The Innovative and Research Professional Identity of Future Early Years and Primary School Teachers and Their Relationship with Psychological Well-Being

Abstract

Teacher’s professional identity (TPI) is an essential and decisive element in the way future EY and primary teachers approach their labour. This study aims to analyse how and when student teachers build TPI and to study its relationship with personal well-being. The sample was made up of 135 students of the Faculty of Education of the University of Burgos (Spain), aged 18–44. A questionnaire elaborated ad hoc and an individual psychological well-being scale were both implemented. The results suggest that training activities, initially scheduled by the university courses, are those which most contribute to the building of a TPI; that there seem to be no differences in relation to gender and year of study in the factors which contribute to its development, regardless of whether it is rather innovative or research-oriented and that there is a relationship between types of TPI, as well as between these and the satisfaction with academic choice, and psychological well-being. Future teachers should build a solid TPI which enables them to successfully adapt to complex educational settings and encourages them to innovate. It is necessary to gradually make room for reflection from the beginning of the university training, as this could improve the future professional performance and the students’ psychological well-being.