O lugar da Geografia na sala de aula nos anos iniciais do ensino fundamental: currículo e prática docente

Abstract

The presence of Geography in the curriculum of Early Years of Elementary Education has been discussed by researchers on the meaning of teaching as well as the concepts and contents of this discipline in this stage of schooling. It has also been observed that the curriculum is an essential part of the teaching-learning process, as it can influence teaching practice. Based on these notes, this research aims to understand the place that Geography occupies in the classroom in the Early Years of Elementary School, considering the relevance of the curriculum and its influence on teaching practice. This dissertation was based on studies that address the social construction of the curriculum, the relevance of the concepts of Geography and its social representations for the reading and interpretation of geographic space, and the importance of teaching practice and knowledge for the teaching of Geography. The research is qualitative, using a multiple case study, semi-structured interview and observations of teaching practice that, due to the Covid19 pandemic, happened remotely, due to the fact that face-to-face teaching was suspended by the Department of Education of the municipality for an indefinite period. This work was developed in 5th grade classes at the municipal schools: Silvana de Oliveira Pontes and Professor Altimar de Alencar Pimentel, located in the city of Cabedelo/PB, and had as subjects, two teachers with a degree in Pedagogy. The research showed that the place of Geography in the classroom curriculum in the Early Years of Elementary Education remains in the background, as the teaching of Mother Language and Mathematics is still a priority, and it was observed that the curriculum has a strong influence on the teaching practice. Within the pandemic context, other problems surfaced, such as the deprivation to participate in Remote Education, mainly for the majority of students who did not have technological tools and/or internet. These elements contributed to the increase in the difficulties of teaching Geography in the 5th grade and demonstrated that students in these classes will reach the 6th grade of the Final Years of Elementary School with some learning problem in relation to discussions on this discipline.