O educar e cuidar: ressignificando à docência na educação infantil

Abstract

The present research had as general objective to understand the role of the teacher who works with young children in Early Childhood Education. In an attempt to study who is the professional who works in Education Institutions, the history and evolution of Early Childhood Education in Brazil was described. The identity and role of the teacher who works with early childhood was also discussed. Finally, the relationship between educating and caring in the teacher's pedagogical practice was analyzed. It can be seen that early childhood education in Brazil is permeated by advances and setbacks achieved in relation to its function as an educational institution. Faced with this reality, work with early childhood shifted from a more assistentialist concept to another, which emphasizes the pedagogical dimension of education and care for very young children. This new perspective produces a theoretical-practical clash that accompanies the constitution of the new identity of the professional of babies and very young children. One of the aspects that generate greater debate in the face of this new identity of the daycare teacher is the integration between educating and caring. It is understood that caring is inevitable due to the dependence of young children, but it must be linked to education, with a more affective and humanized proposal. However, it can be concluded that often, the lack of training, unpreparedness and improvisation end up being a practice in the daily work with babies and small children. It should be noted, however, that the day care center should be configured as a place of interaction and socialization of children, complementary to family action, as well as guaranteeing the training of the professional who works in it.