Creating a Free Space for Professional Development through Collaborative Self-Study

This article explores how collaborative self-study, initiated by experienced challenges and insecurity in new roles, contributes to the professional development of teacher educators. We document four vocational educators created a free space for self-development self-study process dialogue collective reflective inquiry. study was during 2019/2020 academic year as we facilitated school-based mentor course high school teachers. analyze personal journals written after mentoring sessions, group meetings, throughout process. Drawing on tradition within educational research, examine dilemmas, challenges, opportunities this experience presented our roles The results indicate that investing time meetings established an atmosphere mutual trust developed space. Furthermore, show value tool individual self-understanding Our experiences must be self-selected achieve open trusting shows creating academia is possible but highlights need recognize integral parts work culture.