Ministry of Education: Brazil encouraging greater teacher autonomy

by Marcy Herr

(Pictured in front of the Ministry of Education:  Jason Whitney, Eric Tarosky, Jennifer Lee, Hanna Mincemoyer, Catherine Johnson, Marcy Herr, Conor Searles, Paul Penkal)

I really enjoyed having the opportunity to have a discussion with Joselita Júnia Viegas Vidotti, International Adviser, and Paulo Alves da Silva, high-level Administer in the Departamento de Políticas de Educação Infantil e Ensino Fundamental (Pre-school and Elementary Education). As Mr. da Silva spoke, I couldn’t help but think that the U.S.’s strong educational system is being sidetracked by misguided policies that place too much much emphasis on the standardization of curriculum and teaching to the test, and that Brazil is making some very good moves.

           (Pictured from left: Conor Searles, Marcy Herr, Cristina Dale, Hanna Mincemoyer, Catherine Johnson, Jennifer Lee, Edson Machado background)

In Brazil, progress in education is evident.  A good first step was the in the 1996 Right to Learn policy. This allows students the right to determine what they would like to learn to a certain extent. The Right to Learn policy requires that teachers follow the national curriculum guidelines, while at the same time providing them the freedom to teach what their students are most interested in. This allows for flexibility in curriculum that can include teaching about specific values that vary due to the extraordinary diversity of regional culture in Brazil.

            An issue that has been seen in the implementation of this policy is a hesitation of Brazilian teachers and schools to take ownership over their curriculum and instruction. Due to the history of a military regime in Brazil, for many teachers it has become habit to rely heavily on the federal government and to be told what to teach. Historically, this reliance on the government stemmed from a fear of going against the regime, but a cultural shift must occur today in order to help the Brazilian schools move away from this attitude. There is great potential for Brazilian teachers to be flexible once they become comfortable with this high level of ownership and freedom over their classroom.

At the same time that Brazil is encouraging teacher creativity in their curriculum, the U.S. is unfortunately moving towards the opposite: Teaching to the test, or implementing a common core curriculum is encouraging national uniformity and standardization, reducing teacher autonomy and de-skilling teachers.  Such homogenization of curricular materials is bound to make it more difficult for students to connect to and recognize the value of their learning.

(Pictured from left: Joselita Júnia Viegas Vidotti, Paulo Alves da Silva, Edson Machado, Jason Whitney)

The Early Republic Of Brazil

by Conor Searles

The Early Republic of Brazil

The early republic, or as it is referred to according to Brazilian history “the old republic” was the first of 5 phases of rule in Brazil. The Republic era however stretches from 1889-1985 or so and has seen a variation of loose democracies to military dictatorships over this roughly 100 year span in Brazilian history.  The five eras of the republic are as follows:

• Old Republic (1889-1930)
• Vargas Era (1930-1945)

  

• Populist Republic (1945-1964)
• Military Dictatorship (1964-1985) (Courtesy ictj.org and ecocitification)
• New Republic  (1985-Present)

Brazil was under a monarchy rule for the majority of the 19^th century.  During this monarchy rule slave labor was still a major part of the Brazilian economy, especially on coffee plantations in both Rio de Janeiro and Sao Paulo. The slave population was estimated to be only about 5% of the total population, about 723,000 or so. While the monarchy seemed to have relative stability of rule at the time, much of the southern part of the country, as well as slaves in the northeast region began to openly revolt. To make things more difficult, many laws at the time tended to benefit the coffee producers, many of whom had their own private militaries of sorts to run their vast plantations. However as the monarchy began to limit slavery the plantation owners, who were dependent on slave labor, grew discontent with the rule of the monarchy towards the end of the 19^th century. Along with the growing discontent from the landowners, many members of the military began to question the ruling authority of the monarchy as well.

