5: Findings (I): Student Teacher Mothers’ Experiences Pre-COVID-19

Drawing on the accounts of all 20 women involved in the two-year study, we present in this chapter the key findings relating to student teacher mothers’ (STMs’) experiences of navigating initial teacher education (ITE) before the COVID-19 restrictions. (For a summary matrix showing the themes we identified, and the extent to which these were evident in individuals’ interview responses, please see Appendix 1, Tables AI–AIII).

The findings are presented under thematic sub-headings and organised under the relevant research questions, as follows:

Selected, direct quotations and extracts from the participants’ accounts are included to illustrate and exemplify the themes discussed in this chapter.