Page 163 - LA ENSEÑANZA APRENDIZAJE DE LENGUAS

Sección III
TEMAS ACTUALES DE ENSEÑANZA
DE LENGUAS Y LA FORMACIÓN DOCENTE 163

PSTs shared that coping responses also included admitting that they were facing problems,
discussing issues with others to initiate change and taking responsibility to address challenges

such as feeling threatened, alienated and powerless. Alicia, who was placed in a public techni-

cal high school, noted that at the beginning of the practicum she felt ill prepared for teaching

teenagers and admits that the practicum is a reality check:

[My practicum has] taught me that the real world is not in fact, what we saw in class. We have

to deal with many different situations and I want to be honest, I am sure I am not totally pre-

pared to face that. I need more experience. It is huge challenge to teach teenagers, they are

noisy, talkative and their behaviour is always out of control but I am learning.

Recognizing her weaknesses Alicia is open to learn how to better manage her classes.

• Roles

Participants in this study played various roles which were influenced by their evolving philosophy of

teaching to be able to “integrate what is socially relevant into their images of themselves as teachers”

(Beijaard et al., 2004:114). These included roles of teacher as learner, care provider, comedian, nur-

se, substitute teacher, disciplinarian, materials designer, friend and surrogate parent (Farrell, 2011).

Through reflective accounts participants made sense of their practicum experience as

they situated themselves and negotiated their sense of self in relation to significant others and

social structures (i.e. institutions, school cultures, curriculum), as they positioned themselves
within the different social structures. Like Kiely and Askham (2012), identity work is seen in this

study as a process which involves making sense of new knowledge and practices, and enabling

PSTs to feel comfortable with their emerging identity.

Universidad Autónoma de Chiapas