History teaching in Elementary School

challenges and possibilities of a municipal school in Parintins/Amazonas

Abstract

The object of this study is to identify how History teaching is being developed at the “Santa Luzia” do Macurany municipal  public school,  situated  in Parintins  (Amazonas,  Brazil),  using  data  collected  during fieldwork regarding teaching practices teachers from this school unit have as a work reference. Considering that it is from the first years that children begin to awaken to critical and reflective thinking, the teacher's role in this stage of education becomes even more important, as the teacher is identified as a reference of knowledge. If this type of teaching is developed according to the basic premises laid down by the National Curriculum Standards for  Elementary  Education  and debated by numerous academics of history teaching, then students’ roles can change  from  that  of  mere  spectators  to  a  position  of  active  opinion-builders.  This,  in  turn, provides  them  an opportunity to think historically.

Keywords: History teaching; teaching practices; history in elementary school