Teaching strategies for a democracy and inclusive classroom. Challenges for teacher professional identity

Within the European debate on quality education for all, and along with the willingness to implement the Rights of Children, the paper will examine how diversities – which may relate to immigration status, disability, ethnicity, culture and social class – can challenge teachers’ identity and class context in order to enhance the diversity of each student as a resource. The paper will analyse data gathered during an action-research project, which has been developed in so-called high-complexity classrooms in Primary schools, with the aim of investigating the process of implementing teaching strategies for inclusive pedagogy. It will discuss how this process engages teachers in a dynamics between pitfalls and creativity as well as between school cultural barriers and educational opportunities. This leads to transform their professional identity, by developing a deep reflexivity in their own contexts of practice and strengthening their competence to support democracy and inclusive classrooms.