La importancia de los relatos biográficos en la investigación pedagógica. Escuela: orgullo público en el desarrollo humano

The essay explores the biographical-narrative research in the field of education, by highlighting the importance of contextualising teachers’ personal stories to create alternative narratives to the dominant history of education. It is emphasised how these narratives can counter hegemonic tendencies that marginalise public schools. Through biographical interviews, teachers’ life stories offer a unique perspective on their everyday experiences and contribute to the construction of pedagogical and social knowledge. The use of qualitative tools in pedagogical research is highlighted to allow a better understanding of the meaning of observed phenomena. Life stories are described as in-depth interviews that reconstruct significant aspects of the interviewees’ lives: originated from sociology and extended to other contexts, this method is valuable for exploring the beliefs, values and norms internalised by subjects, to reveal how these change over time. Finally, two research studies that underline the example of “Militancy in the School” are recalled exploring teaching professionalism. The narratives collected show the mosaic of teachers’ competences and reflect on their evolution in the historical and social context. The research highlights the importance of the educational community and constant reflection on teaching practices, by suggesting that the understanding of the past can enrich teacher education in the future.