Generativity and Rural Teacher Identity in a Mapuche Community of Toltén (Chile): An Exploratory Study

Abstract

This article aims to develop an insight, from a narrative-generative perspective, into the knowledge that characterizes rural teaching professionalism and its potentially generative implications in a Mapuche community. Method: an exploratory-descriptive and cross-sectional qualitative research was carried out. The participants were 4 educators working in intercultural schools in the commune of Toltén (Chile), with an average age of 50 years and belonging to the Mapuche ethnic group. For data collection, in-depth interviews were used. Subsequently, the collected data was interpreted through content analysis. Results: The Mapuche epistemology that guides the professional work of the participants in intercultural educational contexts is described. The participants generatively promote the Mapuche sense of belonging in the students through play, positive affect, and critical reflection, integrating local knowledge and ancestral authorities in the rural teaching and learning processes.