Que geometria ensinar às crianças em tempos de matemática moderna? referências e práticas de uma professora da cidade de Juiz de Fora

Abstract

This work aims to historical research of the presence of Geometry in Primary Education in Minas Gerais, between the 1960s and 1970s, when the ideas of the Movement of the Modern Mathematics (MMM) were discussed in the country. It becomes an object of research materials that belonged to a teacher, who served in the school system in the city of Juiz de Fora in that period. The research was guided by the following questions: what Geometry proposal was to teach children in MMM period in the city of Juiz de Fora? What are the contents? With what methods? For its development sought to reference the historical production of ideas proposed by Marc Bloch, the theoretical basis of the history of school subjects by André Chervel, in Dominique Julia's contributions to the school culture and the studies of Alain Choppin on textbooks as sources for historical research. Were also mobilized several studies conducted in the field of history of mathematics education, not only by the way of literature review, but also in order to get acquainted with this work. The study of literature on the MMM permitted the determination of the following categories to analyze the teaching of Geometry: the presence of topology; use of the geometric constructions; use of sets of language; references to researchers as Dienes and Piaget; use of images and diagrams; use of teaching materials; justification properties. The following documents were analyzed: the Primary Schools Learning Programs of Minas Gerais, published in 1961 and 1965; copies of educational magazines AMAE Educando and Revista do Ensino; materials belonging to the teacher's collection, such as textbooks, teaching manuals and notebooks. In summary, the analysis of documents and materials reveal a small presence of what is discussed in terms of proposals for teaching geometry in the context of Modern Mathematics. Most obvious are the influences of teaching vacancies already consolidated, which conferred the observation of the central role forms in Geometry learning by children.