THE ROLE OF (AUTO)BIOGRAPHICAL NARRATIVES IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF TEACHER IDENTITY: MEMORY WITHIN VOICES AND AFFECTIONS

Abstract

This scientific essay discusses the contributions of autobiographical narratives to the formation of teacher identity. Studies with autobiographical narratives have been highlighted in educational research, as they help to understand the processes of subjectivation that form teacher identity, which is influenced by social, cultural and historical issues. The aim of this research is therefore to understand the role of autobiographical narratives in the formation of this identity, based on the voices and affections of the narrators taking part in the study. The text is the result of a questionnaire applied to ten teachers from the basic education network in the state of Ceará. About the methodology for data collection and analysis, we used the qualitative method, anchored in the theoretical-methodological resource of autobiographical narrative research, in which interviews were conducted with the subjects using questionnaires via Google Forms. Bibliographical research on autobiographical narratives, teacher training and identity was also used, based on the analysis of works that contribute to understanding the issue under study, enriching the data analysis theoretically. This type of research allows questions to be formulated and reflections to be promoted based on the object of study, as well as presenting ongoing discussions in the literature, based on the contents of books and articles by authors who deal with the subject. To this end, Brazilian and foreign  journals articles were searched on the SciELO and ScienceDirect platforms. The research revealed that autobiography in teaching plays a fundamental role in the reflection on teaching training and practice, as well as in the processes of subjectivation that constitute the professional identity of teachers, as it articulates personal experiences with social and cultural dimensions. The study concludes that many teachers enter the profession due to a lack of alternatives, a reality aggravated by the social and financial devaluation of the teaching career. Thus, it highlights the urgency of policies to value the profession and reaffirms the potential of autobiographical narratives as a tool to give visibility to teaching practices and strengthen professional identity.