In the article, Developing a Deeper Involvement with Science: Keith’s Story, the authors Kozoll and Osborne (2006) discuss how Keith’s interest in science became his “part of a broader worldview…identity, self, and development” (p.183). This paper is based on narrative form of research, interviews with Keith. The authors concluded that, Keith at a very young age was able to see nature as a source of “wonder” leading him to ask questions, and make discoveries that generated more questions. The authors argue that, nature, family, and life in Canada and North America shaped Keith’s being, living, and how he viewed the world. As an adult, Keith wants to share his beliefs and sense of nature with others by becoming a science teacher.
As an emigrated teacher from Poland with no teaching or school experience in the United States, I relate to Keith’s story. I have lived in New York for twelve years. During that time I have dedicated my professional life to learning and claiming the educational ladder. I began as an English language learner, moved on earn associate degree, then a bachelor degree, and a masters in special education. I continued, my education by earning a post-master degree in administration and supervision, and presently I am taking my first steps at perusing a doctorate in Urban Education. My professional path took me into special education where I have been teaching for the last six years.
Keith’s story made me think of how I became a teacher? The authors claim that Keith’s childhood had a significant input on his identity and choice of profession. Is my identity also shaped by past experiences which include transactions with many different people, living in many places; or is it my childhood, young years of being expose to certain surroundings that made me become a teacher? In fact, it is the combination of all factors that prepared me to become a special education teacher. Keith wanted to be a science teacher because he grew up surrounded by nature. I became a special education teacher because I grew up surrounded by children and adults who were visually impaired or on wheel chair bound. My decision of becoming a teacher was not so conscious as Keith’s was, but after reading his interviews I see similarities between us. I will elaborate on Keith’s story, by looking at the relation between identity and school. Using Keith’s story as a lens I will also examine the effectiveness of my teaching practices.
Lets assume, that being interviewed for the research helped Keith to verbalize his identity. Keith mentioned many times the significant moments he spent with his father exploring nature, asking questions, and having the safety net of finding out the answers. For Kozoll and Osborne there are not just memories, they are memories of science that provide Keith with guidance for profession as a teacher. Science also shapes Keith’s essential worldview in “full[y] becoming himself, independent and responsible…” (p.182). I wonder how Keith’s identity becomes stable over time and across fields?
One of the ways Hall (1994) describes identity is as “a matter of ‘becoming’ as well as ‘being’”(p.394). Based on Hall’s definition, I see the formation of identity as a continual process that changes based on the events that happen and the transaction with people in one’s life world. Very often, I ask myself, would I become a teacher if I would stay in Poland? Would Keith be a teacher as well if he would continue living in Jamaica?
Keith’s identity is shaped by his childhood experiences with nature. The process of “becoming” is reflected on his perspective of nature and choosing a profession as a science teacher. Keith sees nature as a part of the world where he is able to explore, take risk and find answers for himself. His view is developed from transactions with nature and his father during childhood. In contrast, nature is often portrayed in urban life as esthetics and a subject where students are thought science from a teacher centered point of view. In Keith’s reflections he mentions an incident in a science class where the teacher acknowledges Keith’s observation by saying, ”exactly” (p.173). Keith is astounded by the teacher’s expression. This is an example of how a teacher might achieve his goal, to see his students being enlightened by their discoveries. Continuing the interview, Keith says, “I can’t remember him [Keith’s teacher] ever saying that [to me before]!” (p.173). For me this is the culminating moment, where Keith links his “becoming” identity with “being” by realizing the different ways of learning and teaching science in formal school. He verbalizes his thought and says, “Its just because I’ve started to just notice things a lot more and I’ve started to think about things a lot more. I just make connections I’ve never thought of before.” (p.173). Making the connections between his childhood, the culture he grew up and went to school permit Keith to form his identity as a science teacher.
The authors emphasized that, from a young age Keith was exposed to questions and sought answers form the world around him. His eagerness to know the answers embodied him to observe the world around him. His strong memories and influence of his father made him to feel safe in asking questions and taking the risk in finding the answers. The quest for knowing more and answering questions moved him towards knowledge that he wants to share with youngsters in his classroom by relating the whole to part relation in the world. The authors imply that Keith wants his students to “have these same types of experiences and see science happening around them” (p.177). I do not think Keith will be able to imbed these same experiences as he had as a youth teaching science. However, Keith will be able to transformation these feelings and experiences through his teaching. I admire Keith’s enthusiasm to teach science using questions, observations and finding the answers verses teaching to the test, and implementing the curriculum that urban schools are structured by. As Kozoll and Osborne implied that Keith has the understanding of the type of teacher he wants to become as “one who pedagogically embraced questioning, understanding, holism, critical thinking, and interest” (p.179). Keith would be even more successful in teaching by sharing with his students the rich cultural capital he has in perceiving nature by using coteaching and cogenerative dialogue.
The coteaching with another teacher will allow Keith to develop his teaching skills and strategies and provide opportunities for students to learn (Tobin & Roth, 2006). Using cogenerative dialogue, Keith and his students will increase communication and design more meaningful lessons. Keith perspective on teaching reflects his learning for enjoyment, discoveries and questions that allow him and students to be free and feel safe as Keith did during the long walks with his father.
As a teacher with immigrant descent, I share many characteristics with Keith as a teacher. I also, want to make a difference in the school system and most importantly allow the students to view the world around them from different perspective, but how effective am I in doing so, I don’t know?

REFERENCE:
Kozoll, R., & Osborne, M. (2006). Developing a Deeper Involvement with Science:
Keith’s Story. Cultural Studies of Science Education, 1,161-187.
Tobin, K., & Roth, W.M. (2006) Teaching to Learn: A View from the Field. Sense Publishers.
Hall, S. (1994). Cultural Identity and Diaspora. In J. Rutherford (Eds.), Identity: Community, culture, difference (pp. 222-237). London: Lawrence & Wishart.