A Geografia na educação escolar indígena: limites e possibilidades para a construção da educação intercultural

Abstract

This paper aims to analyze the extent to which Geography, taught in DouradosMS aboriginal schools, has contributed to the effectiveness of intercultural education. The theme was first chosen due to the expressive presence of indigenous villages as well as the significant number of indigenous schools in the city. On data collected from the Municipal Department of Education in 2013, at the eight schools linked to the four school units (Jaguapiru, Bororó, Panambizinho and Missão Caiuá), approximately 4,127 students are currently enrolled in, being those part of the ethnic groups: Guarani Kaiowa, Ñandeva Guarani and Terena. Based on this information, as well as in reading and analyzing proposed literature, we got in touch with coordinators and teachers, arranged some visits and made semi-structured interviews; in addition, we raised data and information at the Municipal Department of Education concerning the pedagogical projects of those schools. Thus, we evaluated the educational projects of such schools in order to identify their main objectives and characteristics related to the curriculum; we analyzed their Geography curriculum and its development from the teacher’s practices, by this, we identified the limits and possibilities of such discipline related to intercultural education. In general, we noticed consensus in the statements made by coordinators and teachers that the education worked in indigenous schools of the municipality should be intercultural. However, we acknowledged, in part of the speech of coordinators and teachers, a certain misconceptions about what intercultural education would be, demonstrating the restrictions of the Geography worked in these schools. Besides, we found that the practice of some teachers, who use other mechanisms, presents possibilities of this discipline to assist in the building of intercultural dialogues.