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Paper Number: 85
Imbernon,
R.A.L.1, Vasconcelos, C.2
1
School of Arts, Sciences and Humanities – EACH – University of São Paulo
– USP, São Paulo, Brazil, imbernon@usp.br.
2
Faculdade de Ciências da Universidade do Porto, DGAOT/UEC, Instituto de
Ciências da Terra, csvascon@fc.up.pt
___________________________________________________________________________
In Brazil, historically, indigenous education has not prioritized the
preservation of indigenous culture. From the 90s onwards, however, the
relevance of indigenous teachers in the Amazon region led to the
definition of indigenous education policies that valued the culture of
the people [1]. The development of indigenous teachers in Brazilian
universities involves non-indigenous professionals, and for this reason,
appropriate methodologies (ethno-methodologies) should be developed.
Action-research as a methodological approach was used in Indigenous
Teacher Training Courses – CFDI, in the Federal University of Acre – and
UFAC, in the state of Acre, Brazil. This methodological approach
addressed the concept of soil, building up from the daily village life
of each student. Using this approach, previous knowledge, both
individually and collectively held, assisted the acquisition of new
knowledge.
The description of the samples given to the students was based on
these aspects. Although the terms "clay" or "silt" were introduced
during classes, it was the use of the magnifying glass, in experiments
with water that allowed a better understanding of terms such as "coarse,
medium and thin", as used to classify the "sands". Similarly, it was
explained that the term clay (that students used) designated a material
that had a greater amount of clay than of sand, and thus was more moisty
and presented the adequate plasticity for moulding, as students
demonstrated with the artefacts they produced in the classroom.
Classes indicated that the soil serves two basic functions in the
daily lives of indigenous students, depending on their mineralogical
characteristics – agriculture (sandy soils) or ceramics and construction
(clay soils).
The respect for the knowledge that the students already possess is
fundamental for the acquisition of new knowledge [2]. Accordingly, the
previous experiences and conceptions of each student, in each ethnic
group, were a starting point for the introduction of the concept of
“soil” and allowed a closer relationship between scientific knowledge
and the indigenous culture, which is the traditional knowledge of the
students.
The theoretical framework that guided the interventions/classes
looked into the intercultural knowledge to identify elements for the
development of topics and contents.
References:
[1] SILVA, R. H. D. (1999) – A autonomia como valor e articulação de
possibilidades: O movimento dos professores indígenas do Amazonas, de
Roraima e do Acre e a construção de uma política de educação escolar
indígena. Cadernos CEDES, ano XIX, nº 49, Dezembro/99
[2] FREIRE, P. (1996) - Pedagogia da autonomia: Saberes necessários à
prática educativa. São Paulo, Ed. Paz e Terra, 165 p.
