Homens na pedagogia: identidades profissionais possíveis em um curso feminino

Abstract

The historical process of feminization of teaching subsumed the Pedagogy Program in Brazil, by accentuating the designation of teaching in Preschool and Elementary School as the main focus of its professional training. Based on studies of social representations, gender, sexual division of labor, feminization of teaching and professional identity, this research aims to analyze the perception of male students regarding their insertion in a predominantly female socio-occupational space. The quantitative and qualitative research included a bibliographical survey about the professional practice of male teachers in Preschool and Elementary School, and interviews with 16 students of the Pedagogy Program at Federal University of Paraiba - Campus I, in João Pessoa, Brazil, seeking to explore their motivations for choosing the program and their prospects for professional practice. The analyses allowed to verify the implications of gender and social class, that anchor the social representations of Pedagogy as a higher education program for female with little social prestige, bringing about a devalued professional identity. In this context, it was observed that the motivation for choosing the program was mainly due to the students' identification with the profession, through the influence of education professionals. On the other hand, students are aware of the barriers they will face when they decide to pursue a feminized program, and they envision jobs that distance themselves from the devalued positions of the profession, such as teaching in Preschool and Elementary School, and aspire to positions of management, supervision, academic careers and public tenders. This study can contribute to the evaluation of the training purposes of the Pedagogy program and, in particular, to demystify the stereotyped view of men in child education, impacting discussions on gender equality in education and teaching.