Revista Brasileira de Educação do Campo

Brazilian Journal of Rural Education

ARTIGO/ARTICLE/ARTÍCULO

DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.20873/uft.rbec.e9596

RBEC

Tocantinópolis/Brasil

v. 6

e9596

10.20873/uft.rbec.e9596

2021

ISSN: 2525-4863

1

Este conteúdo utiliza a Licença Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License

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School attendance in multi-grade classes in the city of

Buenos Aires: representation of teachers in the light of the

rural education policy

Ana Paula de Holanda Cavalcanti

1

, Waldênia Leão de Carvalho

2

1, 2

Universidade de Pernambuco - UPE. Programa de Pós-graduação em Educação (Mestrado Profissional em Educação).

Rua Amaro Maltês de Farias, n. 201. Bairro Centro. Nazaré da Mata - PE. Brasil.

Author for correspondence: paulaholanda88@hotmail.com

ABSTRACT. This narrative talks about the education of the

countryside (rural) and the development of the pedagogical

practice in the multi-grade classes in the city of Buenos Aires /

PE. The full-time teachers made a research through on visits (in

loco), with the application of a semi-structured interview, an

open quiz and meetings with the focus group. Analyzes issues

regarding working conditions of teachers of multigraded classes

from rural areas. The text presents reflections on the conditions

of teaching profession through data collected by questionnaire

applications and narrative interviews. Based on the research

results we identified in our first category of analysis and the

formative expectations resulting the continued formation, the

political commitment, the pedagogical practices, social and

educational, the positive feeling related to the formation that

arouse changes and continuity of the formation. The practice of

rural teachers are based on a different approach from the

conception and founded on educational policy. The main

contributions of the study relate to the "lessons" learned from

these teachers know-hows as a possibility of the systematization

and production of a powerful academic knowledge for the

formulation and development of public policies consistent with

the reality of schools in rural areas.

Keywords: rural education, educational policies, multi-grades

classes.

Cavalcanti, A. P. H., & Carvalho, W. L. (2021). School attendance in multi-grade classes in the city of Buenos Aires: representation of teachers in the light of the rural

education policy...

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Tocantinópolis/Brasil

v. 6

e9596

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2021

ISSN: 2525-4863

2

O atendimento escolar em classes multisseriadas no

município de Buenos Aires: representação de docentes à

luz da política de educação do campo

RESUMO. Este artigo tem por objetivo analisar a educação do

campo e o desenvolvimento da prática pedagógica nas classes

multisseriadas no município de Buenos Aires/PE. O aporte

teórico está pautado na legislação que a rege e nos teóricos que

tratam do tema Caldart, Molina e Hage, entre outros. A pesquisa

foi realizada em 13 escolas multisseriadas localizadas na zona

rural do Município. Participaram da pesquisa 13 professores

efetivos que lecionam na educação infantil e anos iniciais do

ensino fundamental. A coleta de dados ocorreu através da

aplicação de entrevista semiestruturada. Os dados obtidos foram

analisados segundo a Teoria de Análise Conteúdo de Bardin. Os

resultados evidenciam que os professores procuram atender as

especificidades da multisseriação e da educação do campo,

buscando atrelar a sua prática docente à realidade vivida pelo

aluno, mesmo na ausência de uma proposta municipal que

embase a prática pedagógica nessas classes. Verificou-se, a

necessidade da criação de uma proposta pedagógica e de um

currículo próprio para a educação do campo e classes

multisseriadas, a formação continuada específica para o

professor. Além de questões referentes à organização e divisão

das classes, a orientação do trabalho docente e o uso de

materiais didáticos voltados à realidade do campo.

Palavras-chave: educação do campo, políticas educacionais,

classes multisseriadas.

Cavalcanti, A. P. H., & Carvalho, W. L. (2021). School attendance in multi-grade classes in the city of Buenos Aires: representation of teachers in the light of the rural

education policy...

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Tocantinópolis/Brasil

v. 6

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2021

ISSN: 2525-4863

3

Asistencia escolar en clases de varios grados en la ciudad

de Buenos Aires: representación de docentes a la luz de la

política de educación rural

RESUMEN. Artículo tiene como objetivo analizar la educación

en el campo y el desarrollo de la práctica pedagógica en clases

multiseriales en la ciudad de Buenos Aires / PE. El aporte

teórico se basa en la legislación que lo rige y en los teóricos que

tratan el tema Caldart, Molina y Hage, entre otros. La

investigación ocurrió en 13 escuelas multigrado ubicadas en el

área rural del municipio. Trece profesores efectivos que enseñan

en la educación de la primera infancia y en los primeros años de

la escuela primaria participaron de la investigación. La recogida

de datos se produjo mediante la aplicación de entrevistas

semiestructuradas. Los datos obtenidos fueron analizados de

acuerdo con la teoría de análisis de contenido de Bardin. Los

resultados muestran que los docentes buscan satisfacer las

especificidades de la multisección y la educación rural,

buscando vincular su práctica docente con la realidad

experimentada por el estudiante, incluso en ausencia de una

propuesta municipal que respalde la práctica pedagógica en

estas clases. Se constató la necesidad de la creación de una

propuesta pedagógica y de un currículo adecuado para la

Educación del Campo y las clases multiseriales; Educación

continua específica para el profesor. Además de las preguntas

sobre la organización y división de las clases, la orientación del

trabajo docente y el uso de materiales didácticos dirigidos a la

realidad del campo.

