Support in teacher training: experiences and meaning of collaborating teachers in the practicum of Physical Education
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.47197/retos.v74.118113Keywords:
teacher training, practicum, collaborating teacher, Physical EducationAbstract
Introduction: Initial teacher training in physical education involves various actors who contribute to the professional development of future teachers. This study focuses on the collaborating teacher, a figure who acts as a mediator between university theory and school practice, accompanying, guiding and providing feedback to professionals in real-world contexts.
Objective: The aim was to explore the meanings that collaborating teachers attribute to their role in initial teacher training.
Methodology: A qualitative approach was adopted with a phenomenological-interpretive design and semi-structured interviews were applied to 33 Physical Education teachers with experience in school practices. The thematic analysis allowed the identification of 4 main categories: identity construction, disciplinary knowledge, ethical training, and the pedagogical versus sports approach of Physical Education.
Results: The results show that collaborating teachers shape their professional identity based on daily practice, integrating technical, ethical, and pedagogical knowledge, although they face tensions arising from a lack of recognition and institutional articulation between university and school.
Discussion: It is concluded that strengthening articulated training and recognizing the value of the collaborating teacher in real educational contexts is essential to improve the quality of initial teacher training in Physical Education.
Conclusions: The goal is to create co-training spaces that consolidate the training triad between the university, the school and the collaborating teacher, moving towards more coherent, systemic and reflective processes.
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