Nailing Down an Identity – The Voices of Six Carpentry Educators

This paper reports on a small research study in which six carpentry tutors at an urban polytechnic were interviewed regarding their identity and perceptions of work as trades educators. Some preliminary findings suggest that the ‘occupational identity’ (Seddon, 2008) educators ‘teachers’ is less problematic than suggested (see Haycock & Kelly, 2009). argues notions good teaching within Institutes Technology Polytechnics (ITPs) may be driven by normative/singular pedagogy do not recognize specific or ‘signature pedagogies’ (Shulman, 2005) active education. It further area for will legitimise trade educator practice. However, it challenge professional developers, teacher trainers educational administrators institutions to reconsider assumptions about what constitutes ‘good teaching’ related environment.