This study explores the relationship between race and teacher identity, specifically understanding how the two concepts intersect and (re)present themselves within the classroom environment. This study analyzes six teachers’ narratives of identity, race, and teaching to explore themes of race and identity as they traverse from their earliest experiences with race into their experiences as teachers. Findings conclude that, first, teachers’ narrative identities are a composite of key narratives—important moments of deep impact in the process of identity building—that accumulate over time to form what Dan McAdams (1993) calls personal myths. Since key narratives are continually shaping one’s personal myth, then one’s personal myth is constantly undergoing changes and revisions. Second, teachers’ key narratives about race are reflected in their narratives about who they are and how they teach. The final and most important finding is that teachers play a crucial role in developing their students’ personal myths and therefore, have an ethical responsibility to do so with the utmost care and consideration.
","abstract_html":"<p>This study explores the relationship between race and teacher identity, specifically understanding how the two concepts intersect and (re)present themselves within the classroom environment. This study analyzes six teachers’ narratives of identity, race, and teaching to explore themes of race and identity as they traverse from their earliest experiences with race into their experiences as teachers. Findings conclude that, first, teachers’ narrative identities are a composite of key narratives—important moments of deep impact in the process of identity building—that accumulate over time to form what Dan McAdams (1993) calls personal myths. Since key narratives are continually shaping one’s personal myth, then one’s personal myth is constantly undergoing changes and revisions. Second, teachers’ key narratives about race are reflected in their narratives about who they are and how they teach. The final and most important finding is that teachers play a crucial role in developing their students’ personal myths and therefore, have an ethical responsibility to do so with the utmost care and consideration.</p>","abstract_has_math":false,"creators":["Aguilar, Lizette"],"institution":"The Graduate School and University Center of The City University of New York","degree_name":"Doctor of Philosophy","degree_level":"Doctoral","degree_discipline":"Urban Education","degree_department":null,"school":null,"contributors":[],"advisors":["Sherry Deckman"],"committee_chairs":[],"committee_members":["Jen Collett","Rosa Rivera-McCutchen"],"year":2024,"date_issued":"2024-06-01T07:00:00Z","date_published":"2024-06-01T07:00:00Z","updated_at":"2026-07-24T01:59:38Z","subjects":["Curriculum and Instruction","Curriculum and Social Inquiry","Educational Administration and Supervision","Educational Leadership","Educational Psychology","Elementary Education","Secondary Education","Social and Philosophical Foundations of Education","Teacher Education and Professional Development","Teacher Identity","Race and Teaching","Teacher Identity and Student Achievement","Narrative Identity","Personal Myths"],"languages":[],"rights":[],"rights_urls":[],"identifier_entries":[]},"links":{"outbound_url":"https://academicworks.cuny.edu/gc_etds/5884","outbound_label":"Repository record","outbound_source":"dc:identifier"},"metadata_groups":[{"id":"people","label":"People","entries":[{"key":"dc:contributor.advisor","label":"Advisor","values":["Sherry Deckman"]},{"key":"dc:contributor.committeemember","label":"Committee Member","values":["Jen Collett","Rosa Rivera-McCutchen"]},{"key":"dc:creator","label":"Author","values":["Aguilar, Lizette"]}]},{"id":"academic_context","label":"Academic Context","entries":[{"key":"dc:date.available","label":"Dc Date Available","values":["2024-04-30T07:00:00Z"]},{"key":"thesis:degree_discipline","label":"Discipline","values":["Urban Education"]},{"key":"thesis:degree_level","label":"Degree Level","values":["Doctoral"]},{"key":"thesis:degree_name","label":"Degree Name","values":["Doctor of Philosophy"]},{"key":"thesis:institution_name","label":"Thesis Institution Name","values":["The Graduate School and University Center of The City University of New York"]}]},{"id":"subjects_keywords","label":"Subjects and Keywords","entries":[{"key":"dc:subject","label":"Dc Subject","values":["Curriculum and Instruction","Curriculum and Social Inquiry","Educational Administration and Supervision","Educational Leadership","Educational Psychology","Elementary Education","Secondary Education","Social and Philosophical Foundations of Education","Teacher Education and Professional Development","Teacher Identity","Race and Teaching","Teacher Identity and Student Achievement","Narrative Identity","Personal Myths"]}]},{"id":"identifiers","label":"Identifiers","entries":[{"key":"dc:identifier","label":"Identifier","values":["https://academicworks.cuny.edu/gc_etds/5884"]}]},{"id":"additional","label":"Additional Metadata","entries":[{"key":"dc:description.abstract","label":"Abstract","values":["This study explores the relationship between race and teacher identity, specifically understanding how the two concepts intersect and (re)present themselves within the classroom environment. This study analyzes six teachers’ narratives of identity, race, and teaching to explore themes of race and identity as they traverse from their earliest experiences with race into their experiences as teachers. Findings conclude that, first, teachers’ narrative identities are a composite of key narratives—important moments of deep impact in the process of identity building—that accumulate over time to form what Dan McAdams (1993) calls personal myths. Since key narratives are continually shaping one’s personal myth, then one’s personal myth is constantly undergoing changes and revisions. Second, teachers’ key narratives about race are reflected in their narratives about who they are and how they teach. The final and most important finding is that teachers play a crucial role in developing their students’ personal myths and therefore, have an ethical responsibility to do so with the utmost care and consideration.
"]},{"key":"dc:title","label":"Title","values":["What Exactly Does Identity Have to do with Teaching? Exploring the Connection Between a Teacher's Racialized Identity and their Teacher Identity"]}]}],"canonical_facts":{"dc:contributor.advisor":["Sherry Deckman"],"dc:contributor.committeemember":["Jen Collett","Rosa Rivera-McCutchen"],"dc:creator":["Aguilar, Lizette"],"dc:date.available":["2024-04-30T07:00:00Z"],"dc:description.abstract":["This study explores the relationship between race and teacher identity, specifically understanding how the two concepts intersect and (re)present themselves within the classroom environment. This study analyzes six teachers’ narratives of identity, race, and teaching to explore themes of race and identity as they traverse from their earliest experiences with race into their experiences as teachers. Findings conclude that, first, teachers’ narrative identities are a composite of key narratives—important moments of deep impact in the process of identity building—that accumulate over time to form what Dan McAdams (1993) calls personal myths. Since key narratives are continually shaping one’s personal myth, then one’s personal myth is constantly undergoing changes and revisions. Second, teachers’ key narratives about race are reflected in their narratives about who they are and how they teach. The final and most important finding is that teachers play a crucial role in developing their students’ personal myths and therefore, have an ethical responsibility to do so with the utmost care and consideration.
"],"dc:identifier":["https://academicworks.cuny.edu/gc_etds/5884"],"dc:subject":["Curriculum and Instruction","Curriculum and Social Inquiry","Educational Administration and Supervision","Educational Leadership","Educational Psychology","Elementary Education","Secondary Education","Social and Philosophical Foundations of Education","Teacher Education and Professional Development","Teacher Identity","Race and Teaching","Teacher Identity and Student Achievement","Narrative Identity","Personal Myths"],"dc:title":["What Exactly Does Identity Have to do with Teaching? Exploring the Connection Between a Teacher's Racialized Identity and their Teacher Identity"],"thesis:degree_discipline":["Urban Education"],"thesis:degree_level":["Doctoral"],"thesis:degree_name":["Doctor of Philosophy"],"thesis:institution_name":["The Graduate School and University Center of The City University of New York"]},"updated_at":"2026-07-24T01:59:38Z"}