JOÃOZINHO DA MARÉ

• DOI: https://doi.org/10.22533/at.ed.51572132624069

• Palavras-chave: Education, Teacher Training, Knowledge, School.

• Keywords: Education, Teacher Training, Knowledge, School.

• Abstract:

  This academic essay offers a reflection on the short story “Joãozinho da Maré,” which depicts the life of a poor boy living in a favela in Rio de Janeiro. Joãozinho, the boy in question, closely observes everything around him and is constantly drawn to situations that, although they may seem routine to many, become major events for him. In this context, a boy from the outskirts decides to confront the reality he experiences with what he learns in the classroom, posing questions to his teacher. At first, the teacher refuses to provide answers, as she is concerned with “sticking to the curriculum”; this exclusionary behavior on the teacher’s part prompts us to reflect on school and curricular experiences, where children, in their act of reflection, often question what they are learning and are reprimanded by the teacher.
  This is due to the lack of preparation on the part of the teacher leading the classroom, a lack of confidence, a rigid curriculum, and other factors that contribute to an authoritarian and exclusionary approach on the part of a teacher—one that does not provide students with the opportunity to learn based on their own questions and experiences. The curriculum is an important tool for supporting and guiding teachers; however, it cannot become the sole focus of their work. It is up to the teacher to apply their own teaching methodology and conduct their practice autonomously. The short story illustrates the rigid teaching practice of a teacher who has been teaching the same content in the same way for about fifteen years; as an education professional, she teaches what is mandated, without questioning or reflecting on what she is conveying to her students. Based on the context presented, we will reflect on teaching practice, the student’s learning process, and the school curriculum.