Abstract

The objective of this research study is to characterize critical experiences of future high school teachers that influence teaching identity build-up during both university studies and professional practice. The methodology is qualitative and hermeneutic phenomenological. Data are gathered through focus groups composed of 30 participants from different regional universities from Chile. The results show that: 1) there is a disconnection between university and practical experiences, generating a gap for teaching identity, 2) the mentor teacher and university professors are models to follow and can influence continuity in teaching careers, and 3) emotions play an important role in the training process. It is concluded that university experiences and internships generate stress in the build-up of the teaching identity of future teachers, depending on emotional, personal, and professional factors. © (2025), (Centro de Informacion Tecnologica). All rights reserved.