A educação no/do campo na perspectiva territorial camponesa: reflexões sobre o Ensino de Geografia na escola do assentamento Zumbi dos Palmares - Mari/PB

Abstract

Education in rural areas is a form of teaching and social practice that remains under development. It draws on experiences of human development shaped by the struggles of peasant social movements for land and education. In this context, the rural school emerges as a space for collective construction, playing a vital role in reinforcing the territorial identity of peasant communities and valuing their local knowledge and practices. This study aims to analyze educational practices that strengthen peasant territories, focusing on rural education and geography teaching at Zumbi dos Palmares School, located in Mari/PB. The research employs dialectics and phenomenology as analytical methods, enabling reflection on the material and symbolic representations within these territories. To inform our discussions, we draw on the works of authors such as Raffestin (1993), Haesbaert (2004, 2007), Saquet (2008), Bonnemaison (1999), Freire (1980; 1987), Arroyo (2011; 2012), Ribeiro (2013), Molina and Sá (2012), and Fernandes (2012). For data collection, we used various methodological approaches, including bibliographic and documentary research, as well as fieldwork. In the field research, we conducted interviews, observations, and a workshop focused on creating mental maps. The findings indicate that rural education at Zumbi dos Palmares School is still a work in progress. Establishing the school within the settlement represents a significant step toward providing quality education that reflects the realities of peasant life. Moreover, the school seeks to integrate geography teaching that emphasizes local realities and territorial identity. Despite challenges such as institutional demands, insufficient teacher training, and the pervasive influence of urban-oriented education, the school continues to resist and innovate. It does so by proposing a differentiated curriculum, embodied in its Political-Pedagogical Project. The research underscores that geography teaching at Zumbi dos Palmares School plays a crucial role in helping students reflect on their daily lives, their existence, and the history of resistance that shaped their territory and school. However, there remains a need to rethink and refine pedagogical practices in geography teaching to further advance rural education and strengthen local territorial identity.