‘At sea with Lucas’: narrative case study of an early childhood educator faced with a critical incident / ‘En la mitad del mar con Lucas’: estudio de caso narrativo de una maestra de educación infantil ante un incidente crítico

The purpose of this article is to identify and understand the voices and I-positions of Francia, an experienced Chilean educator, in a critical incident that proved fundamental in her identity construction. The adaptation to a school institution in her novice professional development period as an early childhood educator emerges as a significant episode worth exploring. Through a narrative case study and the application of dialogical self-analysis tools, internal, external and outer voices are identified, like the I as someone postponed, the I as a protector, the I as a professional, the I as a collaborator and the school as an outer protective voice. This case highlights the tension between childcare and teacher self-care, revealing a transition towards professionalism. What stands out are collaboration and the need for professional learning in how to deal with critical situations, especially situations related to diversity, underscoring the importance of ethics and consideration of institutional contexts.