Os sentidos da relação cuidar-educar nos berçários de uma creche do município de Juiz de Fora/MG

Abstract

The aim of this study is to investigate how the nursery teachers of a day care center in the city of Juiz de Fora conceive the care-education relationship and to reflect on the actions developed with infants and very young children. A brief history of the chosen day care center is presented, establishing a comparison between Brazilian reality and the one in Juiz de Fora. That demonstrates an alternation of responsibility of the center, concerning education time and assistance time. It is believed that the actions based on the care-education relationship might provide children’s insertion and development in cultural environment and that those actions are established in the relationship with others. For this reason, this study was based on the historical-cultural theory, founded on Vygotskyan approaches in relation to the ones developed by Pikler. In order to determine a research methodology consistent with the theory as well as the aim and the research process of the study, we have opted for the qualitative research approach. The resources used to collect the data were questionnaires, collaborative observation, field notes, photographs and reflective sessions. The results have demonstrated that, initially, the nursery teachers recognized the care-education relationship as inseparable, understanding assistance as an existing part of education in day care centers and being thus necessary for the introduction of children to regular schooling. With the course of the dialogues and reflections and at the end of the investigation, it was possible to perceive changes in the nursery teachers' speeches as well as in their actions with infants and very young children.