O Perfil do Professor de Educação Infantil da cidade do Rio de Janeiro

Abstract

This research aims to investigate and draw the profile of the early childhood educators in the municipality of Rio de Janeiro, working in public day care centres, in particular those nominated from the first public recruitment exam held for this position. For this purpose, national and regional policies were analysed in light of the Policy Cycle approach by Ball and Bowe (1992-1994). Different contexts that led to the creation of the position of Early Childhood Educator (2010) were observed in search of elements to help understand the workforce of professionals in Early Childhood Education, more specifically in Rio public day care centres. We present a brief survey of data about Rio de Janeiro city, in particular, the place of Early Childhood in the Rio Education System. The research adopts a qualitative- quantitative methodology (quali- quanti). A digital questionnaire was used (Google Docs platform) with questions regarding functional aspects and the training of the educator. The questionnaire was sent digitally to the day care centres where the educators could access it. There were two focus groups with educators who responded to the digital questionnaire and accepted the invitation to participate in the research in-person. The questions in the focus groups sought to qualify the data generated by the questionnaire. Qualitative analyses are based on the theoretical perspective of Lev Vygotsky and encompasses the socio-historical subjects, immersed in specific contexts of development and continuous process of transformation. The quantitative analysis presented data on age, gender, work clusters and professional experience. The qualitative analysis expanded the discussion to initial and continuous training of the Early Childhood Educator and the construction of its professional identity, giving prominence to conflict situations existing in the workplace. The profile output reveals that the position is occupied by teachers, with an average age of 37, graduated and working mainly in classes with children aged 18 months to 3 and a half i.e. the older ones of Early Childhood. Access to the data produced by this research can help formulate public policies that seek the development of children enrolled in public day care centres in Rio de Janeiro, through investing in professionals specifically trained to deal with the challenges of working with small children