The continuing training of elementary school teachers in natural sciences and mathematics

Abstract

This article describes the planning, organization and application of a continuing training course in Mathematics and Natural Sciences, for 4th and 5th grade teachers from Elementary Schools of the municipal public schools of Piracicaba (SP), Brazil. Since a considerable number of 4th and 5th Grades teachers have gaps in their initial education, which give them insecurity for a more substantial approach on Mathematics and Natural Sciences, the teaching of these subjects ends up receiving less priority than the desirable in Elementary School, a fact that, in turn, makes it difficult the adequate scientific literacy of the children in this cycle. In this perspective, the main goal of this extension project, carried out over 3 years in partnership with the Federal University of São Carlos (UFSCar), was to enhance the skills of 135 educators in the teaching of Natural Sciences and Mathematics, by offering them lectures and practical experiences, aiming to improve the formation of these professionals in various related topics. The vast majority of participating teachers evaluated as very significant the applicability in classroom of the contents developed along the course, as a result, they carried out several practical Science activities in the schools, which involved over than 2,200 children from the municipal public network. The promising results obtained during this project reinforce the importance of a greater proximity between the university and the teachers from the initial years of Basic Education, in initiatives aiming to improve the training of these professionals for the early teaching of Sciences and Mathematics.