No cotidiano da escola (pública): algumas contribuições da psicologia escolar para a prática de professoras das séries iniciais do ensino fundamental

Abstract

This work based on the historical-cultural theory, is a report of a study performed with teachers who teach children in the initial grades at a public state elementary school located in the city of Uberlândia, MG, Brasil. As a great number of students who are beginning schooling are referred to psychologists, it was sought to investigate what teachers think and say that lacks in their daily work to better deal with students and also what they expect from a school psychologist. Semi-structured interviews were used to perform this task. It is believed, by the author of this study, that the majority of difficulties that teachers face is due to their initial and continued training, to the school atmosphere, to precarious work conditions, to questions that emerge in the specific context of the classroom and to the relationships between teacher and students, without of course putting aside subjective aspects of the teacher and the students and the families of the students. The teachers interviewed complained of disinterest of pupils, indiscipline and lack of family support, great number of students per class, shortage of material and inadequate space and students who present learning difficulties. According to the teachers, these factors make it hard to perform their work with quality. What they say reveals a predominant belief that the lack of social-cultural background and family support of the pupils is responsible for their learning difficulties. This study verified that the expectation of the teachers is that students with difficulties should be individually assisted by psychologists so that they can reach a satisfactory level of learning and be able to keep up with their same aged classmates. For the teachers, through clinical psychological work at the school (or out of it), it is possible to solve the difficulties presented by the students. The author of this study considers that the knowledge of the teachers upon the work of the school psychologist may be related to the lack of contact with this professional as well as the actual performance of the psychologist in the school which frequently only consists in clinical assistance. Besides this, the expectations of the teachers in regards to this professional represent a request for help in facing obstacles which they do not know how to deal with. Only with practice directed to the institutional context and continued training for teachers, in which these complaints can be heard and that breaks up the instituted and promotes resignificances of day-to-day may the psychologist provide elements that modify the concept teachers have on school difficulties and the work of the psychologist in the school, aiding them in a more effective daily practice and a more promoting manner of development and learning.