TEACHING TO PRIMARY SCHOOL AND THE RANGE OF POSSIBILITIES

Abstract

This paper presents some reflections on the teaching to primary school. To that end it discusses the dialectic relationship between teacher's choices and the range of possibilities of pedagogical practices. Teacher's Autonomy pertains to the choice of a specific pedagogical practice among a range of possibilities in a given context and real-world conditions. Arena of Possibilities is a concept that attempts to define the interweaving of different contexts in which the teaching action is carried out (i.e., political, social, institutional, personal). In this sense a practice is defined by a range of possibilities at the same time that it redefines the range of possibilities itself. In developing its arguments this paper tries to present a snapshot of a school's quotidian based on research. This research was conducted to find out which pedagogical practices teachers use for teaching students who are behind in their class. In addition to the research conducted, this paper bases its arguments on major authors within this pedagogical field. The basic issue this paper addresses pertains to the role of the replicating and creating processes in Education. In this regard the teaching is aligned with a critical view of education, one that promotes a democratic, empowering, inclusive and pluralistic approach. Finally, this paper proposes that research on the pedagogical practices used in the quotidian of public schools—in all its interdependent contexts—can bring significant contributions to the field of Teacher Education.