Desarrollo de la innovación

The comparison of the findings obtained before, during, and after the practicum semester indicate that in David’s case, whereas some of David’s beliefs about peace and the implementation of MPLAs seem to have been transformed throughout the practicum many seem to have remained rather similar. Throughout the semester, David was able to reconceptualize some beliefs, confirm others, regulate his emotions, and consequently take action to develop as a teacher. The practicum experience seems to have led David to change his beliefs about the specific ways peace should be fostered in the EFL classroom. The beliefs that seemed to remain strong were related to the purpose of teaching English at elementary level, his understanding of peace, and the peace dimensions that should be fostered in the EFL classroom at elementary level. David’s conviction in relation to these three aspects seems to have been highly influential

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on how he felt and behaved during his practices. In addition, although he experienced similar type of emotions throughout the semester, the intensity of both the negative and positive emotions seem to have increased when he was immersed in the classroom context. Similarly to Laura, after the practicum David experienced new positive emotions, which resulted from reflecting on his development and on the outcomes of the implementation of MPLAs.

4.3.4.1. Beliefs and emotions about peace and MPLAs that were transformed.

Mode for the implementation of MPLAs in the EFL classroom

At the beginning of the semester, David thought peace could be taught implicitly and indirectly in the EFL classroom by being a role model, or through certain techniques and classroom strategies, such as negotiation and collaborative work. As a result of the

implementation of MPLAs in the practicum course and from his own experience, he learned that it was more meaningful to teach peace explicitly in order to raise students’ awareness on the importance of peace and help them transfer what they experienced in the EFL class in other life situations.

Emotions about peace and the implementation of MPLAs

David seems to have experienced both positive and negative emotions during his practicum journey. As with Laura, whereas some emotions remained similar throughout the semester, others seem to have emerged as a result of the participant’s experiences in the course, including the intervention of MPLAs in the university practicum sessions, his classroom

practices at elementary level, and his beliefs about teaching MPLAs.

As it was already explained, before the practicum David experienced ambivalence. He was enthusiastic about MPLAs and was highly interested in learning how to incorporate them in his own classes. At the same time, he felt anxious because he was insecure about the possible

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outcomes of such implementation. Given that the activities were innovative and he had never thought of teaching peace explicitly before, David experienced enthusiasm and anxiety. During the implementation of MPLAs in the university practicum sessions, David’s positive emotions seem to have increased, which helped him cope with the difficulties of the course, such as meeting deadlines and confronting fears during classroom observations generated by realizing about the difficulties he would have to face in the real classroom context. By this moment, David reconfirmed his strong beliefs about the importance of cultivating inner peace to be able to deal with problems more effectively. The first classes he taught, however, made David experience fear and powerlessness as he could not be seen as a teacher with a strong presence, and as he did not know how to best incorporate MPLAs in the context where he was teaching. With time he was able to adjust to the classroom context and together with his positive and reflective attitude he was able to manage his negative emotions, develop hardiness, and improve his teaching practices. At the end, David had concrete opportunities to see the positive outcomes of the MPLA intervention in his own classroom, which made him feel fulfilled, proud, and highly interested in these activities. Overall, David was able to reconfirm his beliefs about the importance of teaching values and of experiencing inner harmony. (See Table 9 for a

description of David’s emotions and the sources for experiencing such emotions throughout the practicum semester).

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Table 9. David’s Emotions and Triggers about Peace and MPLAs Before, During, and After the Practicum

Emotions and Triggers Before Practicum

Emotions and Triggers During Practicum9

Emotions and Triggers After Practicum Enthusiasm Anxiety MPLAs were Innovative and valuable to humanize teaching Insecurity of outcomes A: Enthusiasm; hope; optimism; serenity B: Fear; powerlessness MPLAs impacted his personal and academic life Difficulties in teaching MPLAs and in developing a strong presence Joy; triumph; interest in MPLAs Outcomes were successful. Transformed the classroom reality. Developed as a humanizing teacher

4.3.4.2. Beliefs and emotions about peace and MPLAs that remained similar.

Purpose for teaching English to young learners

Throughout the whole semester, David emphasized the important role values played in the EFL classroom. He strongly believed that the purpose of teaching English to young learners in this Argentine setting had to do with fostering communication through holistic and

humanistic approaches, which of course included the teaching of values. As he said in his first interview,

We should teach language and values. They can coexist. Because for example, when we try to set some principles of behavior we try to teach them values about how to be respectful to another person. We are constructing or building citizens, let’s say. (Interview 3, March 28, 2016)

9

This stage is divided into A, which makes reference to the university practicum sessions, and B, which makes reference to the in-school teaching experience.

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David held this belief throughout the practicum as he saw the urgent need to teach values in the third grade context in order to build a better relationship among students and between teacher and students. The practicum experience helped him consolidate and strengthen his belief about teaching EFL to foster values and help students develop as citizens.

Participant’s understanding of peace

It seems the practicum experience also helped David reconfirm his beliefs about what he understood by peace. David started the practicum thinking of peace as a concept that involved negotiation and inner harmony, instead of associating peace with the absence of violence. David’s beliefs about this led him to try to enhance inner peace in each class that he taught both through activities and through his attitude.

Peace dimensions to be fostered in the EFL classroom

From the very beginning to the end of the practicum, David believed it was important to foster the inner peace dimension to cultivate harmony in the classroom, and the interpersonal dimension with the purpose of building positive relationship among students and between students and the teacher in the classroom. For David the presence of inner peace was essential in order to enhance peace in bigger dimensions. Once he had the opportunity to know the challenging reality of third grade, the need to foster the inner and interpersonal peace dimensions became even stronger and more meaningful.