The professional identity of Adventist teachers

Abstract

Adventist education is grounded in a strong philosophical framework, yet empirical research on the professional selves of its educators remains limited. This qualitative study explores Adventist teachers’ professional experiences and proposes a model to explain their identities. Seven outstanding high school teachers from three Adventist schools in Argentina, nominated by their principals, participated voluntarily. They narrated their careers through interviews, aesthetic portrayals, curriculum vitae, and classroom shadowing. A six-step thematic analysis with data triangulation revealed two interrelated dimensions of professional identity: an ongoing, current identity and a shared ideal identity. The ideal professional self-envisioned by these teachers is to become authentic role models who embody the values they teach. To reach this ideal, they strive to be more student-centered and to cultivate their character, taking the person of Jesus as the prototype of their professional self. The gap between who they are and who they aspire to be sustains an ongoing—and essential—quest for identity coherence.