Educação do campo: desafios dos egressos da LEDUCARR

Abstract

This dissertation is linked to the Graduate Program in Education at the Federal University of Roraima (PPGE/UFRR), in Research Line 1 – Teacher Education and Educational Practices, and is situated within contemporary debates on teacher education policies, with an emphasis on the challenges of teaching in the contexts of Rural Education in Roraima and the Amazon. The research is guided by the following problem-question: What challenges are experienced by graduates of the Degree in Rural Education (LEDUCARR/UFRR) during their first three years of teaching? The general objective is to analyze these challenges at the beginning of the professional trajectory of LEDUCARR graduates. The specific objectives are: (i) to understand the process of initial teacher education in Rural Education, considering its theoretical, political, and pedagogical foundations; (ii) to describe the particularities of the Degree in Rural Education based on its Pedagogical Course Project (PPC) and its importance for the peoples of the countryside, forests, and waters; and (iii) to identify the perceptions and experiences of the graduates regarding the difficulties and learning processes at the beginning of their teaching careers. The methodology adopted is qualitative in nature, allowing direct contact with the research subjects and critical interpretation of their narratives. Interviews (both in-person and online) and document analysis were used, especially the LEDUCARR PPC and information provided by the course coordination. Five graduates participated, representing different trajectories and realities of teaching in rural contexts. To ensure anonymity while also valuing the political dimension of the research, pseudonyms inspired by historic militants of the struggles for land and education were adopted: Margarida Maria Alves, Nísia Floresta, Joana do Assentamento, Tereza de Benguela, and Manoel da Conceição. The dissertation is structured in three chapters. The first, Methodological Itineraries of the Research, presents the qualitative approach, data collection instruments, data analysis, and ethical principles of the study. The second chapter, Foundations of Rural Education and Teacher Training, discusses the distinction between Rural Education and Rural Schooling, the principle of integral human formation, the legal frameworks of the field, and the theoretical and pedagogical foundations of teacher training. The third chapter, The Beginning of the Teaching Career in Rural Education, brings the graduates’ narratives on identity, territory, the relevance of LEDUCARR for their education, and the main challenges faced in their initial teaching practice, including learnings that go beyond traditional categories, such as gender inequalities, student protagonism, and affective dimensions of teaching. By prioritizing the voices of beginning teachers, this research contributes to strengthening dialogue between the university, schools, and social movements, seeking to consolidate processes of teacher education and retention committed to social transformation and the construction of an emancipatory education for the peoples of the countryside, forests, and waters.