Palabras clave: educación rural, políticas educativas, clases de

multiseriales.

Cavalcanti, A. P. H., & Carvalho, W. L. (2021). School attendance in multi-grade classes in the city of Buenos Aires: representation of teachers in the light of the rural

education policy...

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Tocantinópolis/Brasil

v. 6

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2021

ISSN: 2525-4863

4

Introduction

Rural education covers a series of

specific and constitutive elements of the

way of living in and in the countryside,

goes from the struggles of rural workers in

social movements to public policies aimed

at rural schools. For Caldart (2009),

discussing about the theme is recognize

that it has its origin in the peasant social

movements and is linked to the class

struggle. For Caldart, Rural Education is

not a proposal for education, but an

educational project, which needs to go

beyond the physical space of the school to

approach the social context and interact

with the community, valuing the work and

culture of the population in which the

school is inserted.

In this perspective, rural education

understands it is important that workers in

rural areas have access to the knowledge

produced by society, problematizing and

criticizing the dominant knowledge and the

epistemological hierarchy in a society that

delegitimizes the knowledge produced by

the people of the countryside.

In Brazil, the multi-grade or uni-

docent classes constitute part of the

scenario of in the rural education of public

schools located in rural areas of the

municipalities. Multi-grade classes are the

students from different school grades study

in the same classroom, with a single

teacher, who teaches all curriculum

components. The multi-grade occurs due to

the insufficient number of students

registered to form a single class, due to the

low population density in rural locations,

especially in the stages of early childhood

education and in the early years of

elementary school.

Multi-grade is a phenomenon that is

present in the pedagogical and teaching

practice of many schools in the

countryside. The multi-grade has been

criticized about the form of students'

organization, the implementation of the

curriculum, the learning and the quality of

teaching, on the other hand it has gained a

new interpretation, the one that views

integrated learning and the exchange of

knowledge among students of different

ages.

Recognizing that multi-grade classes

are a reality in Brazilian education, our

study led to analyze the development of

pedagogical practices in rural education,

observing the school attendance of children

in multi-grade classes, as a rural education

policy in the city of Buenos Aires PE. As

well as, describe the structure and

organization of care for the multi-grade

classes: Identify possibilities, challenges

and difficulties for the development of

teaching practice in multi-grade classes

and relate the proposal for the multi-grade

Cavalcanti, A. P. H., & Carvalho, W. L. (2021). School attendance in multi-grade classes in the city of Buenos Aires: representation of teachers in the light of the rural

education policy...

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Tocantinópolis/Brasil

v. 6

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2021

ISSN: 2525-4863

5

classes to the perspective of rural

education.

Multi-grades in Brazil

Multi-grade is a form of a distinct

organization from the standard established

in the traditional school, it is found both in

rural and urban areas, that in each

classroom there is a certain number of

students, considering the age and the

respective grade or school year, these

models of school organization, despite of

being distinct, have something in common:

the learning heterogeneities, considering

the different levels of cognitive, emotional

and social development and the learning of

knowledge presented by the students in the

regular class. The number of schools and

registrations in the rural area and the

presence of multi-grade classes can be seen

in the available data by the

PRONACAMPO document (National

Rural Education Program) according to the

2011 school census.

Picture 1. Schools and registrations in rural education - 2011.

Organization

Number

School

%

School

Number

Registration

%

Registration

Schools and

registrations

76.229

100.00

6.293.885

100.00

With up 15 students

13.758

18.05

146.658

2.3

With up 50 students

43.986

57.70

1.050.608

16.7

With up 100 students

58.473

76.71

2.081.541

33.1

More than 100 students

17.756

23.29

4.212.344

66.9

Mutiseries classes

54.405

71.37

1.436.667

22.8

Source: Brasil. PRONACAMPO/MEC, 2012.

According to the data presented in

picture 1, a number of rural schools and

registrations are quite significant. The data

also show the multi-grade classes are

present in 71.37% of schools in rural areas,

representing 22.8% of the total

registrations in rural schools, revealing

Brazil with educational specific

characteristics to rural conditions. These

data allow us to infer that multi-grade is

present throughout the rural territory. This

requires the implementation of urgent

educational and social policies can serve

schools, teachers and students from multi-

grades classes, on geographical and

cultural diversity. To observe this reality

from the levels of education, we consulted

the school census from 2009 to 2019, and

there is no explicit reference to the

percentage of registered students in multi-

grade classes.

