Entre a sala de aula e a gestão escolar: percepções de diretores sobre ferramentas administrativas nas escolas estaduais de Erechim/RS

Abstract

The increasing complexity of contemporary school management has expanded the responsibilities assigned to public school principals, requiring competencies that go beyond pedagogical training and approach knowledge traditionally associated with the field of Administration. This research lies at the intersection of Education and Administration and aimed to understand how administrative tools are articulated with the routine activities performed by school managers, from the perspective of principals of state public schools in the municipality of Erechim, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil. The general objective was to analyze the possible connections between the use of administrative tools and the work carried out in school management, considering the routine activities and challenges faced by principals. The research is characterized as qualitative, exploratory, and descriptive, based on bibliographic, documentary, and field research. Data were collected through a mixed questionnaire administered to 16 principals, corresponding to 77% of the research population. The results showed that the work of school principals involves multiple administrative, pedagogical, financial, legal, and relational responsibilities, requiring competencies in planning, leadership, organization, communication, people management, and decision-making. Administrative tools, such as strategic planning, the PDCA cycle, brainstorming, leadership, and teamwork, demonstrated potential to contribute to the organization of management processes, optimization of resources, and strengthening of administrative practices when used critically and in a manner adapted to the specific characteristics of public education. Gaps were also identified between the principals' initial training and the competencies required to perform their roles, as well as challenges related to workload, excessive bureaucracy, and the distance between demands from higher administrative bodies and the reality experienced by schools. The principals' perceptions regarding the selection process for the position and the preparatory course also revealed aspects related to their experiences, criticisms, and training needs. It is concluded that administrative tools can be integrated into routine activities and pedagogical practices of school management, not as a transposition of the business model to schools, but as instruments to support managers' work. The research contributes to the interdisciplinary dialogue between Administration and Education and provides input for the continuing education of school principals and the improvement of educational management practices.