| Abstract | This project grapples with the phrase "I'm a teacher; what's your superpower?" The qualitative study examines the narrative of a preservice physical education teacher with a learning disability against the narratives of superheroes using Joseph Campbell's concept of the monomyth, also known as the Hero's Journey (1949). The subject's narrative yielded four distinct cycles of separation, initiation, and return consistent with cycles found in superhero narratives. It appears that the preservice teacher routinely faced a trial, overcame it with both outside assistance and personal experience, and applied the knowledge and skills gained to any proceeding trials. In this way, the preservice teacher's narrative does align with the narratives of superheroes. While this present study is qualitative and only describes in detail the function of a certain teacher's narrative, the implications are such that other preservice teachers should be able to apply the concept of multiple journeys to their own practice, giving them a tool for self-reflection and a way to develop skills like empathy and humility, which are much more realistic superpowers. |
