TEACHER TRAINING IN EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION IN THE STATE OF PARANÁ

Abstract

Teacher education in Early Childhood Education constitutes a field of analysis directly connected to the historical processes of schooling and to the sociocultural transformations that have shaped Brazilian education. Understood as part of the constitution of school culture and the organization of the modern school, teacher education reflects political disputes, conceptions of childhood, and social demands present in different historical contexts. In the state of Paraná, this process presents particular characteristics related to the institutional trajectories of schooling, the consolidation of Normal Schools as spaces for teacher education, and the educational policies implemented throughout the twentieth century and the beginning of the twenty-first century. In this sense, the present article analyzes the education of Early Childhood teachers in Paraná from a historical-sociocultural perspective, considering the processes of school institutionalization, the legal frameworks of Brazilian education, and the transformations in pedagogical conceptions that guide teaching practice. This is a qualitative study of bibliographic and documentary nature, based on the analysis of academic publications, legislation, and educational documents that guide teacher education in Brazil and in the context of Paraná. The analysis covers the historical process of institutionalization of teacher education from the creation of Normal Schools in the nineteenth century, through the educational reforms of the first half of the twentieth century, to the changes resulting from the Federal Constitution of 1988, the Law of Guidelines and Bases of National Education – LDB No. 9,394/1996, and the National Common Curricular Base – BNCC (2018). In addition, the study discusses how transformations in school culture and the demands related to sociocultural diversity impact the education and professional practice of Early Childhood teachers. The results indicate that, although significant advances have occurred in teacher education policies, challenges remain related to professional recognition, working conditions, and the need to develop pedagogical practices sensitive to the cultural and social diversity present in the educational context. It is concluded that historically understanding teacher education contributes to a critical reflection on the role of schools and teachers in promoting early childhood education committed to the principles of diversity, inclusion, and social justice.