The other censuses names about the

percentage of students registered in rural

schools in general, accounting the number

Cavalcanti, A. P. H., & Carvalho, W. L. (2021). School attendance in multi-grade classes in the city of Buenos Aires: representation of teachers in the light of the rural

education policy...

RBEC

Tocantinópolis/Brasil

v. 6

e9596

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2021

ISSN: 2525-4863

6

of effective registrations in the stages:

early childhood education, elementary

school and high school. Without

discriminating which of these registrations

corresponds to the multi-grade classes, we

located these data more clearly in the

document organized and available by

PRONACAMPO for the year 2011.

INEP / MEC in 2007 launched the

document Panorama of rural education

presenting a greater challenge, as described

in picture 2.

Picture 2 - Numbers of Multi-grade Schools - Elementary Education - 2002 and 2005.

Source: Brasil, 2007. MEC / INEP.

According to the data presented,

there is a predominance of multi-grade in

rural education, in the elementary school

stage. In 2005, the number of schools was

higher than those focused on multi-grade.

If we add mixed schools to this data, the

predominance of this model of school

organization is an integral part of the

country's school education. The

Department of Continuing Education,

Literacy, Diversity and Inclusion

(SECADI), extinct at moment, was

responsible for the management of rural

education in MEC, to analyzing these data

contrasts that:

Depending on the kind of

organization, we have 59% of

elementary schools establishments

formed exclusively by multi-grade or

uni-docent classes, they concentrate

24% of registrations. Exclusively

multi-grade schools correspond about

20% and concentrate just over half of

registrations (2,986,209 students).

Mixed (multi-grade and serial)

account ¼ of registrations (1,441,248

students). (Brasil, 2007, p. 21).

The data shows a significant number

of multi-grade rural schools, just over half

of the schools. Multi-grade is an inherent

element in the context of rural education

and it is exactly, it needs an appropriate

structure and support that allows its

effective operation, signaling the great

challenge that multi-grade and unidocent

schools are for the public policies in the

rural education (Brazil, 2007).

Methodological way

The study was taken from the

qualitative approach; it was developed in

the city of Buenos Aires-Pernambuco with

a group of 13 teachers who they are the

Form of organization

Establishment

Registration

2002

2005

2002

2005

Elementary – 1st to 8th grade

100.967

90.413

6.236.447

5.799.387

- Exclusive Muti-series

61.927

53.700

1.681.562

1.371.930

- Exclusive Serial class

19.455

18.446

3.035.459

2.986.209

- Mixed (Multi-series and serial

19.585

18.267

1.519.426

1.441.248

Cavalcanti, A. P. H., & Carvalho, W. L. (2021). School attendance in multi-grade classes in the city of Buenos Aires: representation of teachers in the light of the rural

education policy...

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Tocantinópolis/Brasil

v. 6

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ISSN: 2525-4863

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staff of permanent employees, who work in

the multi-grade classes in early childhood

education and in the early years of

elementary school in schools from county.

The research was approved by the ethics

committee from the University of

Pernambuco.

For data collection, we used the

semi-structured interview conducted by 13

teachers, containing 9 essay questions,

recorded, transcribed and analyzed by

analysis techniques in the content proposed

by Bardin (1977).

For this study, we catalog 8

categories of analysis: rural education;

rural education at school; municipal policy

of rural education; possibilities and

challenges in the development of rural

education; dynamics of multi-grade in

school; the teaching practice in the multi-

grade classes; teacher training, continuing

and specific; teaching proposal for multi-

grades classes.

Results and discussion

In the first part of the study, we

carried out a survey of schools in rural

locations in the city of Buenos Aires,

seeking observe the multi-grade classes in

the levels of early childhood education and

early years of elementary school and about

the number of students registered in the

last four years. The data are shown in the

chart 1, let's see.

Chart 1. Census of multi-grade schools in the city

of Buenos Aires / PE.

Source: School census of Buenos Aires/PE, from

2016 to 2019.

According to the chart above, we can

see the panorama of the multi-grade in the

county, and it is present in most schools in

the countryside that offer the initial years

of schooling. Of the 13 municipal schools

located in the rural area, only two don´t

MULTI-SERIES SCHOOLS

Nº

MUNICIPAL

SCHOOL

2016

2017

2018

2019

01

Mínima

Canafístula

20

21

20

15

02

Doutor João

de Holanda

Cavalcante

12

14

11

10

03

Irene Gomes

de Araújo

Pereira

26

24

20

22

04

Otacílio Vieira

de Azevedo

18

16

05

Professora

Jandira

Albertina de

Souza

21

14

17

22

06

Presidente

Castelo

Branco

20

22

17

07

Joaquim

Vieira de Melo

41

50

49

58

08

José Teobaldo

de Azevedo

18

20

18

09

José Antonio

de Melo Filho

22

20

10

Luiz Almeida

38

49

50

41

11

Santo Antônio

(Engenho

Tamataúpe de

Flores)

Santo Antônio

(Anexo

Engenho

Cavalcanti)

Nossa Senhora

de Fátima

(Anexo

Assentamento

Novo Mundo)

21

27

18

22

24

15

20

22

16

13

Total

302

309

301

284

Cavalcanti, A. P. H., & Carvalho, W. L. (2021). School attendance in multi-grade classes in the city of Buenos Aires: representation of teachers in the light of the rural

education policy...

