Review Essay: Talking about Challenges of Being a Teacher

Abstract

Being and Becoming in the Classroom presents a reflection established inside educa­tional practice, which allows us to understand the learning process of teachers while they are im­mersed in their daily work. ROTH analyzes very concrete situations that are experienced by edu­cators as part of their professional lives. Thinking from a teacher's point of view, I intend to suggest that the idea of situated knowledge, which inte­grates the background of the book, can be ex­pand­ed when it includes an articulation of social conflicts. For discussing that idea, I take advan­tage of my own practice as source of empirical evi­dence, trying to learn one of the most important lessons that the book brought me, relating to the im­plica­tions of the concepts of praxis and the under­stand­ing of practice. I discuss ROTH's key con­cept of Spielraum (room to maneuver) starting from the ideas contained in the book, and again pro­posing a counterpoint with my own experiences.

Being and Becoming in the Classroom presents a reflection established inside educa­tional practice, which allows us to understand the learning process of teachers while they are im­mersed in their daily work. ROTH analyzes very concrete situations that are experienced by edu­cators as part of their professional lives. Thinking from a teacher's point of view, I intend to suggest that the idea of situated knowledge, which inte­grates the background of the book, can be ex­pand­ed when it includes an articulation of social conflicts. For discussing that idea, I take advan­tage of my own practice as source of empirical evi­dence, trying to learn one of the most important lessons that the book brought me, relating to the im­plica­tions of the concepts of praxis and the under­stand­ing of practice. I discuss ROTH's key con­cept of Spielraum (room to maneuver) starting from the ideas contained in the book, and again pro­posing a counterpoint with my own experiences.

Ser y llegar a ser en el aula muestra una reflexión centrada en la práctica educativa, que nos permite comprender el proceso de aprendizaje de los docentes mientras están inmersos en su trabajo cotidiano. ROTH analiza situaciones muy concretas experimentadas por los educadores como parte de sus vidas profesionales. Pensando desde el punto de vista de los profesores, intento sugerir que la idea del conocimiento situado, que integra el bagaje del libro, puede expandirse cuando incluye una articulación de los conflictos sociales. Para discutir esta idea, me valgo de mi propia práctica como fuente de evidencia empírica, intentado aprender una de las lecciones más importantes que el libro me ha ofrecido, relativa a las implicaciones de los conceptos de práctica y de comprensión de la práctica. Discuto el concepto clave de ROTH de Spielraum (margen de maniobra), punto de partida para las ideas contenidas en el libro, y nuevamente propongo un contrapunto con mis propias experiencias.