Abstract

SOUZA, Ana Lúcia Santos  and  CHAPANI, Daisi Teresinha. Paulo Freire’s critical theory, teacher education and science teaching in the early school years. Rev. Lusófona de Educação [online]. 2013, n.25, pp.119-133. ISSN 1645-7250.

The demands imposed by the society of technology and knowledge impose new requirements on the natural sciences teachers training, since it is necessary to ensure to all the acquisition of scientific knowledge to participate critically and effectively in matters involving science, technology and their multiple influences on society and environment. It is postulated that science education should occur since the first schooling years, therefore, teacher training ought to address necessarily aspects related to science’s products and processes, besides of those traditionally related to children teaching. Nationwide surveys conducted by Silva (2006), Delizoicov & Angotti (2000) and Ovigli & Bertucci (2009) reveal noticeable problems in first schooling years natural sciences teaching, coming forth from the teacher training for this education level. Taking this issue as starting point, this study aimed to discuss the contributions of Paulo Freire’s critical theory for natural sciences teachers’ training, focusing on the concepts and assumptions of this theory which can provide tools for both criticism to current models of teacher training, and for the necessary changes that are needed in the teaching of natural sciences in the first schooling years. The study is characterized as a qualitative descriptive research and was built upon the analysis of Freire’s works, of some of its commentators, as well as researchers in the field of Natural Sciences teaching. We ponder that teacher training for the first schooling years based on praxis enables the recognition of the historical and changing character of the products of science and furthermore provides bases enabling a critical reflective and investigative pedagogical practice, in the teaching of Natural Sciences in the first schooling years. We conclude by pointing out some possibilities for the first schooling years teachers training that may contribute to an emancipatory education: defining the identity of the course and the professional in accordance with the National Curriculum Guidelines, which establish instruction (teaching) as the main focus of training and work of pedagogues; discussion about the nature of science in the formation process, through the exercise of criticity and dialogicity and questioning of concrete situations, that is, problems that involve the teaching / learning of Natural Sciences, so that strategies are promoted to enhance an education focused on the formation of critical individuals.

Keywords : práxis; teacher training; science; first schooling years; praxis.

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