A construção da identidade profissional do professor cooperante de Educação Física [The construction of the Physical Education cooperating teacher’s professional identity]

Abstract

This research focuses on the construction of the supervising teaching practice professional identity of the cooperating teacher. To this end, it explored the discourses on the teaching practices and teacher education experiences; the legitimate participation in teacher education and working spaces; and the teaching perspectives that substantiate the pedagogical relationships and learning trajectories in the context of professional practice. A case study was conducted to examine the narratives of cooperating teachers, an experienced and a beginner on the supervisory roles and tasks of the pedagogical practice of Physical Education pre-service teachers during an academic year. Data were gathered through interviews. The qualitative inductive thematic analysis was informed by grounded theory coding procedures. Themes included: i) challenges in interacting with the pre- service teachers; and ii) challenges in the (re)configuration of the supervisory practices. The reconstruction of the cooperating teacher’s professional identity happens in the doing of their roles, the confrontation with the challenges encountered, the negotiation of interactions with the pre-service teachers, and the implementation of teaching perspectives that inform their practices and pedagogical supervision relations.