literacy through graphic novels : an autobiographical journey of developing teaching identity
abstract
this study explored the writer’s growth as a literate person and her emerging
identity as a teacher and describes personal and educational experiences that influenced
her beliefs about teaching. there is particular emphasis on the comics medium as a
continuing thread in the development of her teaching identity. an autobiographical
graphic novella was created to demonstrate the reflective process, the effectiveness of the
graphic medium, and personal teacher identity. among the influences on her identity
were gender, race, class, adolescent experiences, academic experiences in undergraduate,
preservice teacher education and graduate school. her findings include an understanding
of how many factors throughout her life influenced both her literate and teacher
identities. by understanding the factors that shape one’s identity, one can better
understand and embrace one’s evolving identity as a teacher; this can result in ultimately
more effective, and sometimes more passionate, teaching.