Self-organization of Students at the Escola Itinerante Herdeiros do Saber in Rio Bonito do Iguaçu: Reflections Based on Socialist Pedagogy

Abstract

ABSTRACT. This paper aims to analyze the proposal of student self-organization at the Escola Itinerante Herdeiros do Saber (Itinerant School Heirs of Knowledge), located in the Herdeiros da Terra do Primeiro de Maio encampment, in Rio Bonito do Iguaçu, Paraná, organized by the Landless Workers' Movement (MST). Our object of study, self-organization, is a central aspect of the MST’s pedagogical approach to the educational processes of individuals living in agrarian reform encampments and settlements. This proposal is grounded in Socialist Pedagogy, consolidated during the Soviet Revolution, and introduces innovative elements with regard to student participation and development. The research, qualitative in nature, employed Content Analysis as its methodological tool, focusing on the Political-Pedagogical Project (PPP) of the school, as well as the principles and foundations of self-organization based on socialist pedagogy. The analysis reveals that the education of Landless individuals is based on protagonism, decision-making, and active participation, aiming to establish a foundation for social transformation. Finally, we highlight the potential and innovative character of this educational approach within a broader educational context increasingly marked by the subordination of schools—particularly rural schools—to the logic of capital.