The Kaleidoscopic Teacher: Exploring Northern Territory teacher professional identities using metaphor in arts-based practices

The concept of ‘The Kaleidoscopic Teacher’ traverses the personal and professional identities of teachers and provides an approach to
professional development and teacher reflexivity that recognises and supports the whole and evolving teacher. Utilising Conceptual
Metaphor Theory (CMT) and a Grounded Theory approach, this study will employ arts-based research methods in interviews and group
sessions with a small number of Northern Territory (NT) teachers over one school semester to explore their kaleidoscopic teacher
identities. This research will simulate a professional development program where participants are guided to creatively unpack the
metaphors and archetypes that impact their role beliefs and the quality of their experience working in the NT. This research will seek to
provide insight into the metaphors and archetypes that underpin teachers’ professional identities and highlight the potential for innovative
professional development practices to support teacher flourishing in the NT.