2025 Theses Doctoral

The Quilted Lives of Career Change Science Teachers of Color: A Narrative Inquiry on Identity, Race, and Community Cultural Wealth

Tam, Jonathan David

In light of the continuing teacher shortage, non-traditional populations have grown in popularity to meet the needs of school staffing demands. Career changers, in particular, have emerged as a solution for science teacher vacancies and presently make up nearly one in every three secondary science teachers. While much seems to be known about this subgroup of non-traditional teachers, literature has focused largely on a singular kind of career changer—career changers who are predominantly White and from former professional science or elite careers (e.g., bankers, lawyers, and engineers).

The goal of this study was to detail the lesser-known lived experiences of five career change science teachers of Color and to examine how the layers of race, culture, and power played a role in their transitions. Using a narrative inquiry approach, life history details were captured through various texts that explored their former careers, transitions to teaching, and present-day instructional practices. Thematic analysis then took place to explore how each of their teaching identities was conceptualized and proceduralized, how social markers aided and impeded their transitions to teaching, and how participants utilized aspects of Community Cultural Wealth to support their place in teaching.

The analysis revealed six themes across their narratives around their entries into teaching and their instructional approaches in the science classroom, as well as the barriers that hindered their transitions and the resources that supported them through these hindrances. Implications for preparing, recruiting, and supporting career change science teachers of Color are discussed.