ABSTRACT
This is a new chapter with sections from the original Chapter 5, “Denying the Mind/Body Split: Narratives About the Embodiment of Teacher Identity,” included. This chapter is a description of the third genre of discourse explored in the book, ‘narratives of the teacher persona.’ These types of narratives are defined and theorized, and then excerpts from the six participants’ interviews are cited to explicate how the 2016 participants used narratives, including those from popular culture, to explore their perceptions of both the ideal English teacher and how they see themselves as new teachers. Conclusions state that these narratives were the most commonly expressed by the 2016 participants. This high number is evidence of the importance of building a professional persona and the importance of classroom experience prior to full-time teaching.
