ABSTRACT
In this chapter we explore some of the biographical, experiential aspects of teaching, and relate these to wider issues of understanding and documenting the lives of teachers, their everyday realities and the context of the teaching profession. The concept of ‘career’ can be located in both individual and structural experiences. As we document in Chapter 4, career can be conceptualized in terms of organizational processes and sequences: as structural progression; as a series of stages through which to progress; perhaps ultimately towards leadership and success. These structural dimensions are also experienced on individual and personal levels (Nias 1989). Careers may be structurally contextualized but they also encapsulate personal lives and individual stories. Individual biographies and personal trajectories are key to the collective biography and experiences of any occupation or profession-such as teaching.
