THE GLOBAL AVERAGE IN BASIC EDUCATION IN SANTA CATARINA: CHALLENGES AND CONTRIBUTIONS TO TEACHING PRACTICE AND CONTINUING EDUCATION FOR TEACHERS AT THE SÓROR ANGÉLICA BASIC EDUCATION SCHOOL – SÃO LOURENÇO DO OESTE, SANTA CATARINA

Abstract

This article analyzes how the "Global Average" policy is experienced in the daily life of the Sóror Angélica Basic Education School in São Lourenço do Oeste (Santa Catarina) and how it influences learning assessment and the continuing education of high school teachers. Based on the understanding that assessment is not merely about assigning grades but involves making decisions that affect educational trajectories and life plans, the article seeks to shed light on the tensions, advances, and contradictions inherent in the implementation of the Global Average policy within the Santa Catarina state school system, using the studied school as a concrete case study. The article presents a study that adopted a qualitative approach—inspired by action research—conducted over a five-month period. Data collection involved classroom and class council observations (recorded in field journals), semi-structured interviews, and a diagnostic questionnaire administered to 12 teachers. The information was organized into categories covering the understanding of the policy, impacts on assessment practices, dilemmas and contradictions faced by teachers, gaps in initial and continuing education, and proposals developed by the teachers themselves to redefine assessment and the use of the Global Average. The results indicate that while the Global Average is widely understood in its technical dimension, its pedagogical significance is not yet fully grasped; it is often associated solely with finalizing grades and making pass/fail decisions. At the same time, significant shifts toward more formative assessment are emerging, particularly when the school creates spaces for study, sharing, and reflection on assessment practices. As a result, a continuing education plan was developed based on the needs and suggestions of the teaching staff. The study concludes that redefining assessment and the Global Average requires more than just a policy defined by regulations; it demands conditions that allow teachers to see themselves as active agents of practice and reflection, engaging in a collective effort to build an assessment culture that is fairer, more humanized, and committed to the learning of all students.