Fios do passado e do presente na tessitura do amanhã : reflexões em torno da Educação Infantil do Colégio Anchieta, Rio Grande do Sul

Abstract

This research investigates pedagogical practices, including curriculum and evaluation, in child education of the Colégio Anchieta at Porto Alegre, Rio Grande do Sul, based on observations of daily routine, comparing them with the guidelines presented in two basic documents guiding the Jesuit schools in Brazil – Ignatian Pedagogy and Common Educational Project – and with reflections based on the theoretical conceptions about children and childhood in the contemporary world, with emphasis on the ideas of Manuel Jacinto Sarmento and Maria Carmen Barbosa. In addition, through questionnaires and interviews involving professionals who work or have already worked in the institution, as well as through old documents founded at school office, the research discusses meaningful elements that help to understand the context of this specific sector over the years. The analytical process developed leads to the final considerations, suggesting the need for greater coherence in the pedagogical practices observed in relation to both the principles prescribed in the guiding documents and the contemporary conceptions of childhood. Another important conclusion indicates the urgent need to revise the curriculum and the paths to elaborate planning and evaluation, especially with regard to the excess of objectives and tasks proposed, avoiding the accelerated use of time and favoring a greater role of children. These considerations also imply review and improvement of management practices in order to ensure coherence in relation to the Anchietan proposal of child education.