A man by the name of Benjamin Constant began to preach the ideals of republicanism and positivism, and quickly his preachings made their way around the hierarchy of officers in the military, and quickly the notion of Brazil becoming a republic spread. After much talk of creating a republic, Manoel Deodoro da Fonseca along with a group of military officers launched a coup d’état on November 15,1889 against the monarchy. Upon the departure of the royal family, a provisional government was formed and leaders of the republic were named:

• Constant as minister of war
• Ruy Barbosa as minister of finance
• Maneol Ferraz de Campos Sales as minister of justice

Several acts were taken by the new republic as well to establish themselves as a legitimate form of government:

• Destroyed many records pertaining to slavery
  • Denied landowners compensation for loss of slave labor
  • Separated church and state
  • Created civil marriage
  • Abolished titles of nobility

In creating these rules the republic quickly saw many conservatives turn against them, and they also did little to create opportunity and prosperity for the common citizens. As a result the new regime that was the republic of Brazil was under heavy scrutiny very early on. Manoel Deodoro da Fonseca was elected president but only remained so for roughly 2 years until a financial crisis struck Brazil, and he was replaced by Field Marshal Floriano Vieira Peixoto (then minister of war) to take over rule. This transition was made to ensure military compliance during the transition.

This constitutional democracy was hardly considered legitimate and saw a shift of power occur between the oligarchies of the dominant states of Sao Paulo and Minas Gerais, or the “coffee with milk” being that these were the primary exports of these given states.  During the early republic much of the time was spent developing a government that would effectively replace the monarchy, while also facing a constant struggle with several powerful state oligarchies. It was as the power of the oligarchies grew that Brazil saw yet another transition of power from then President Washington Luis to Getulio Vargas during the revolution of 1930.

After losing the presidential election of 1930, Vargas led a revolution that saw him gain power in Brazil. Before President however Vargas was formally the governor of the state of Rio Grande Do Sul, and encountered a great depression during his first years as president and saw the state of Sao Paulo attempt a violent and bloody but ultimately unsuccessful revolution. In 1934 Vargas created a new constitution that provided for universal suffrage, as well as give the central government greater authority. However despite this reform yet another revolt occurred, and this in turn caused Vargas to create an entirely new constitution and seized absolute power, virtually turning him into a dictator rather than president. The new administration, known as the Estado Nôvo (“New State”), so heightened Vargas’s control that he was able to suppress all manifestations of popular will and strip Brazil of most of the trappings through which it might eventually hope to become a democracy. Vargas increasingly shifted the states’ political, economic, and social functions to the aegis of the national government. (Burns et. Al., Britannica.com /EBchecked/topic/78101/Brazil/25048/The-Vargas-era).

While Vargas years as a leader seemed to be filled with one revolution after another, and much like the early republic instability in the government, he made several key changes to Brazil that greatly benefitted the country in the form of :

• Diversifying the agricultural sector
• Creating social legislation that benefitted the middle class
• Created industrial reform via import-substitution.

During WWII Vargas and Brazil agreed to ally themselves with the United States, and though not very involved in the war played a significant role I patrolling the Atlantic for German submarines and providing the U.S. navy with bases on the coast. It was towards the end of WWII that Vargas saw his reign as dictator of Brazil come to an end, in a very similar fashion to that of the early republic as well. Afraid that Vargas would seek to retain power, military officers launched a coup that forced Vargas to resign from office on October 29, 1945 and the country began to experiment with democracy shortly after his resignation.

The Early republic years of Brazil were very chaotic and saw leadership and the direction of the government change numerous times. Filled with unstable governments, revolutions and military coups, and surprisingly the development of Brazil the early republic was responsible for ending the monarchy rule in Brazil, and effectively beginning it transition into a democracy (despite how tumultuous the transition was). It is interesting to consider the fact that this all took place within the last century and to look at the current state that Brazil and its government is in today.