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Tocantinópolis/Brasil

v. 6

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2021

ISSN: 2525-4863

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have multi-grade classes, this data reveals

the almost full presence of schools that

have multi-grade classes, although there is

a gradual reduction in the number of

students annually registered, this factor is

often related to the number of school-age

children in the communities for new

registrations, the departure of students to

attend the 6th year of elementary school in

urban areas or for the rural exodus.

Although schools function with small

numbers of students in some communities,

with the exception of two schools, the

county has so far not opted for school

nucleation or closing as an educational

management strategy. One school was

closed in 2015 because of structural

problems, about location, accessibility and

security and there is another school being

built to replace it in a more suitable space

and the pupils have been relocated to other

nearby schools. Joaquim Vieira de Melo

School, will start operating in a new

building has been built and is expected to

be opening in 2020.

In all, of the 11 multi-grade schools,

6 operate with just one classroom and one

shift, usually in the morning, with children

registered in different levels and grades.

Other 5 work with two teachers, in two

classrooms, usually in the same shift,

where the classes are divided in childish

and fundamental. It was observed the

absence of day care centers in the rural

area; the registers of children from the

countryside are made from 3 years old.

These children are attended together the

pre-school children.

The multi-series in the city is

organized in a varied way, it is composed

by level or quantity of students. The

number of teachers also varies by demand.

While there are other schools have only

one classroom, multi-grades occurs within

the teaching levels, that is, early childhood

education and elementary education occur

in the same classroom.

The city, so far, doesn´t have a

curricular proposal for education in the

county, the schools also don´t have the

political pedagogical project, so the

teachers, autonomously, use diversified

teaching methodologies and strategies,

performing different activities for each

grade.

Although some schools have a small

number of students by class, there is an

overload of teachers who need to organize

different activities for each grade and take

on administrative functions in the schools.

We present chart 2, the profile of

teachers and the number of grades/classes

taking the year 2019 as a reference. We use

flower names to name the teachers.

Cavalcanti, A. P. H., & Carvalho, W. L. (2021). School attendance in multi-grade classes in the city of Buenos Aires: representation of teachers in the light of the rural

education policy...

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Chart 2 - Profile of Teachers from Rural Education in the City of Buenos Aires.

Nº

Teacher

(flower

names

according to

the initial

letter of the

teachers'

names)

Age

Schooling

high school,

undergraduate and

graduate

Time of experience

as education

teacher in rural

areas and bonding

time

Number of grades/classes

01

Acacia

31

Pedagogy

Educational

management and

pedagogical

coordination

5 years / permanent

Maternal, pre I, pre II, 1st,

2nd, 3rd, 4th and 5th grade

8 classes - 16 students

02

White lily

46

Pedagogy

Psycho-pedagogy

27 years /

permanent

3rd, 4th and 5th grade

3 classes - 16 students

03

Angelica

32

High school

2 years / hired

1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th and 5th

grade

5 classes - 13 students

04

Camellia

27

Pedagogy

5 years / hired

Maternal, pre II, 1st, 2nd,

3rd, 4th and 5th grade

7 classes - 10 students

05

Clove

24

Pedagogy

Ludopedagogy.

Clinical and

institutional

psycho-pedagogy

5 years / working

Exchange

4th and 5th grade

2 classes -12 students

06

Dahlia

45

Pedagogy

18 years / working

Exchange

2nd, 3rd, 4th and 5th grade

4 classes - 12 students

07

Night

Jessamine

27

Pedagogy

Psycho-pedagogy

3 years / permanent

1st, 2nd, 3rd grade

3 classes / 27 students

08

Dandelion

51

Pedagogy

Psycho-pedagogy

7 years / permanent

Morning: pre I, pre II and

1st

3 classes - 8 students

Afternoon: 2nd, 3rd, 4th and

5th grade

3 classes - 8 students

09

Euphrasia

38

Pedagogy

School

Management

5 years / permanent

Maternal, pre I, pre II and

1st

4 classes - 13 students

10

Sunflower

44

Pedagogy

25 years / hired

1st and 3rd grade

2 classes - 10 students

11

Jasmin

46

Pedagogy

27 years /

permanent

2nd and 3rd grade

2 classes - 18 students

12

Java flower

40

Pedagogy

Psycho-pedagogy

2 years / permanent

Maternal, pre I, pre II, 1st,

2nd, 3rd, 4th and 5th grade

7 classes - 20 students

13

Magnolia

46

Language and arts

Literature and Arts

28 years / working

exchange

Pre I, Pre II and 1st grade

3 classes - 10 students

14

Daisy

63

Geography

36 years /

permanent

4th and 5th grade

2 classes - 9 students

15

Rose

29

Mathematics

Literacy skills

5 years / permanent

2nd and 3rd grade

2 classes - 19 students

Cavalcanti, A. P. H., & Carvalho, W. L. (2021). School attendance in multi-grade classes in the city of Buenos Aires: representation of teachers in the light of the rural

education policy...

