Da licenciatura à escola pública: processos formativos e de imersão de professoras de meia-idade na docência

Abstract

This study explores the formative processes and the immersion into teaching of middleaged women within the public school system. The research problem is defined as: what formative processes do middle-aged teachers undergo during professional teacher education courses and their subsequent immersion into public school teaching? The general objective was to analyze the formative processes of middle-aged teachers and their professional integration into public education. To achieve this, the following specific objectives were established: 1) to discuss gender relations within the family contexts of these teachers; 2) to identify the primary motivations for women entering teacher education programs during middle age; 3) to analyze academic experiences that enhance the formative processes of these educators; and 4) to reflect upon the immersion of middle-aged teachers into the public school environment. The study adopted a qualitative approach, utilizing (auto)biographical methods and life stories. The primary data collection technique consisted of reflexive interviews conducted with two middleaged elementary school teachers from the State Education System in Caraúbas, Rio Grande do Norte, Brazil. The theoretical framework is grounded in critical authors specializing in teacher education, middle age, gender, and teaching. Data were analyzed using Discursive Textual Analysis (DTA). The findings reveal significant challenges in both teacher education and the insertion of middle-aged women into public teaching. These challenges are characterized by structural, cultural, and institutional barriers. Furthermore, these women face prejudice and are often overwhelmed by responsibilities and limited opportunities, underscoring the need for greater recognition at this stage of their careers. Such a scenario points to an urgent need for consistent public policies that ensure continuous investment in teacher education and the valorization of middle-aged women as protagonists of change within the public school context. The research also evidenced that the trajectory of middle-aged teachers is marked by a continuous link between personal experience, academic training, and pedagogical practice. Access to university and work in public schools transcends formal knowledge acquisition; it constitutes a space for identity construction, emancipation, and the resignification of social and cultural life experiences. Finally, it was observed that the teacher education of these women involves affective, cultural, and social dimensions, reinforcing the importance of understanding teaching as a practice deeply intertwined with the history and memories of those who teach.