O processo de profissionalização dos diretores em início de carreira: profissionalidade e coletividade em diálogo

Abstract

The thesis addresses the professionalization process of early-career school principals, investigating how their practices, identities, and professional knowledge are constituted within the context of school management. The theme is situated within the field of research on leadership and educational management, particularly in the debate concerning career entry and the professional development of school leaders. It is based on the understanding that entering school leadership constitutes a moment marked by challenges, learning, and collective negotiations that directly influence the construction of the principal’s professionalism. The relevance of the study lies in the need to understand how novice principals develop their practices and construct their professional identity in the face of administrative, pedagogical, and relational demands present in contemporary schools. The research contributes to the debate on training, institutional support, professional development, and induction. It highlights that the work of the principal involves collective processes of meaning-making and pedagogical leadership, in addition to technical and bureaucratic aspects.The study emphasizes how the professionalization process of early-career principals occurs, based on the dimensions of professionalism and collectivity present in everyday school life. It seeks to understand how these professionals learn to act professionally, which types of knowledge they mobilize, and how interactions with other members of the school, teachers, instructional coordinators, and other members of the school community contribute to their professional development. From a methodological standpoint, this is a qualitative study grounded in theoretical frameworks from the field of research-training (Morais and Bragança, 2021) and professional development in education. The study engages with authors who address teacher professionalization, the construction of professional identity, and career entry, such as António Nóvoa (1989), Shulman (2014), Tardif (2013), Roldão (2005; 2008), and Marcelo Garcia (2009; 2010). Particular emphasis is given to Nóvoa perspective, which stresses that professionalization is built through collective processes, through the sharing of experiences and reflection on practice.The results indicate that the beginning of a career in school leadership is marked by an intense process of professional learning, in which principals construct knowledge based on everyday experience, interactions with the school staff, and the need to make decisions in complex contexts. It becomes evident that collectivity plays a fundamental role in this process, as work in school management involves collaboration, dialogue, and the joint construction of practices.It is concluded that the professionalization of early-career principals results from continuous formative processes, situated within the context of schools and the education systems in which they operate, and supported by the development of public policies for induction and professional development. The study reinforces the importance of monitoring and institutional support for novice school leaders, as well as the value of collective spaces for learning and reflection on practice.