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16

Vanilla

43

Pedagogy

Psycho-pedagogy

2 years / working

exchange

Morning: maternal, pre I, pre

II

3 classes - 15 students

Afternoon: 4th and 5th grade

2 classes - 16 students

17

Violet

32

Pedagogy

Psycho-pedagogy

10 years /

permanent

Maternal, pre I, pre II, 1st

and 2nd grade

5 classes - 15 students

Source: The authors, 2019.

Looking at the chart, it can be seen

the most of teachers are women about 30

and 60 years, there is only one male

teacher. Most of the employees are

permanent, with only two hired teachers

and four exchanged under the regime of

collaboration among cities. Of the 17

teachers, 7 live in the rural area and 5 in

the urban area of the city, the rest live in

the surrounding cities.

When analyzing the teaching

training, we observe there is only one

teacher doesn´t have a higher education,

the others have training in various degrees,

especially in the pedagogy course. Some

teachers have specialization courses. In

summary, it is possible to notice the multi-

grades are predominant in rural schools in

the country, working with a reduced

number of students by class, with classes

that present from 3 to 5 grades in the same

classroom and with only one teacher.

Presentation of empirical data

We present the results collected in

the interview with the 13 teachers. In some

charts, the number of answers exceeds this

total due to the fact that some survey

subjects answered more than one category.

The data are distributed in the following

charts. Chart 3 deals teachers'

understanding about rural education, let's

see:

Chart 3 - Rural Education.

Source: The authors, 2019.

Based on the data, can be seen 9

teachers related rural education to the idea

of education offered in rural areas for

people living in the countryside; also

highlight the work done in these spaces

and the way these people live. Only 3

teachers related rural education to a

Thematic unit: Rural Education: space of life

and culture

It´s an education aimed to the rural

area and the people of countryside

0

9

It is a type of education for rural

areas

0

3

The answer didn´t answer the

question

0

1

Total

13

Cavalcanti, A. P. H., & Carvalho, W. L. (2021). School attendance in multi-grade classes in the city of Buenos Aires: representation of teachers in the light of the rural

education policy...

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teaching modality, directed to rural areas.

Before the answers presented, the concept

of the countryside as a geographic space

producing culture, identities and structure

element of this education is observed.

About that, Caldart (2002) points out:

The rural education is identified by

its subjects: it is important to

understand that behind the

geographical indication and the

coldness of statistical data is a part of

Brazilian people who live in this

place since the specific social

relations that make up life in and of

the countryside, in their different

identities and their common identity;

there are people from different ages,

there are families, communities,

organizations, social movements ...

(Caldart, 2002, p. 19).

The rural education is the identity of

a people, of a culture, of a place and space.

Therein lies its specificity, which

distinguishes it from urban schools, and

therefore the school as an institution

produces knowledge can´t ignore the

experiences from the people of

countryside, as we can see in the teachers'

speech:

"It´s worth mentioning that in rural

education, I need considering the

diversity contained in the space

where the student lives,

contemplating the school curriculum,

the characteristics of each

community, as well as the present

knowledge in that community the

student live, isn´t it? Always valuing

and respecting the way he lives".

(Euphrasia).

Another teacher says,

"Rural Education is a kind of

education that covers the entire rural

area, valuing the space of

production, life of people who live

there". (Jasmin).

Chart 4 below, deals with the

development of pedagogical practice in the

school, let’s observe:

Chart 4 - Rural Education at School.

Source: The authors, 2019.

Observing the data, we can see that

the same answer contemplated more than

one category, 8 teachers said the rural

education is developed in school respecting

the reality of the student, that is, starting

from the context is inserted, approaching

relevant matters to life in the rural areas,

such as identity, work, culture, among

others. Therefore, the effort to relate

teaching to the reality of the rural areas is

noticed, contextualizing and adapting the

knowledge to life in the rural areas, seek

making a rescue and taking advantage of

what is proper to each community in

accordance with the contents. About that,

the Resolution CNE/CEB 01 establishes:

Thematic unit: Development of

pedagogical practice at school

The work is developed approaching

the reality of the student

08

The work is developed approaching

the curriculum used in the city

08

The work is developed in a multi-

series way

03

TOTAL

19

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Single paragraph. The identity of a

country school is defined by its

attachment to issues inherent to its

reality, anchored in the temporality

and knowledge of the students, in the

collective memory that signals the

future, in Science and Technology

available in society and in social

movements in defense of projects

that associate the required solutions

by these issues to social quality of

collective life in the country.

(Resolution CNE/CEB nº1/2002, p.

1).

