A prática de ensino de geografia nas associações escolares: Escola Nossa e Associação Educacional de Niterói

Abstract

This research investigated the teacher s Geography classes of Associação Educacional de Niterói (AEN) and Escola Nossa (EN), in the state of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. The objective of this work was to analyze if their teaching practices were influenced by the educational contexts of these institutions. This is because, despite being private schools, they are maintained by non-profit associations and were created by the student's families, interested in a higher quality educational institution with cheaper monthly fees. In EN case, the teachers also participated of its foundation in favor of the construction of a school with better salaries. All this justifies the need to verify the meanings of these actions that founded this school model, certainly influenced by a larger historical context, questioning some elements that traditionally are part of the educational systems. The intention was to understand how these educational associations are institutionally and pedagogically organized, what are the proposals for the Geography discipline and how happens the articulation between the practices and the students s space knowledge. This investigation is a case study that happened by the observation of the schools and the classes of Geography teachers; by reading institutional documents, such as the Associations Statutes, Regiments and Political Pedagogical Projects; by the application of questionnaires with Geography teachers; interviewing part of the employees of pedagogical staff and some Geography teachers. At the end of the research, it was observed that participation and collectivity are social practices in both schools, even with the absence of the majority of the Associations members. During Geography classes, interactivity and participation were also recurring practices; the students demonstrated autonomy and leadership in their points of view. It was also observed that the proposition of another school model is not a guarantee of changes in teaching and learning practice. Although the practices researched happened through different ways, all presented Pedagogy or Geography aspects related to traditional trends.