Page 160 - LA ENSEÑANZA APRENDIZAJE DE LENGUAS

LA ENSEÑANZA APRENDIZAJE DE LENGUAS:
160 UNA MIRADA DESDE EL SURESTE MEXICANO

Karla, who was placed in a technical high school (COBACH), acknowledged an aware-
ness of how she was developing professionally:

I noticed that I changed, because when I got there my colleague mentioned I was too nice. I

would say yes to anything and when I had to control them it was difficult.

I would tell them to be quiet and they wouldn’t listen and keep talking, or they wouldn’t pay

attention to me or they didn’t care about the class. But in time I saw that I was being too flexible

so I stopped being nice and began to be more strict. The other teacher asked me if I had reali-

zed how I was changing and that I would do it on my own because no one was going to tell me

how the students were going to be and it was something I had to learn. That helped me a lot.

PSTs acknowledged that they were in a vulnerable position and that their past, present
and future selves were crucial in the process of identity construction. It was necessary for them

to confront the theory/practice gap, which produced shifts in participants’ personal and pro-

fessional concerns. As a result, they developed multiple, frequently conflicting identities which

existed in unstable states of construction and reconstruction, reformation or erosion, addition

or expansion.

An example of this is Vicente who was placed at the elementary school of the foster home

(casa hogar) for abandoned and mistreated children. He envisions himself as a future change

agent. When asked to reflect in the EDMODO discussion forum about why he had decided

to become a teacher he responded:

I decided to become a teacher because, in my opinion, a student’s education is very important

and this is a way I can try to change Mexican education.

Universidad Autónoma de Chiapas