A escola e as atividades extraescolares na percepção de professores da Educação Básica de escolas públicas de Uberaba/MG: contribuições para a formação integral dos alunos

Abstract

Non-formal education envisions the development of skills inherent to all individuals, skills that often align with integral development, fostering a broad and participatory perspective within society. We believe in bridging formal and non-formal education to support the process of integral student development. In this research, we investigated how basic education teachers from public schools in the municipality of Uberaba/MG interpret the contributions of out-of-school environments and activities to the integral formation of their students, in dialogue with the school. This study stems from previous research we conducted, which highlighted the lack of ongoing teacher education for engagement in the realm of non-formal education, particularly in out-of-school activities. This research is organized into two main phases. The first involves offering a professional development course for in-service basic education teachers in the public school system, focusing on the topic under discussion. The second phase consists of monitoring the educators who completed this course as they implement out-of-school activities with their classes. To collect data, we employed structured questionnaires, participant observation, semi-structured interviews, and non-participant observation during the out-of-school activities conducted by the teachers. For data analysis in both research phases, we utilized Content Analysis. Beyond the stated objective, this study aims to contribute to teacher education, not only through the course offering but also by fostering a deeper understanding of the topic, encouraging educators to engage with the theme and feel prepared to work toward the integral development of their students, with out-ofschool activities as the backdrop. The findings revealed that after participating in the course, the educators developed a broader and more critical understanding of out-of-school activities, recognizing them as integral to the educational process. The implemented practices proved valuable in enhancing student engagement and promoting the development of socio-emotional and cognitive skills. However, the data also highlighted challenges, such as the need for greater institutional support to carry out these activities and the necessity of overcoming exclusionary practices. Additionally, the research demonstrated that participating educators adopted a more proactive approach in promoting activities that connect schools with their communities, thus fostering the integral development of students. This study is grounded in the research line of "Foundations and Educational Practices," particularly concerning teaching processes in out-of-school environments, educational practices, and teacher education.