CURRÍCULO, FORMAÇÃO DOCENTE E PRÁTICAS PEDAGÓGICAS: DIÁLOGOS ENTRE EDUCAÇÃO AMBIENTAL E EDUCAÇÃO INFANTIL

Abstract

This thesis is the result of research developed with the Postgraduate Program in Science Teaching/Institute of Physics at the Federal University of Mato Grosso do Sul, linked to the area of concentration and line of research in Environmental Education (EA). Our main objective was to analyze the conceptions of early childhood education (ECE) teachers on the topic of environmental education in the curriculum and practices in the area. To this end, we outlined some specific objectives, such as: identifying how research in relation to childhood/early childhood education and EE is being developed in Brazil; identify the characteristics of early childhood education curricula in the schools researched and whether they promote the development of environmental education in early childhood; Understand the forms of development, knowledge and curricular practices of early childhood education teachers peculiar to the environment; Understand the training processes of teachers in the schools investigated; Analyze the trajectory of children's rights in Brazil and present environmental education as a right for young children. The theoretical contribution that supported this investigation was critical EA, from a Freirean perspective, in addition to the Sociology of Childhood and the Reggio Emilia approach. The empirical investigation was carried out in two public early childhood education institutions in the municipality of Presidente Prudente – São Paulo, with seven early childhood education teachers as subjects of investigation. In the methodological path, we used qualitative research, with specific instruments for data collection, such as bibliographical research, questionnaires, observation and semi-structured interviews. The information collected was verified from the perspective of qualitative analysis and transformed into analysis categories, found in a data triangulation process. The results point to simplistic and mistaken conceptions of teachers and recommended teaching weaknesses in training (initial and continuing), with regard to the construction of the curriculum, conceptions of children and EE, as the main factors that prevent the engagement of quality EE in child education.