The following study is a qualitative research that studies the formation of the professional identity of secondary school teachers, who teach in Exemplary and Experimental schools. Exemplary and Experimental schools have a high social status and differ from the typical ones, both in terms of their student population (students are selected either by lottery or by examinations), and as regard of their staff composition (teachers are selected after evaluation). The aim of this research is to study how these teachers, provided they teach at these schools, identify their professional identity and what elements contribute in shaping it.
For the survey, semi-structured interviews were conducted with eight teachers, which were analyzed using the content analysis method.
The results show that the professional identity of teachers in Exemplary and Experimental Schools seems to be quite strong. The reason they chose these schools seems to be a strategy for their professional development. They state that they are quite satisfied with their profession, both by working with their colleagues, parents and students, and by the ability to teach subjects outside of the mandatory curriculum, something that enhances their autonomy.