Os temas geradores e a perspectiva freireana no ensino de Geografia e Astronomia na Escola Municipal Aurélio Pires

Abstract

This study developed a teaching sequence grounded in the concept of generative themes, as proposed in the literacy experience of Paulo Freire (1987). It was guided by the following research question: how can a teaching sequence in geography and astronomy be designed based on the concept of generative themes within a freirean perspective? The freirean approach considers issues emerging from students’ lived realities as the starting point for the teaching-learning process, valuing their concrete experiences in both school and social contexts. From this perspective, knowledge is not conceived as something to be merely transmitted, but as a collective construction mediated by dialogue and problem-posing. The research was conducted at Escola Municipal Aurélio Pires (Emap), in Belo Horizonte, with eighth- and ninth-grade students in lower secondary education, within the geography curriculum, articulating knowledge from this field with astronomy content. The teaching sequence developed provided an opportunity to promote an emancipatory education, aimed not only at the appropriation of scientific knowledge but also at strengthening students’ ability to critically problematize the world around them and their social context. The interdisciplinary approach enabled the articulation of concepts from astronomy and geography, problematizing both physical and sociocultural aspects present in students’ realities. As a research methodology, a qualitative ethnographic approach was adopted, allowing for the observation of processes of participation, dialogue, and collective knowledge construction within the school context. The data produced throughout the implementation made it possible to analyze aspects of the school reality of the participating students, although the processes of data collection and analysis were partially affected by the suspension of school activities due to a strike. Despite this limitation, it was possible to advance both in the implementation of the teaching sequence and in the deepening of the theoretical framework supporting the investigation. Furthermore, the process revealed a shift in the level of knowledge appropriation, evidenced by the transition from a banking model of education —characterized by the uncritical reproduction of concepts — to a conscientizing education. Students began to interpret reality more critically, developing more consistent analyses of their socio-spatial context. This shift indicates not only the appropriation of content, but also the construction of a deeper and more reflective understanding, articulating school knowledge with the subjects’ lived experiences.