Teachers in Post-Modern Era: Narratives of Teaching Subjectivity

Abstract

This qualitative research examines narratives of 15 teachers, from public and private universities in Porto Alegre-Brazil and public university in Madrid-Spain, about training personal and professional interinfluences using depth interviews, expressed in their narratives about personal, professional and cultural experiences, analyzed using discourse analysis. The following categories are the same as in our another previous work: the option for the profession and remain in it at private university was an intentional choice to be teachers, they have prepared themselves for it. At the public university, they have had some intentionality, enjoying the opportunity to replace colleagues, then undergoing a contest to be effective teachers, and the permanence of both groups is given in order to perform a broader social job; Personal influences, both groups have mentioned that their family and professors/friends examples and contacts with colleagues were good influences on their “decision”; Professional influences, clearly denote here the construction of teachers’ subjectivity, in both groups appears the role of a mmntor, as being relevant and meaningful, also teachers stress that their students are important for stimulating professional growth and constant updating. The differences appear much more as identity/identification with the private university, in the public it is more as “fight” and a sense of vindication; Existential route, make clear the process, such as personal and professional view, expanding the construction of their existential dynamic and the need for developing a recognition and self-awareness; Cultural influences, which highlight the globalization, means that there are similarities in the conceptions of life and future prospects, on the other hand, each institution, with its philosophy and dynamics, makes it extremely significant to create situations for the cultural vision of the democratic and social processes. The results also show that these teachers are aware of their personal history influences on their work performance, expressed in feelings and very similar values, their academic lives has more similarities than differences, the stories indicate paths of personal and professional formation are very close, and their story had great cultural influence on their personal and professional development as teachers.