Por uma cidade mais justa e participativa: experimento pedagógico com crianças e adolescentes na Escola Estadual Dr. Fernandes Lima, bairro São Jorge, Maceió-AL

Abstract

Amidst a society marked by social inequalities, class conflicts, and significant structural differences, studying ways to achieve a fairer and more participatory city becomes essential. In this context, children experience the city, each within the possibilities offered to them, but they are largely silenced by the oppressive gaze of an "adult-centric" perspective. Despite being recognized by law as rights holders, children's perception is often invalidated when it comes to their participation in policies that affect their lives. By considering the school as an important tool for fostering critical thinking about the city, there is a step towards citizenship, where the relationship between the territory and the society that inhabits it is discussed, opening the possibility for understanding and effective response to community interests. When viewed as a territory for the construction of citizenship, the school opens doors for societal transformation. The city, as a form of expression, constantly and spontaneously educates and teaches through the experiences of its citizens. The city transforms through its use, discussion, and planning. It is in this perspective that Paulo Freire states, “As an educator, the City is also a learner". In this panorama, the general objective of this dissertation is to promote urban pedagogical practice in the public-school context, with the experimental site being Dr. Fernandes Lima State School (EEDFL) in the São Jorge neighborhood of Maceió, Alagoas. The aim is to develop urban consciousness, critical perspectives, participation, belonging, and autonomy among young people in the city. The specific objectives are to identify the main authors addressing the conceptualization of childhood and the recognition of children and adolescents as citizens, as well as the role of the school in educating for citizenship; to study the main theories addressing the pedagogical relationship between the city and education; to compare pedagogical practices for civic awareness, both nationally and internationally; to characterize the São Jorge neighborhood where EEDFL is located, observing its relationship with the surrounding area, its physical conditions, and the socio-economic situation of the school community; and finally, based on the analyzed pedagogical practices, to apply an experiment to stimulate civic awareness at the school in the neighborhood and analyze its results. The methodological procedures were divided into four phases: study of the theoretical framework; survey and analysis of pedagogical practices; recognition of the environment and the school; and implementation of the experiment through participant observation. Finally, through the application of the pedagogical practice, it was possible to observe issues such as social differences from the perspective of children and adolescents, and how it affects their way of thinking and experiencing the city, whether through fear, insecurity, violence, or liberating experiences. The practice also recognized the potential for active participation among children and adolescents, especially regarding the issues that affect them, where the processes of listening and stimulating citizenship are fundamental for effective participation.