RECONSTRUCTING TEACHER IDENTITY: EXPERİENCES OF A TURKISH TEACHER AIDE IN AN AMERİCAN PRESCHOOL CLASSROOM

The purpose of this study is to examine the thoughts, feelings, and dilemmas and to describe how a Turkish teacher aide created or reshaped her professional identity in the light of her experience in an American preschool educational setting. A descriptive case study method was employed in the study to gain in-depth understanding of the issue. Using purposive sampling a Turkish teacher aide was selected to participate in the study. The data was collected through a semi-structured interview. The results revealed that her teaching practice has been heavily influenced by a collectivistic society’s points of view but her current identity has been shaped with the new perspectives she gained in the U.S.