The respect for the identity, culture

and knowledge of the student and the rural

community are observed in several

documents dealing with rural education,

such as Opinion no. 36/2001, Resolution n.

02/2008 and Resolution n. 1/2002 cited by

different authors such as Caldart (2002),

Molina and Jesus (2004) and others. They

propose the idea of an education built by

the subjects of the rural area, in a

movement of integration and collectivity.

To respect in the school context, the set of

elements forming the different groups of

people is a fundamental step to the

constitution of an inclusive and equal

education.

The question led 8 teachers to reveal

that education is developed based on the

curriculum that is used in municipal

schools in the urban area. This curriculum

is given to teachers in the rural areas to

serve as guidance, the county so far has no

curriculum or curriculum proposal of its

own, so it uses the curriculum of the

Literacy Success Program, which is a

program of Pernambuco State. The other 3

interviewed say that the work is developed

based on multi-grades, as we can see in the

answers of one of the interviewed:

"As a rural school teacher, I always

try to work in a dynamic way,

valuing and respecting the

knowledge there are in the

community, always working globally.

We work, we see the issue of

diversity, but we have to respect it

and we know that we can't work only

on that issue there, in that

community. We have to work the

global, even ´cause that student, will

leave to go to school in the city and

he needs to have that general

knowledge, right? He's not going to

spend a whole life living only with

that reality of his community. So, we

need to go further, so that he has a

global knowledge, but don´t forget to

respect what he lives there, in his

daily life". (Euphrasia).

There was also some concern in

forming the student for society as a whole.

The teachers mentioned that the county

student also needs to have access to the

contents taught in the city. In this sense,

the new curriculum proposed by the

Common National Curriculum Base, which

is already being approached through

textbooks in schools in the countryside, in

the teachers' speech. This concern from the

teachers is natural, the opportunity to give

the student access to the existing

knowledge, thus expanding their formative

possibilities, giving conditions for their

Cavalcanti, A. P. H., & Carvalho, W. L. (2021). School attendance in multi-grade classes in the city of Buenos Aires: representation of teachers in the light of the rural

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growth, avoid that they have a restricted

and deficient formation.

The rural education and the multi-

grade classes were perceived many times

with the inferior income, when compared

to the education developed in the city, so,

the necessity to respect the differences of

each segment, as well as the understanding

of the specificities of each educational

proposal directed to the rural areas and

city. For a greater affirmation,

strengthening and educational quality, it´s

necessary to establish distinct parameters

of external evaluation from schools in the

countryside and in the city, so that

performance indicators are not created

unequal and with the maintenance of

discriminatory and stereotyped behaviors.

Chart 5 below, deals with the

development of Rural Education in the

city, let's see:

Chart 5 - Municipal policy on Rural Education.

Source: The authors, 2019.

As can be seen in the data above,

only 4 teachers mentioned the teaching

materials as an element that characterizes

the rural education, another 4 mentioned

continuing education, 3 teachers

interviewed, said about June festivities and

another 3 mentioned that there isn´t

element that characterizes this education as

being from the countryside. The other

interviewees, when asked what

characterizes a rural education in the

county, they said different answers, such as

the multi-grades, the rural space where the

school is inserted, and pedagogical

coordination.

It is noted the teachers mention what

is most evident in their daily lives, they

report the use of various teaching

materials: books, games, notebooks,

pencils, papers, among other school

supplies. However, it is worth mentioning

that these materials are general use in all

schools and they aren´t specific to rural

education.

Another element mentioned is the

continuing education of teachers that

occurs monthly, continuing education is

also an element present in education as a

whole. In the case of the county, this

training doesn´t approach themes,

problems, issues specifically related to

rural education or the multi-grade classes.

It is a training that approaches general

themes about teaching and routine issues,

such as Portuguese language and

Mathematics workshops, sequences of

activities for the teacher to use in his/her

Thematic Unit: Rural Education

in the Municipal System

Teaching materials

04

Continuing training

04

The June Festival

03

There's no element

03

Total

14

Cavalcanti, A. P. H., & Carvalho, W. L. (2021). School attendance in multi-grade classes in the city of Buenos Aires: representation of teachers in the light of the rural

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classroom, commemorative dates, events,

reports, among others. It isn´t, however, a

training that addresses general themes

about teaching and routine issues, such as

Portuguese language and Mathematics

workshops, sequences of activities for the

teacher to use in his/her classroom,

commemorative dates, events, reports,

among others characterized as a specific

element of rural education.

So, we can verify, a certain

contradiction when teachers are able to

identify and perceive they work with a

differentiated reality and culture, there is a

need to develop a more specific teaching

practice, and they don´t have appropriate

tools to make their pedagogical practice to

effect and realize an education destined to

rural areas and rural people. The elements

mentioned by the teachers don´t really

characterize the development of an

education aimed at the subjects of the

countryside, but are part of a "common"

education. They show the absence of the

countryside in attending this modality,

such as an appropriate curriculum,

educational proposal, continuing

education, evaluation, guidance and

monitoring of actions in rural schools.

