Práticas pedagógicas montessorianas: potencialidades e desafios

Abstract

This paper presents the results of the research entitled "Montessorian Pedagogical Practices: Potentials and Challenges". The main objective is to map and analyze the potentialities and challenges of Montessori pedagogical practices and the following research question: what are the main potentialities and challenges of the Montessori Method and practices developed in this context? The priority was given to theoretical and empirical studies related to the Montessori methodology and the pedagogical practices resulting from it. In addition to bibliographical research and literature review, a questionnaire was answered by the participants of the 9th Montessori Educators Meeting, held in September 2016, promoted by the Montessori Organization of Brazil. 76 professionals from the education sector participated in the study. The sample was composed by teachers, class assistants, trainees, directors, coordinators, managers and other school professionals. As a theoretical-methodological reference, the contributions of Maria Montessori, José Carlos Libâneo, Demerval Saviani, Bernadette Gatti, Herman Röhrs, Maria da Assunção Calderano, Roy Bhaskar, among others, were explained. The contributions from the last author, in the field of the philosophy of science, constituted the central foundations of the work and provided enlightenments of the conceptions that sustain this investigation and the process of elaboration of the instruments and data analysis. Through some elements of the practice highlighted by the participants of the research, their conceptions and their interpretations about the potentialities and challenges of Montessori teaching practices were understood. The results show that families' knowledge about the Montessori method, institution's infrastructure, as well as continued formation and teacher’s involvement were cited as main factors that favorably interfere in the Montessori pedagogical practices. Among the factors that interfere unfavorably in these practices are the importance of respect and application to the principles of the method, the interference of legislation and departmentalism in school daily life, as well as teacher identification and clarification of the fundamentals of the Montessori method, its materials, principles and practices in universities and for the society. The research highlights the need for an in depth study of the principles of the Montessori Method, based on a closer relationship between the theory and the implementation of pedagogical practices that derive from the on screen method. The importance of the school structure, the organization of Montessori teaching work and the credibility and applicability of the Montessori Method were seen as indicators of the possibility of overcoming the challenges highlighted in the experiences of the pedagogical practice analyzed.