Teachers advocate training to improve education standards

A groundbreaking study conducted by the Lemann Foundation (an NGO that aims to improve the quality of learning for Brazilian students) in collaboration with the Brazilian Institute of Public Opinion and Statistics (IBOPE) found that public school teachers are favorable to examinations administered by third-party education authorities to assess the quality of the education system, and advocate better training to improve their performance. Many claim they are not even asked to give their opinion when the schools introduce new programs.

The study, called “Teachers' Perceptions on Brazilian Education” (A Visão dos Professores sobre a Educação no Brasil), collected insight from teachers at government-run primary schools through one thousand interviews in 50 municipalities across the five Brazilian regions, between June 19 and October 14, 2014.

According to 80% of the teachers interviewed, taking specific training to help guide their work based on insight gained from external exams (such as the Prova Brasil, a large-scale diagnosis of primary education run by the Ministry of Education) can positively influence learning in public schools.

Moreover, 92% of the teachers view the availability of quality digital learning materials and training to use these technologies in the classroom as something positive. And 66% say knowing what students are expected to learn every year makes their jobs easier.

On the other hand, 50% of the respondents complained that the school system fails to provide the needed support for dealing with students who need special attention. Among these factors are poor psychological counseling services (21%), learning gaps (12%), the progression of students who are not ready to move on to the next level (10%) and the poor conditions for admissions of students with disabilities (7%).

“Teaching is usually a chosen occupation. Most people who take teaching degrees have already decided that they want to be teachers. But it takes proper work conditions to keep the teachers' expectations alive. When they find no rewards, this can undermine their motivation and determination to help students learn,” says Ernesto Faria, Project Coordinator for the Lemann Foundation.

Adding to this scenario, about a third (34%) of the teachers said they did not have the opportunity to share their opinion on the introduction of new programs, 20% said they were only asked after implementation, and 45% said they were asked beforehand.

Within the schools, 56% of teachers say their opinions are always taken into account by the principals, school counselors, and coordinators; 41% said they are heard only occasionally and 3% are never heard. The local Department of Education was described as always interested in the teachers' input by 13% respondents, as occasionally interested by 61% of the respondents, and 23% of the teachers said their relevant department never listens to them. Finally, 4% of the teachers say their contributions are always taken into account by the Ministry of Education, 55% say this only happens sometimes, and 40% say it never happens.

According to Faria, sharing expertise with the teachers is less common in schools than it should be, even though it is critical to help gain common ground. “The teachers are [simply] told what to do, in a top-down approach. In contrast, where there's open communication, their points can be more clearly argued and any disagreements can be solved towards a compromise that works best for the school. It's all about getting to the core towards this common ground.”

Translated by Mayra Borges