Escola e famílias: mundos que se falam? Um estudo no contexto da implementação da progressão continuada.

Abstract

The aim of the present study was to analyze how school-families relations took place in the context of the implementation of the Continued Promotion (Progressão Continuada) policy at a public elementary school in the State of São Paulo. This research, of a qualitative nature, a multiple case study, made use of in-depth interviewing as the main methodological strategy with the educational agents (two teachers, one coordinator and the principal) and seven families and their respective children, 7th grade students. By investigating the school-families interactions in the context of public educational policies it was possible to comprehend, amongst other aspects, the participants opinions about the importance of the school, the teachers role, the quality of the teaching offered, the type of the relations the school establishes with the students families, the families access to the educational proposals developed by the school. Despite increasing indication in the educational literature and legislation on the need for closer school-families relations, the results show that these relations are yet to be constructed. Although all the participants consider these relations to be important there are some school aspects that hinder their satisfactory accomplishment. The existing school-families relations are based on power inequality and centered on the ideal and interests established by the school and its agents rather than on real possibilities of interaction with families and their children and on their aspirations. Besides being in a cultural disadvantageous situation as compared to the school participants, the families do not receive the necessary and proper clarifications about changes and innovations that directly or indirectly affect their children s schooling, but are summoned to assist in the difficulties found by the teachers as regards the students learning and behavior. In addition, the irregular and fragmented process of elaboration and implementation of public educational policies and their effects on the educative practices and school routines were analyzed, indicating some aspects to which education administrators should pay close attention if they intend to provide the citizens with higher quality education. Rather than being regarded as mere implementers of educational policies the school and the community should be regarded as actors in this process, since they are directly responsible for the successful implementation of the proposals, and they also have to endure their direct effects. If schools and families look upon each other as such and jointly reflect about and participate in the implementation of educational proposals, the latter may develop into more efficient and democratic school practices. Also, they may favor the democratization and participation in other spaces of society.