Ensino de Ciências e Educação Quilombola: Etnociência, saberes e práticas nos anos finais do Ensino Fundamental

Abstract

Teaching chemistry at a quilombola school is a challenge for it consists in pushing boundaries predefined by the conventional Chemistry education which normally does not correlate its contents to the contribution of African civilizations in the production of science. Therefore, it keeps students distant from the knowledge produced by black African populations over time, enriching the European production as the only source of knowledge. The present research has as its characteristics the study of Science teaching and the practice of teachers and their connections with the reality of the quilombola school and classroom, through questionnaires applied to teachers currently working in Elementary school. The reason for this research is the necessity to contribute to the comprehension of teachers‟ practices in light of the reality of Science teaching at a quilombola school and from this context understand how these relations happen in fact and which interventions can be done as a means to enable a practice which is closer to the African-Brazilian populations‟ knowledge. This is a qualitative work which used, as the tool for data collection, a questionnaire applied to three teachers who work at an Elementary and Secondary public school in the city of Santa Luzia/Paraíba. The collected data revealed that the researched teachers do not have knowledge concerning the participation of African people related to their contributions to science, and they also have difficulties in the conception of ethnoscience. When asked about the methodologies and the contents used in classes which relate to ethno-racial issues, the teachers‟ answers were restricted to quilombola eating habits, confirming the lack of depth in this matter, even though all of them made sure they take into account the theme when they plan their lessons and that they have knowledge of the law 10.639/03. In return, they claim not having received, on their initial education courses, proper preparation to work with ethno-racial matters. This is a fact that may indicate the necessity for the initial and continuing education to work more efficiently this theme to enable teachers to properly work with it.