ABSTRACT
This chapter shares my experience of becoming a University teacher. A complex and phenomenal journey of learning, professional and personal development – and adjustments.
Through my writing I have realised that in becoming and identifying as a teacher, I have not been able to separate my life experiences from this pursuit. In this chapter, I explore the transition to becoming a University teacher, identifying unifying themes from experiences with education, being a non-English speaking immigrant, living with a parent who had severe mental illness, and my childhood and motherhood experiences. Connecting to the influence of values and identity, I seek to encourage others, particularly women who have diverse backgrounds and enjoy teaching, to persist and explore ways that enable them to pursue this career, and to savour the dynamic experience of teaching-learning with adults.
