MARCOS LEGAIS PARA A EDUCAÇÃO INFANTIL NO BRASIL: 1961 AOS ANOS ATUAIS.

Abstract

ABSTRACT

This monograph is the result of research developed for the Undergraduate Course Completion Project (TCC) in Pedagogy at the Pontifical Catholic University of Goiás, with the objective of deepening the understanding of public policies aimed at Early Childhood Education in Brazil. My interest in the subject arose early in my undergraduate studies, with the Public Policy discipline. Another reason for my interest in the subject was my work in Early Childhood Education, which requires a continuous and in-depth study of this subject, especially of the legal frameworks that regulate Early Childhood Education in Brazil, from the Law of Guidelines and Bases of National Education (LDB) of 1961 to the present day. The guiding question of the research was: What legal frameworks regulate the institutional organization of Early Childhood Education in Brazil today? The objectives were: General - To identify and interpret the legal frameworks that define Early Childhood Education in Brazil. Specific - To a). Explain the pedagogical history of Early Childhood Education; b) To identify and analyze the Brazilian legislation pertinent to Early Childhood Education; c) To interpret the structure of Early Childhood Education in Brazil. To conduct this investigative study, I considered as a methodological procedure the research of a qualitative nature, of the biographical and documentary type, using various sources, including Brazilian educational legislation, with a broad search in libraries, digital collections, theses, dissertations and books related to the proposed theme, exploring the ideas of authors who focus on the theme of legal frameworks and legislation for Early Childhood Education. For the initial bibliographic survey, the Brazilian Digital Library of Theses and Dissertations (BDTD) and Google Scholar were used. 41 works related to the descriptor “public policies for Early Childhood Education” were identified in the BDTD; of this total, 39 works were discarded because they addressed themes far from the focus of this research. Of the total identified, 2 works were selected because they were the most relevant for the study of the central theme of this investigative study. The search carried out in Google Academic identified 5 articles and 1 book considered appropriate for this study. In addition to these works identified in BDTD and Google Academic, other recognized authors in the field of Education were considered as theoretical references for the preparation of this monograph. Among these, the main ones were: Inês Gomes Barbosa; Carlos Monarcha; Bernadete Gatti; Marly André; Sônia Kramer; Elba de Sá Barreto; Ronildo Jose de Miranda Cordeiro, Teresa Cristina Rego and Ana Maria Cavaliere. The result of this investigative study is presented in three chapters. The first chapter presents the historical trajectory of Early Childhood Education in Brazil. Initially welfare-based and aimed at children in socially vulnerable situations, this stage of education was focused on care, strongly influenced by religious and philanthropic institutions. Over time, European pedagogical models such as Froebel and Montessori introduced the value of play, autonomy and the educational environment. Based on the contributions of Piaget, Vygotsky and the New School movement, childhood began to be understood as a fundamental phase of human development, and teacher training gained importance, consolidating Early Childhood Education as a field of knowledge with its own identity. In the second chapter, I analyze the legislative evolution of Early Childhood Education in Brazil, since the 1961 LDB, which recognized education as a right, but still with a limited perspective on childhood. The 1971 LDB made little progress, maintaining the welfare vision. The 1988 Federal Constitution marked a turning point by recognizing Early Childhood Education as a right of the child and a duty of the State. LDB nº 9.394/96 and the ECA (1990) reinforced this right, including childhood as an absolute priority. The BNCC (2017) consolidated an advance by defining learning rights and fields of experience, proposing practices centered on children, play and coexistence. The third chapter examines the current structure of Early Childhood Education in the country, which serves children from 0 to 6 years of age, with mandatory preschool starting at age 4. The responsibility for providing education lies with the municipalities, although there is still a strong presence of the private sector, especially in vulnerable contexts. The BNCC and the Quality Indicators for Early Childhood Education guide pedagogical work and the search for quality, despite the contradictions and political and pedagogical mistakes in this document. One of the greatest challenges for Early Childhood Education in Brazil, as well as for all other levels of school education, remains the appreciation of teachers. Although the legislation requires adequate training, many teachers face low salaries and precarious working conditions. Appreciation requires investment in ongoing training, better institutional structures, careers, and professional recognition. With this research, I was able to conclude that monitoring and discussing public policies for Early Childhood Education is essential to building a democratic, inclusive, and quality education that seeks the full development of children as subjects with rights.