Brazilian Empire

By Catherine Johnson

The independence of Brazil comprised a series of political events that occurred between 1821-1824.  Most of these events involved disputes between Brazil and Portugal regarding the call for independence presented by the Brazilian Empire.  In 1820, the Constitutional Revolution erupted in Brazil.  It resulted in the meeting of the Cortes, Constituent Assembly, which would have created the kingdom’s first constitution.  At the same time, the Cortes demanded the return of King Dom Joao VI, who had been living in Brazil since 1808.  In 1821, King Dom Joao VI nominated his son, Dom Pedro, as regent upon his return to Europe.

*King Dom Joao VI

The Portuguese military officers headquartered in Brazil were sympathetic to the Constitutional movement in Portugal.  The main leader, General Jorge Avilez, forced the prince, Dom Pedro, to dismiss and banish the ministers of Kingdom and Finance.  Both of these men were loyal allies to Pedro.

*Dom Pedro I

Meanwhile, the Cortes approved a decree that placed provincial governments directly under control of Portugal.  However, dissatisfaction over this measure rose among the residents of Brazil.  Two groups of opponents formed from this.  These groups included the liberals led by Joaquim Ledo and the Bonifacians led by Jose Bonifacio de Andrada.

*Joaquim Goncalves Ledo

*Bonifacio de Andrada

Pedro’s support gradually shifted to the Brazilian cause after Pedro’s decision on January 9th, 1822 to defy the Cortes, men led by Jorge Avilez rioted before concentrating on Mount Castelo.  Dom Pedro then dismissed the Portuguese commanding general and ordered him to remove his soldiers.  Jose Bonifacio was nominated minister of Kingdom and Foreign Affairs on January 18, 1822 and soon established a close relationship with Pedro.  Gonclaves Ledo and the liberals tried to minimize the close relationship between Bonifacio and Pedro by offering the title of Perpetual Defender of Brazil.  For the liberals, the meeting of a Constituent Assemble for Brazil was necessary, while the Bonifacians preferred that Pedro grant the constitution himself.  Pedro agreed to the liberal’s request and called for an election of the deputies that would gather in the Constituent & Legislative General Assembly in Brazil.  Pedro departed to Sao Paulo Province to assure that province’s loyalty to the Brazilian cause.  Upon his return, September 7, 1822 he learned that the Cortes had removed the remaining power Pedro still had.  Pedro turned to his companions and said:

“Friends, the Portuguese Cortes want to enslave and pursue us. From today on our relations are broken. No ties unite us anymore… Hail to the independence, to freedom, and to the separation of Brazil…For my blood, my honor, my God, I swear to give Brazil Freedom Independence or Death!”

The news of independence quickly spread throughout the country and Pedro, received with great popular celebration, was called “King of Brazil.”  It was quickly decided that Pedro should be named Constitutional Emperor, a new flag and arms were created, and on September 22, 1822, Brazil officially claimed its independence.

*Flag of the Empire of Brazil

*Coat of Arms of the Empire of Brazil

The war between the Brazilians and Portuguese lasted from February 1822 to November 1823.  There are still no reliable statistics related to the number of casualties.  However, based on historical registration and contemporary reports total number of deaths is estimated to be around 5,700 to 6,200.  Unlike most of its Hispanic republic neighbors, Brazil has political stability, freedom of speech, respect for civil rights and vibrant economic growth.  Its bicameral parliament, Assembleia Geral, was elected under comparatively democratic methods for the era, as were the provincial and local legislatures.  Pedro’s successor, in 1831, was his 5 year old son, Pedro II, and a weak regency was created.  The absence of a ruling monarch led to regional civil wars between local factions.  However, once of age, Pedro II managed to bring peace and stability to the country, which eventually became an emerging international power.

*Emperor Pedro II

*Emperor Pedro II

With prosperity and economic development came an influx of European immigrants, including Protestants and Jews, although Brazil remained mostly Catholic.  Slavery, which had initially been widespread, was restricted by successive legislation until its final abolition in 1888.  Brazilian visual arts, literature and theater developed during this time of progress. Much of this had European Influence but had a Brazilian twist.  Despite the fact the last 4 decades of Pedro II’s reign were marked by continuous internal peace and economic prosperity, he personally had no desire to see the monarchy survive beyond his lifetime.  On November 15, 1889, after a 58 year reign, the Emperor was overthrown in a sudden coup d’état that had almost no support outside a clique of military leaders whose goal was the formation of a republic headed by a dictator.

