This paper provides a reflective account of a teaching experience which explores the connections between (academic) teaching, knowledge and identity. The narrative metaphor of ‘maps of meaning’, as discussed by White and Denborough (2005), is used as a framework for this discussion of ways of thinking about and reflecting on teaching practice. The role of the teacher in facilitating open and constructive dialogue, countering the polarised, ‘win-lose’ nature of public discourse, is a central theme.

Keywords: knowledge, teaching, critical pedagogies