The purpose of this
study is to explore the writer identity of four preservice teachers from a
large midwestern University. I utilized the narrative inquiry methodology. I
interviewed participants four times: Once in January 2019, January 2020, March
2020, and May 2020. I also asked participants to submit a visual metaphor and
reflection. Additionally, I observed participants teach in the secondary
classroom. Primarily, the findings reveal that participant writer identities
largely influence their secondary writing pedagogy. The findings also indicate
that participant writer identities were strongly influenced by their k-12
English teachers. Lastly, the findings suggest that participants experienced
trouble navigating tensions in writing instruction. The implications suggest
that teacher educators can highlight identity work in teacher education courses
to strengthen writer identity. Similarly, I recommend in the Implications section
that teacher educators design activities to strengthen preservice teachers’ writer
identities so they can strengthen the writer identity of future secondary
students. The implications also underscore how teacher educators can highlight
the tensions that preservice teachers may encounter as a secondary writing
instructor, and how to navigate such tension. This study complements the
research on writing teacher education and provides new possibilities to
effectively prepare writing instructors.