Teachers as creative writers: Needs, desires and opportunities for growth

This article contributes to the growing body of research in teacher professional development that involves teachers of writing as creative writers. The authors draw on the discussions and reflections generated from one teacher professional learning initiative to address the question of why writing teachers may not write creatively and for enjoyment. They further seek to understand the possible impact this might have on the effectiveness of creative writing instruction. Teacher and researcher reflections on their writing practices are analysed to explore the connections and tensions between writing and the teaching and learning process. The themes emerging from this data include the different positioning of teachers’ identities on a spectrum from ‘teacher writer’ to ‘writer teacher’, as well as the ways that self-efficacy impacts creative writing instruction. The authors propose that engaging teachers as creative writers can enhance their professionalism and rejuvenate their practices as authentic meaning-makers and risk-takers.