Teacher Identity in Tension:

Authenticity and Performativity in Professional Development

Authors

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.1590/1982-57652025v30id288441

Keywords:

hermeneutics;, teacher identity;, performativity.

Abstract

This article aims to analyze nine texts on teacher identity, with an emphasis on the professional development of teachers, considering the tensions between authenticity and performativity. Utilizing a hermeneutic approach from cultural studies, the text explores the dynamics of power and discourse that influence the construction of teacher identity. The research reveals that teacher identity is complex and multifaceted, resulting from a balance between internal processes of self-construction and external imperatives that shape practices and expectations. The study highlights the importance of reflection, resilience, and personal development in constructing teacher identity, valuing autonomy and continuous growth through self-formation and the pursuit of an ethical educational ideal. However, the analysis also points out that functionality and dominant discourses reflect market norms and institutional expectations, prioritizing efficiency and measurable results. Identifying elements in the texts that highlight different aspects of teacher identity can significantly contribute to improving the quality of education, especially from the perspective of cultural studies.

Author Biography

  • Amarildo Luiz, UFSM

    Professor do PPGE/UFSM (Mestrado e Doutorado) e Bolsista de Produtividade em Pesquisa (PQ-1D) do CNPq. Publicações recentes: “Dois rapazes teimosos: a formação nas figuras do espírito.” (Revista Educação (PUCRS). Porto Alegre, 2011, v. 34, nº 1, p. 42-48); “A Pragmática do Professor e a Experiência de Liberdade educativa.” (In: PAGNI, Pedro A.; GELAMO, Rodrigo P. (Org.). Educação e Filosofia: Experiência, Educação e Contemporaneidade. 1 ed. São Paulo: SP: Cultura Acadêmica e Poiésis Editora, 2010, v. 1, p. 213-228); em parceria com DEVECHI, Catia P. V.; “Sobre a proximidade do senso comum das pesquisas qualitativas em educação: positividade ou simples decadência?”, (Revista Brasileira de Educação, v. 15, p. 148-161, 2010); Pesquisa em andamento: “Teoria e prática da formação no reconhecimento do outro”, financiada pelo CNPq. E-mail para contato: amarildo1.trevisan@gmail.com

Published

2025-10-10

Issue

Section

Artigo

How to Cite

Teacher Identity in Tension: : Authenticity and Performativity in Professional Development. Avaliação: Revista da Avaliação da Educação Superior, Campinas; Sorocaba, SP, v. 30, 2025. DOI: 10.1590/1982-57652025v30id288441. Disponível em: https://submission.scielo.br/index.php/aval/article/view/288441. Acesso em: 19 oct. 2025.