Reflections on disrupted identities and the possible agency of teacher educators

This paper reflects on Teacher Educator (TE) identity and possible agency around school practicums during a period of intense disruption and uncertainty. A mixed methods study with TEs within the four countries of the UK had originally taken place, using a questionnaire with open and closed questions and self-nominating interviews (Authors). Making use of the narrative comments from the questionnaire and interviews, this paper revisits this data and provides insights into TEs’ identity and potential agency when practicums and school-TE partnerships are disrupted, reduced or even absent. We noted that the roles of TEs were often displaced or reduced leading to a marginalization of purpose and raising questions around the nature of any collective identity and issues of agentic possibilities.