GENTE (Experimental School of New Educational Technologies) in Rio de Janeiro

By Jennifer Lee

Project GENTE is a recent initiative taken by the Municipal Board of Education in Rio de Janeiro in partnership with UNESCO to revitalize some of the poorest performing schools in the favelas. The project aims to transform educational facilities and pedagogy using today’s most up-to-date technology. The curriculum is designed to stimulate student autonomy and discourage impersonal standardization. The classrooms are far from the typical student to teacher lectures; each student has his or her own individual laptop with online lessons built for each week. The online lessons are individualized to match the level of the student and weekly evaluations are conducted at the end of each week’s lesson to measure the appropriateness of student knowledge. Students who perform poorly on these evaluations are given additional feedback and tutored by their classroom teachers. Teachers are assigned to the role of a facilitator who monitors each student’s work and creates a positive learning environment that encourages student autonomy.
Through the courtesy of Cristina Dale, who established the connection, our team was fortunate to visit a model GENTE school during our stay in Rio de Janeiro. The school, Andre Urani, is located in Rocinha,the largest favela in Rio. The van drive up through the favela was the most nerve-racking drive of my life as we had to swirl through the heavy traffic in a twisty narrow road. We navigated through a swarm of motorcycle taxis, full-size buses coming from both directions, and men, women and children walking on each side of the roads. As intense as the ride was with multiple near-heart-attack moments, it was a great opportunity for us to actually see the life in a favela.

The hour long drive took us to the school located at the top of the favela where you could enjoy an awesome view of the city from up top. Alice Riberio, one of the administrators, speaking perfect English, greeted us and spoke with us in detail about the school. After learning about the design and aims of GENTE, we were kindly given a tour of the school. The Municipal School Andre Urani currently serves 180 students from 7th to 9th grade, and it began the GENTE project three months ago in the beginning of the school year in 2013. The 3rd floor of the newly renovated building is divided into two large halls where all classes and kids mingle together in one space with no walls separating between classrooms. Alice explained to us that merging all classes together created a lot of problems in the beginning, but doing so for the last three months has significantly reduced the noise level and behavioral issues among the student body.  The project is heavily supported by the inspirational Brazilian educator Rafael Parente.

As Alice explained to us, the investment in the school has definitely increased various aspects of students’ lives besides just academics. For example, the school performs regular weekly health check-ups for kids every Monday, and also provides breakfast, lunch, and snack to take home at the end of the day. Andre Urani remains as a public school, and some of the kids who come from the nearby areas do not often receive regular meals, and many find life outside of school traumatizing.  The reformed school now attempts to provide as much health and dental care to students as seen in need. The renovation of the school building also creates a very creative environment to encourage student attendance and progress. The school we visited was clean and fresh with creative wall papers, bright colors, and high quality sports facilities such as a new swimming pool to encourage participation in other sports besides soccer.
When asked how she thought about the new program at the school, Alice commented that so far things seem to be working well, and that the school hopes to see continuous improvement among students. She shared with us that getting the new initiative started was difficult at first as some parents preferred the traditional style of teaching, but the students at school seem to enjoy using and learning through technology especially since their home lives are so far from the contemporary global technology. The visit to Andre Urani school was very interesting and thought provoking to me as a student of Education Public Policy. Educational reform requires much creativity and practicality to effectively serve for the betterment of students and the surrounding community, and the ambitious reinvention brought by project GENTE so far seems to fulfill the necessary needs and yield positive results. It was great to see educational reform done in practice and not only in theory. There are still much work left to be done to improve the opportunities for children living in favelas, but this reform effort marks a positive beginning.  As Nelson Mandela stated, “education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world.”