Continuing education for teachers of multi-age classrooms: Reflections from the multi-age school organization in Paraná – Brazil

Abstract

This article analyzes the continuing education process of the Escola da Terra program with teachers from rural schools that are organized into multi-age classrooms in Paraná, southern Brazil. The research was based on document analysis regarding Rural Education, and incorporated principles of action research. The Escola da Terra program is a result of a partnership between the Universidade Federal da Fronteira Sul – Laranjeiras do Sul Campus, the State Bureau of Education of Paraná, and the Ministry of Education, and has trained seven groups of participants since 2015 in Paraná. The teachers from the multi-age schools have been part of the audience served by the program in the recent editions. The organization of Elementary School classes into multi-age classrooms began in 2020, initially involving 72 rural educational institutions. Multi-age classrooms consist of students from two different school years, divided into two phases: Phase I (6th and 7th grades) and Phase II (8th and 9th grades). Aiming to contribute to the pedagogical work in these classrooms, the Escola da Terra program considered the specificities of the multi-age organization. One of the outcomes of the actions is the publication of the “Methodological Guide for Multi-Age Rural Schools in Paraná.” We conclude that the meetings and studies provided by Escola da Terra helped overcome methodological difficulties in the multi-age classrooms, allowed for the identification of issues and the advocacy for improvements in the schools, and enabled the exchange of knowledge and experiences among teachers, enhancing the education in classrooms that integrate various ages.