Becoming a School-Based Teacher Educator: A Self-Study Journey Towards a New Professional Identity

My self-study investigates my professional practice as a School-Based Teacher Educator (SBTE), asking how Dialogical Self Theory (DST) and Arts-informed Research (AIR) can develop my mentoring and support the creation of positive, productive learning environments for pre-service teachers, students, and myself. Using reflective journaling, scriptwriting, and collaboration with a Critical Friend Network, I analysed the complexity of the SBTE role. This research generated principles of practice and an associated model that scaffold my own professional practice and also offers a valuable source of professional learning for other SBTEs and mentor teachers, providing new insights and practical supports.