Teachers' professional development within art experiences: Pedagogical narratives for hopeful educational futures

This study explores teachers' professional development within art experiences, emphasising their multidimensional and context-specific characteristics. It highlights the interplay of personal, social, and cultural aspects of elementary teachers' lives. Using a narrative-biographical methodology, the stories of the teachers Rosa do Mar, Kleber, and Elisabete from Portuguese and Brazilian schools are analysed. The findings underscore the significance of art in shaping professional development and fostering a dynamic school culture. This is done through a proposal for a school contract on art experiences based on a collaborative approach that resists hegemonic ideals and prioritises care. The results call for acknowledgement of the personal and professional dimensions of teachers' lives, fostering artistic practices that value authorial processes, and ensuring school leaders and policymakers provide support and resources. The study advocates for critical reflection, promoting a personal experiential understanding of teachers' professional development within art experiences.