Espinoza 1 Felipe Espinoza Professor Mauricio Miraglia Language VIII 12 October 2012

Teacher Identity: A Chilean Perspective. This essay is about teacher identity and some elements which indirect and directly shape teachers professional development and their roles as agents of opportunities in Chilean society. Besides, it reflects how many educational sources, such as technology and cultural background, are present in Chilean educational system and its reality. Chilean educational system has gone through different and slight changes through history, and I have experienced some of them as elementary student with the implementation of the well-known Jornada Escolar Completa, besides, when I was in high school in 2006, one of the most crowded demonstrations started, the students revolution, and once in university I have experienced the current discontent on educational system and its lack of opportunities and quality, to name but a few. Also, now I am experiencing education as student and teacher, as well, this provides a wide range of opinions, agreements and disagreements about cultural aspects based on pedagogical and educational viewpoints. Regarding my past experiences as student, I was exposed in an environment and atmosphere surrounded by control and discipline, where the most important aspect was to show respect, being quiet and finish up my homework. Lefstein (2002) clearly states that traditional schools do not focus teaching on children; they just base it on the teacher or textbooks. There is no intention to shift the center of gravity in learning processes, as a consequence, it exists an obsession to control the environment and school structure, such as the classroom arrangement, an important moment where teachers can identify what sort of interaction they want into their

Espinoza 2 classrooms in order to benefit certain activities rather than others. In addition, I remember that teachers lounge was next to Directors office, what shows undoubtedly a way of controlling teachers, this method was reproduced unconsciously by teachers with their students, asking for contents and seeing students as a container to fulfill with knowledge. The existence of control in a community is way vital to mention, since it shapes peoples identity extrinsically as a chain reaction, teachers used controlling methods due to the fact they were immersed in a community that asks for the control of power, developing a feeling of superiority and creating a teacher-centered class. Through my experiences in Chilean schools, I have noticed that some important ideals are not considered as part of the identity development process, such as democracy and citizenship. One element to consider as a vital part of any teacher is his role as agent of change and opportunities, which might be possible if people co-exist in communities that favor the importance of individuals as a source of unique information. If that aspect is ignored, teacher identity is being overlooked. In Chilean educational system, educators roles are merely seen as instructional, shifting the national responsibility onto them. In order to change Chilean reality, I do agree with the main idea McClintock (1999) expresses; teaching must be seen as a potential means to change the future through innovation and digital tools because our present is constantly challenging with global changes. The pedagogical spectrum ought to have relevance and significance in the construction of this emerging society based on information, which must be thought over as a skill to master through out time. Also, McClintock (1999) explains that educators must have a shared vision concentrated on social action, in this way people can adapt spontaneously a coherent and meaningful innovation to transcend in history. Furthermore, I strongly believe that society must realize that teacher identity is related to its potential social power, which has been suppressed by means of the principles of industry, which treats education as a process of mass production. Besides, it is of paramount importance that educators can be aware of culture,

Espinoza 3 technology and themselves, for that reason they should act according to what Robbie McClintock defines as professional thought, owing to the fact that they must be conscious about their principles as agents of change and reflect on education and its organization. To conclude, it is positive to point out the cultural and structural aspects that surround the pedagogical spectrum, since teaching is based on sharing life experiences and trying to get a meaningful learning through them. Also, I deeply consider that educators must be immersed and aware of the digital development, since it is transforming our societies in order to communicate, participate and share our intellectual work with everyone, in this sense, to reach pedagogy of research, providing quality and reflecting on the constant challenges teachers have to go through. This method of sharing may expand and integrate the main bases for understanding how a professional on education ought to act, enlightening other people and modern societies in order to create a better future based on the exchange of knowledge instead of money and senseless perceptions about education, life and interaction.

Espinoza 4 Bibliography - McClintock, Robbie. "The Educators Manifesto." Ilt.columbia.edu. Institute for Learning Technologies., 1999. Web. 9 Oct. 2012. <http://www.ilt.columbia.edu/publications/manifesto/manifesto.pdf>. - Lefstein, A. (2002). Thinking power and pedagogy apart - Coping with discipline in progressive school reform. Teachers College Record, 104(8), 1627-1655.

Espinoza 5