The construction of 'being a teacher' of Physical Education at the beginning of their careers in the municipal system of Florianópolis, Brazil

Abstract

This qualitative study analyzed the construction process of 'being a teacher' of five Physical Education teachers at the beginning of their careers in the municipal system of Florianópolis, Santa Catarina, Brazil. A semi-structured interview was used as data source and the categorization of the results took place through content analysis. Results revealed that the set of experiences lived before, during and after graduation are essential for the daily performance of the teaching practice. Regarding the decision for Physical Education, the yearn to teach, the experiences offered by the school environment, a taste for sports and the influence of teachers and family members are aspects that stand out. Whilst the choice for the degree considered the intent of the teachers, the exchange of experiences and the lack of clarity over the particularities of the course. Concerning the contributions of initial training, the relevance of involvement in research and extension, supervised internship experiences and exchanges with course professors were highlighted. The space between the “school floor” and the fragile articulation with the graduation course were the main gaps to be emphasized. It is concluded that the construction of ‘being a teacher’ is a continuous, dynamic process, full of uncertainties, challenges, but also full of many lessons. As part of this process, it is essential that formative experiences contribute to the understanding that to be a teacher is to be an intellectual.