Studies of teacher identity generally conceive identity in participatory and processual terms and seek to understand how cultural and social contexts inform and transform teachers’ tales of themselves as professionals as well as their contributions to classroom practice. Also, they often view identity changes from the perspective of a particular development initiative and provide understandings of if and how teachers move from the periphery to more comprehensive modes of participation in the practices it promotes. Foregrounding particular initiatives, however, these studies leave questions of teacher identity unanswered in the majority of cases in which teachers are not enrolled in long-term development programmes. Referring to a longitudinal study of a novice teacher, Anna (cf. Skott, 2013), I address questions of the latter type. I follow Anna at her school, Northgate, for periods of time over the first three years after her graduation. Somewhat in line with other studies of identity, I draw on social practice theory in my interpretation of her contributions to classroom interaction, most notably on the notions of practice (e.g. Wenger, 1998) and figured worlds (e.g. Holland et al., 1998). Rather than focusing on the role of one particular set of practices (e.g. as promoted by a development initiative), I ask: (1) what prior and present practices and figured worlds does Anna re-engage and participate in, as she interacts with her students? (2) What changes, if any, occur among the practices and figured worlds that dominate her contributions to classroom interaction over the first few years of her career? I use a conceptual framework called Patterns of Participation (PoP). PoP combines social practice theory with an interpretation of symbolic interactionism to redefine teacher learning and to re-centre the individual (rather than a development initiative) in what is still a participatory account of professional identity. The results suggest that among practices and figured worlds that are important for Anna’s approach to instruction, some relate to her pre-service education; others to collaboration with her colleagues and the leadership at Northgate; still others to contexts with little apparent connection to her education and profession as a teacher. Also, there are significant shifts in the relative importance of these practices and figured worlds over time and the ones related to the reformist intentions of her teacher education programme are generally subdued by others based at the school. I argue that PoP is helpful for understanding changes in Anna’s professional identity and shedding light on significant shifts in the practices and discourses that inform her contributions to classroom practice.