This paper presents a set of readings from secondary data bases in order to analyze the teacher’s profile in Brazilian basic education, their identity and their relationship to work. Using information from the 2003 Census of Teachers and the data from the Teacher’s Questionnaire applied by Prova Brasil 2011, both bases produced by INEP/MEC, the study produces a mapping of the main characteristics of teachers and collates such analysis with other works that the research field has produced. The text concludes highlighting features of the teaching population, as well as showing how more experienced and well trained teachers are rewarded in salary terms; furthermore, it shows aspects of working conditions and the cultural profile, and in this last item it shows a fragile cultural level between teachers.
basic education teachers; teaching work; educational policies
