Teacher professional insertion: discrepancies between experiences and support policies

Abstract

This study presents research on the experiences of novice Basic Education teachers to analyze the process of professional insertion before and after the implementation of support policies in Mexico, which materialized in a mentoring program initiated in 2013. The program aimed to address the challenges that novice teachers face during this phase. However, as will be observed from the perspective of teaching experience, this is not the case, as the policy has significant discrepancies with the realities experienced by individuals. The research was conducted using a biographical narrative method, drawing from two types of biographical sources. On one hand, written narratives from teachers who began their careers during the last three decades of the 20th century and the first decade of the 21st century were analyzed. On the other hand, oral narratives from teachers who were in their first year of professional integration between 2018 and 2022 were examined. The findings reveal significant similarities in the experiences of both groups, marked by the characteristic reality shock of this stage. This raises questions about the ability of support policies to effect structural changes that would help to position professional insertion as a crucial part of the teacher’s professional development trajectory.