Teacher educators and student teachers discussing discontinuity during teacher education

During teacher education student teachers regularly experience challenges. This can result in an experience of discontinuity: a sense of inconsistency about current or future characteristics as a teacher. Discontinuity can be a trigger for development but can also lead to stagnation and even drop-out. In this study we explored how student teachers and university supervisors introduce and explore experiences of discontinuity in such a way that ongoing development is enabled. Content analysis of 110 sequences from authentic supervision meetings showed that the students themselves predominantly (81/110) introduced an experience of discontinuity in the supervision conversation. We identified three strategies for further elaborating on the experience: trusting on development over time, compensating with other aspects of the vocational self and reevaluating the relevance of the sense of discontinuity. The strategies were used by both student teacher and teacher educator, typically combined and created the possibility of experiencing continuity as well. The results illustrate how student teachers and teacher educators together can create a perspective on ongoing development when discussing an experience of discontinuity.