Yo, Maestra.Construcción y reconocimiento de la identidad docente de una maestra novel, una Historia de Vida

Abstract

The research we present here has been carried out to obtain a doctoral degree through the doctoral programme in Educa)on at the University of Almería. The first sketches of the design arise from raising some ques)ons related to the construc)on of the teaching iden)ty of new teachers: what does it mean to be a new teacher?, what is the ins)tu)onal and poli)cal perspec)ve of the inspectorate and of the educa)onal centres with respect to new teachers?, and what are the aspects involved in the development and recogni)on of their professional iden)ty once they start their teaching ac)vity? The proposed objec)ves are: to study in depth what it means for a new teacher to be a new teacher, how she experiences and expresses it; to know how she faces her professional inser)on in the school; to know the resources and strategies that she puts into play to carry out her teaching work; to inves)gate what elements intervene in her construc)on as a teacher, emphasising what it means for her to be in contact with the school reality; and to analyse how the teacher interprets her professional evolu)on, knowing how she makes her knowledge visible through her teaching ac)vity. Among the different op)ons that exist today for carrying out research in the field of educa)on, we agreed to develop the research design from the qualita)ve paradigm, using a Biographical-Narra)ve approach, specifically by means of a Life History, as it is the one that best suits our needs and offers us the opportunity to advance in the knowledge and understanding of the subject ma]er that defines the focus and objec)ves of the research. For this purpose, we contacted a teacher who had just got her teaching post in the public educa)on system. Before star)ng the fieldwork, we began the construc)on of a theore)cal framework that would bring us closer to the concepts and themes that were related to the objec)ves set out. These readings, which have been present from the very beginning and un)l the end, have helped us to learn about trends and new developments in the subject, allowing us to have a broad and updated knowledge base. We focused on publica)ons on the characteris)cs and difficul)es during the first steps of professional development, the process of inser)on of new teachers, the forma)on of the teaching iden)ty, as well as the knowledge that teachers bring into play in their classroom work. The informa)on gathering strategies used were narra)ve interviews (both individual and group); observa)ons within the school accompanying the par)cipa)ng teacher; analysis of bureaucra)c documents and other personal wri)ngs provided by the par)cipant; and field diary, whose observa)ons served as a support to delve deeper into some of the featured aspects that emerged from the research. It is important to point out that, from the beginning of the design, some aspects were raised in rela)on to the ethical issues in the narra)ve research we were carrying out and which we understood to be essen)al, including recognising and making visible our posi)on as researchers, as well as respec)ng the interests, rhythms and circumstances of the par)cipant, adap)ng ourselves in any case to her possibili)es and disposi)on. Once the fieldwork had been carried out, with all the informa)on provided by the aforemen)oned strategies, we began to write the story, which was co-constructed with the par)cipa)ng teacher, making the modifica)ons and clarifica)ons that she considered per)nent un)l the final document was wri]en. Through the reading of the story, some categories emerged that became the nuclei of analysis for the interpreta)on. These categories are concentrated in three blocks: the influence that her teachers have had on her construc)on as a teacher, what are the condi)ons and requirements in her first year, and how she recognises herself as a teacher, focusing on the knowledge that is reflected in the teaching prac)ces she develops. In conclusion, we recognise the importance and influence of the experiences lived in the school stage, especially those linked to teachers who, for various reasons, became references. We also point out that, as indicated in some of the publica)ons consulted, the inser)on of teachers s)ll does not have the appropriate weight in ins)tu)onal policies and prac)ces, as they do not offer the necessary condi)ons and support to guarantee a reflec)ve start in professional prac)ce, beyond the merely bureaucra)c requirements of this stage. Finally, we recognise the different strategies that are confronted and reconfigured through teaching ac)on, and which allow new teachers to face learning situa)ons by making use of the knowledge linked to the experiences they have had.