THE TEACHER-HERO AND THE SIREN'S SONG OF VOCATION: REFLECTIONS ON THE ROMANTICIZATION AND PRECARIZATION OF TEACHING

Abstract

This study focuses on the romanticization of teaching and its impact on the professional valuation of teachers. It is a theoretical research project, with a qualitative approach and ethnographic inspiration, grounded in the contributions of Clifford Geertz. The objective of the work is to problematize the social and media discourses that associate the teaching profession with vocation, sacrifice, and selflessness, analyzing how such narratives contribute to the naturalization of the precariousness of teaching work. Methodologically, the study was developed through a literature review and analysis of news reports and media discourses related to the teaching profession, engaging with authors such as Miguel Arroyo, José Manuel Esteve, Stephen J. Ball, and Olinda Evangelista. The results show that the media frequently constructs the image of the teacher as a hero, transforming precarious situations into examples of individual overcoming, which contributes to the weakening of discussions about professional valuation, working conditions, and state responsibility. It is concluded that the romanticization of teaching goes beyond the symbolic realm and acts as a mechanism for silencing teachers' demands, reinforcing processes of devaluation and professional vulnerability.