The research subjects also talked to

the June celebration that is promoted by

the school and opened to the community.

Other people didn´t identify something that

characterized this education, such as a

differentiated education with its own

identity. In general, it is observed there

aren´t guiding elements that identify the

rural education developed in the city with

the principles contained in the specific

legislation, social vision, principles and

values of the educational process. In the

attempt to answer the question, the subjects

located elements that correspond partially,

to the rural education, questions directed to

the location of the school, rural area, the

form of teaching organization, the multi-

grades. The continuing formation that is

provided by the education coordinator of

rural education and the commemoration of

the popular June celebration that involves

the community. Below are fragments from

some teachers speech:

"In my teaching network, I don't

observe anything that characterizes a

Rural Education, except the multi-

grade, which is common in Rural

Education and in the rural areas, but

another aspect related to the

organization, to the curriculum itself,

I don't observe.” (Lady of the Night).

"I don't see anything. I don't see

directed to work with the rural areas,

these multi-grade rooms, I don't see.

Because there are more materials

that are given to teachers in the

urban area, but they are also passed

on to the rural area of the

countryside. But not only exclusive

material directly to work this

education with multi-grade

classrooms in the countryside".

(Vanila)

Cavalcanti, A. P. H., & Carvalho, W. L. (2021). School attendance in multi-grade classes in the city of Buenos Aires: representation of teachers in the light of the rural

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There is a critical and reflective

position from the teachers in realizing

there isn´t still teaching, methodological

and curricular proposal that guides the

teaching work in the rural schools. There is

also the restlessness of the teachers with

the teaching in the multi-grade classes,

when they mention there aren´t specific

materials to help the work in these classes.

Chart 6 below presents the possibilities and

challenges to the rural education, let's note:

Table 6 - Possibilities and challenges in the

development of rural education.

Source: The authors, 2019.

By observing the chart above, it´s

possible to perceive the variation of the

answers, which showed distincts, aren´t

forming other categories of analysis. The

profile of the students was cited in a more

recurring way about the possibilities found

in the accomplishment of the work in the

rural education. Three teachers mentioned

that the profile of the students in the

countryside, when compared to the

students in the city "are more innocent,

calm and docile". This factor would be

easy the development of the teaching work.

Another aspect mentioned was the

contact with parents, where teachers

claimed that in the rural area it´s a much

recurrent action, being seen as a positive

element. In this sense, they also listed the

host of the rural community where the

school is inserted, highlighting a greater

closer and interaction with the school.

As encountered challenges, 4

teachers mentioned multi-grades as a form

of school organization, that is, working

with different levels of teaching and

learning in the same classroom

simultaneously. Individualized teaching by

grade represents a challenge to teaching

work and teaching planning. Another

aspect cited was the physical structure of

some schools, they don´t have adequate

space, such as: no bathroom for staff,

library space, and courtyard.

Other challenges cited, such as:

absence of its own curriculum, continuing

education in the rural area, teachers to

work in this type of education, guidance

related to the literacy of students,

assistance of students in homework

assignments, and poor school

transportation. As for the benefits, the

teachers said about the investment in

Thematic unit: Possibilities and challenges

observed

Possibilities

C

challenges

Student's

profile

03

Multi-series

04

Contact with

the parents

03

The physical

structure of

the school

02

Rural

community

03

Different

Answers

06

Different

Answers

03

Didn´t

Answer

01

Didn't

identify

01

-

Total:

13

Total:

13

Cavalcanti, A. P. H., & Carvalho, W. L. (2021). School attendance in multi-grade classes in the city of Buenos Aires: representation of teachers in the light of the rural

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school, the presence of the school in the

same place where the students live, and the

exchange of experiences among students of

different ages.

Let´s see below, some fragments

from the speeches of some teachers about

the issues addressed above.

"The problems are the different

levels, aren´t they... of each age

group within the same room, it is...

one teacher for several grades" ...

(Violet).

"... We have a closer contact with the

parents. I think this is the best point

there is in the rural schools. We have

the parents closer to us and we are

closer to them". (Tooth of Lion).

In summary, a variety was observed

in the answers of the subjects according to

their understanding and interpretation of

the question, according to their subjective

vision, experience and school reality.

Essential aspects of rural education were

registered, such as the link with the rural

community, the closer to the student and

the parents, identity elements that

characterize the essence of this education.

Common aspects of the reality of the

countryside were also listed, such as the

precarious structure of some buildings and

the difficulty in teaching in the multi-grade

class, having to attend students in different

grades with different contents and at the

same time.

It’s interesting to see that the multi-

grades that some teachers have pointed out

as a challenge to the teaching work in

schools in the countryside, doesn´t lead

teachers aspire to the end of the multi-

grades classes, on the contrary, when

teachers have pointed out the

confrontations they have found, it is

because they aim to solve or reduce these

needs for a better development of

education in these schools.

