Narratives of Place: Provisional Teachers' Experiences in Science

Over the past decade, there has been a significant reduction for New Zealand initial teacher education student teachers to experience education through a science context. This paper presents the stories of two graduates from a large New Zealand university and their journeys into the classroom. Richard graduated with a Bachelor of Teaching (Primary Education) and Joy with a Graduate Diploma in Teaching (Primary). Using narratives of place, these two provisionally registered (beginning) teachers discuss why they took science in their initial teacher education programmes and how they are teaching science. Specifically, Richard and Joy discuss what obstacles they faced and how they are overcoming them. Through their narratives, they raise questions, issues and concerns about their practice of teaching that would be beneficial for school leaders not only in education through science but also in the wider primary educational sector.