: primary initial teacher education in faith settings through the navigation of dissonance and negotiation of faith identity

This paper examines the potential causes of dissonance amongst primary trainee teachers while undertaking teacher training placements in faith settings. The positioning of this research extends beyond teacher education indicating a significant need to unravel the tensions that exist in a multicultural yet fragmented society. Faith, identity and religious beliefs, in relation to Bourdieu’s notion of habitus, are considered as factors which influence student decision-making processes. This small scale case-study provides in-depth understanding of the experiences of primary trainee teachers. Four Primary Initial Teacher Training Education (PITTE) students were selected through purposive sampling, based on the varying stages of the students’ training course as well as ethnicity and religious backgrounds, to participate in semi-structured interviews. The results indicated clear dissonance attributed to the overarching themes of identity negotiation, fundamental differences in faith settings and marginalisation. The subthemes were around perceptions that faith settings do not sufficiently prepare pupils for a multicultural and diverse world and a lack of knowledge about the operational practices of different faith settings. The study also indicated that Muslim trainees experienced the strongest dissonance and there are several recommendations suggested, through which institutions can support trainees to manage their dissonance more effectively.