An Online Adjunct’s Search for Belonging to Mathematics Teacher Education

This chapter is about coming to understanding belonging as a mathematics teacher educator (MTE). I, Laura, inquired into my experience as an online adjunct faculty with questions about my feelings of belonging. The journey is described using a narrative inquiry approach that includes art, poetry, and discourse with a trusted colleague and friend, Courtney. Findings include themes of online adjunct faculty being and relational practice within class community. I argue adjunct faculty belonging to mathematics teacher education, institutions, and courses are interrelated and progressed through MTE movement to authenticity in practice. While I was able to lessen my feelings of not belonging through my actions without changing my circumstances, the circumstances of being an adjunct are indeed isolating and marginalizing, as indicated by previous literature, and the MTE community should not expect that adjuncts will resolve these suppressing contexts on their own. I offer a work-in-progress definition of MTE belonging and invite the MTE community to consider what have been barriers in their own journey toward belonging, as well as how the community might invite adjunct MTEs into spaces toward belonging.