RELIGIOSIDADE E EDUCAÇÃO INFANTIL: UM OLHAR SOBRE A REDE MUNICIPAL DE ENSINO DE VILA VELHA-ES NA REGIÃO I

Abstract

This paper presents a study on the religious phenomenon in the municipal schools of Vila Velha, Espírito Santo, Brazil, based on the justification that research shows that learning in this first stage of education contributes greatly to the development of children. Eight municipal schools of Vila Velha, Espírito Santo, Brazil, were surveyed. The research problem was: to understand how the manifestations of the religious phenomenon are treated in the common curriculum and in the Political Pedagogical Project (PPP) of the Municipal Units of Early Childhood Education (UMEIs) of Region I of Vila Velha, Espírito Santo? Regarding the methodology, a bibliographic and documentary study was adopted. The hypothesis formulated was that the curriculum and the PPP of the UMEIs address the theme of religiosity, given the presence of religiosity in this stage of education. In this sense, the objective was to analyze the manifestations of the Religious Phenomenon in Early Childhood Education identified in the curriculum and in the PPP of these UMEIs. Based on theoretical analyses and contributions, such as those by José Bittencourt Filho, who speaks of the recognition of cultural and religious diversity, and Rubem Alves, who addresses religion as a human experience, it was possible to develop an educational product that contains some suggestions for the Municipal Department of Education. The theoretical framework presents the categories of analysis as ethnic, racial, religious, linguistic and gender/sexual diversity present in Brazil. The course of this research highlights the need to implement new studies to broaden the scope of investigation, reaching other administrative regions and collaborating with the planning of public and pedagogical policies according to the local context, as well as the suggestion that the record regarding the issue of manifestations of the religious phenomenon be included in the schools' PPPs.