Besides, Parente (2014, p.687), says

that "The existence of multi-series prevents

the closing of schools and prevents the

student have traveling long distances or

even study in a different village far from

where he lives. Multi-grades schools resist

processes of denial and exclusion of their

identity face to educational policies that

has not created adequate mechanisms for

their development.

Multi-grade is perceived, by some

people, as a form of organization that

needs to be extinct, because doesn´t have

knowledge about the reality of this

modality in the history of rural Brazil. For

Hage and Reis (2018), multi-grade in

Brazil has been structured based on the

urban serial teaching model, making use of

the same methodology used, this is,

fragments, patterns and hierarchy of

knowledge, in curricular components,

units, division of time/space. In this regard,

Cavalcanti, A. P. H., & Carvalho, W. L. (2021). School attendance in multi-grade classes in the city of Buenos Aires: representation of teachers in the light of the rural

education policy...

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there´s a denial of the multi-grade as the

own model of teaching organization, that

needs to be considered and respected on its

demands and contexts. It´s necessary the

adoption of specific elements that support

the multi-series and strengthen the

curriculum, the methodology, the teaching

plan, the didactic-pedagogical material, the

teacher training and the evaluation

corresponding to the subjects in the

countryside.

About it, Santos and Moura, (2010,

position 634, kindle), say the multi-series

has its own pedagogical practice:

However, even though strongly

influenced by the curricular serial

paradigm, we can´t disregard the

existence of a "pedagogy of multi-

series classes", characterized by a

pedagogical practice based on the

knowledge built by relationships

established within the multi-series

classes, everyday.

In this sense, the authors start from a

fundamental point to think about the built

of pedagogical practice and teaching

knowledge that are developed inside the

multi-grades classes. It is necessary to

realize that the different teaching strategies

and methodologies launched by the

teachers to assist the students of these

classes, set up the institution of an

alternative pedagogy for the people in the

countryside. Therefore, it is necessary to

understand how multi-grades in Brazil has

been legitimized and guided by a

normative body. We just need to know

what extent multi-series has been used as a

parameter for the production of unequal

indicators, when its uniqueness is denied,

treated as a "common education," receiving

the same educational programs, textbooks,

and external evaluations from the urban

school.

So, chart 7 below, shows how the

work with multi-series is performed in the

county, let's see:

Chart 7 - Dynamics of multi-series at school.

Source: The authors, 2019.

About the dynamics of multi-grades

in schools, 8 teachers related the division

of classes/grades to this form of teaching

organization, where each teacher teaches

for three or more classes/grades. Another 6

teachers related the multi-grades to the

teaching methodology, used in these

classes/grades. The other answers didn´t

consider the categories of analysis and one

answer didn´t answer the question. It can

be observed that the teachers mentioned

two outstanding characteristics of rural

education in the county, the division and

Thematic Unit: Working with

multi-series

Division of classes/grades

08

Teaching methodology

06

Different Answers

02

Total: 16

Cavalcanti, A. P. H., & Carvalho, W. L. (2021). School attendance in multi-grade classes in the city of Buenos Aires: representation of teachers in the light of the rural

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quantity of classes/grades and the way of

teaching to meet the demand. These

characteristics have an impact on the

teaching profession, deserving special

attention for the development of a pertinent

pedagogical practice and, consequently,

greater learning and better quality of

teaching. The following are the subjects'

speech.

"The multi-series happens dividing

the children by elementary and

kindergarten in my school, where I

teach 1st, 2nd and 3rd grade. But it

also happens some schools there are

all the classes in one grade, it

depends on the number of students.

What defines the grade, the cycle that

will be taught, is the number of

students". (Lady of the Night).

"It´s really necessary we have a

teaching practice, very dynamic, to

really works. Otherwise, the multi-

grades won´t really work, and the

students will be lost there, in that

room. So, the teacher really needs to

review his/her pedagogical practice,

to be able to assist these students and

attend each one in a different way.

It's complicated, but at the end of the

process we can”! (Eufrásia).

In the teachers' speech, there is a

particular attempt to justify and develop a

pedagogical practice that corresponds to

the dynamics of the multi-grades and

develops the students' learning. So, each

teacher uses diversified teaching strategies,

since individualized teaching per grade

based on the specific content of each

curricular component, to work with

projects, sequences of activities, themes

that involves several classes/grades, such

as historical commemorative dates, among

other subjects according to the reality of

the countryside. Besides, the division of

classes based on the number of students

registered by grade is also noted in the

interviewees' speech, where students are

together considering the grades are closer

to each other, to be easy the teaching since

the levels of development and teaching are

subsequent.

Table 8 below refers to teaching

practice, let's note:

Table 8 - The teaching practice in the multi-grades classes.

Thematic unit: Advantages and difficulties in the organization and execution of teaching practice in

multi-series classes

Difficulties

Vantages

Work distinct contents and skills at the

same time/space

05

The student of one grade learns the

content of the other

05

Organize several different plannings and

activities

06

Interdisciplinarity of contents

02