Construction of the figure of rural teacher in the Argentine graphic press

Abstract

In this work, we explore the construction made by La Nación, Clarín and Página 12 of the figure of “rural teacher”. To do this, from a selection of 91 articles from 2010-2019, we analyzed the decisions regarding the written and visual discourse used in the articles to portray the profession of
these teachers. The results of our analysis show that the construction made of the image of these teachers differs according to the newspaper: in La Nación, the discourse that prevails is one of a “hero” rural teacher that, with vocation and effort, faces the challenging circumstances to provide education to a few children in remote places. In Clarín, several of the notes follow the same pattern and others reflect an image of a rural teacher recognized for his innovative practices, commitment, and the academic results of his students, although the notion of challenges persists. Finally, in Página 12, although some articles follow the “hero-challenges” model, the teacher is represented as part of a group who, rarely individualized, who claims for his/her rights.