Educação do campo: desafios da docência em turmas multisseriadas - percepção de professoras municipais de Aratiba

Abstract

This study is part of the Stricto Sensu Graduate Program in Education at the Federal University of Fronteira Sul (UFFS) – Erechim Campus, within the research line “Pedagogical Processes, Policies, and Educational Processes.” Entitled Rural Education: Challenges of Teaching in Multi-Grade Classes – Perceptions of Municipal Teachers in Aratiba, it aims to analyze “how teachers develop their pedagogical practices in multi-grade classes from the 1st to the 5th year of rural schools in the municipality of Aratiba.” The investigation was guided by the following research question: How do teachers working in multi-grade classes in rural schools in Aratiba develop their pedagogical practices in the classroom? The study employs a qualitative approach with a descriptive-interpretative focus, combining bibliographic and field research. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews with six teachers responsible for 1st to 5th-year elementary education classes in rural schools in the municipality of Aratiba. Data analysis was conducted following Bardin’s (1997) framework, and the results revealed that teachers experience considerable difficulties in implementing strategies within the school context when addressing multi-grade teaching in rural schools. The findings indicate that teachers face multiple challenges in planning and delivering instruction, primarily due to the absence of specific training for teaching in multi-grade settings and the limited availability of instructional materials adapted to the rural context. Work overload and insufficient time to address the diverse needs of students were also identified as significant obstacles. On the other hand, the study demonstrates that, despite these challenges, teachers make consistent efforts to promote meaningful learning by seeking strategies that value local rural knowledge and reinforce students’ cultural identity. The findings suggest that continuing education, institutional support, and the recognition of rural schools are essential for enhancing the quality of education in multi-grade classes. As the final stage of the study, an Educational Product was developed in the form of a Pedagogical Letter, addressed to teachers from the surveyed rural schools, the Municipal Department of Education, and other rural schools in the region that employ multi-grade teaching. This Pedagogical Letter represents the culminating product of the research, disseminating to the school community the proactive outcomes of the applied study, as required by the Professional Master’s Program in Education at UFFS – Erechim Campus.