Jesse D Hatcher
Sample Curriculum
A Survey of Education in Brazil
Introduction:
The goal of this two-week seminar on Education in the Brazilian context is to orient
students on key issues in educational administration and practice in the Brazilian
context. The seminar follows a Human Centered Design methodology, and can be
divided into five main phases:
1: The Discovery Phase in which students learn about the Brazilian educational
context, system, and the role of popular education;
2: The Interpretation Phase in which student explore concepts for analyzing new
knowledge;
3: The Ideation Phase in which students develop a response to an educational
challenge;
4: The Experimentation Phase in which students implement a popular education
project with their SENAI counterparts, and;
5: The Evolution Phase in which students reflect on the project and develop a
presentation about lessons learned and plans for using the knowledge over the course
of their Global Citizen Year Fellowship.
Collaboration with SENAI:
The central innovation in this seminar methodology is the inclusion of SENAI student
counterparts to build collaboration and exchange between GCY Fellows and their
Brazilian peers. Students meet with their SENAI counterparts 3 times in person, and 3
times via Google Hangout. One of the in-person interactions is the jointly administered
education project with SENAI peers at a local popular education organization. By the
end of the seminar, students gain a working understanding of educational administration
and practice in the Brazilian context, which serves them as they move forward in their
Fellowship year.
Sources:
The three primary texts used in the seminar are:
1. Pedagogy of the Oppressed by Paulo Freire.
2. Beyond Critique: Exploring Critical Social Theories and Education by Levinson et
al.
3. “Lei de Diretrizes e Bases da Educação Nacional”, authored by Darcy Ribeiro.
Jesse D Hatcher
Sample Curriculum
We will also use several articles and the film Pro Dia Nascer Feliz directed by João
Jardim.
Guest Speakers:
1. Dr. José, jose@unisul.br. Dr. José is the president of the Santa Catarina
Chapter. I had the opportunity to work with him over the past year and is a very
engaged volunteer and a well-connected scholar in Santa Catarina.
2. Mara Cruz of Mova Brasil, tmaracruz@yahoo.com.br. Mara works as the director
for MOVA – Brasil, an expansive literacy program in Brazil. I worked with her
during my independent study in Brazil a few years ago.
3. Dr. Dennis Werner, Dennisww@redel.com.br. Dr. Werner is an anthropologist at
the Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina whose work I greatly respect. We
spent two days together in Florianópolis and his knowledge base is astounding.
High-level Seminar Outline
Phase 1: Discovery
Day 1: Seminar orientation and introduction to the Brazilian educational context
Orient students on seminar format while discussing and developing learning goals.
Introduce current trends and challenges in the Latin American educational landscape.
Watch the documentary film Pró Dia Nascer Feliz to orient students on the realities of
the Brazilian educational system.
Sources:

Pró Dia Nascer Feliz. Dir. João Jardim. Tambelini Filmes, 2007. DVD
Day 2: Introduction to the Brazilian Educational System
Exploration of the components of the Brazilian Educational System, with particular
emphasis on the SENAI technical school system, the higher education system, and
social programs that work in conjunction with public education, esp. Bolsa Familia and
Pro Uni. Near the end of class, students meet with SENAI counterparts for the first
time via Google Hangout.
Sources:



n.p. “Lei de Diretrizes e Bases da Educação Nacional.” Ministério da Educação.
1996. PDF. 28th June 2011.
n.p. “ProUni.” Ministério da Educação. n.d. Web. 15th July 2011.
http://prouniportal.mec.gov.br/ .
n.p. Bolsa Familia. Ministério de Desenvolvimento Social e Combate à Fome. n.d.
Web. 18th March 2011. http://www.mds.gov.br/bolsafamilia .
Jesse D Hatcher
Sample Curriculum
 Resende, Tatiana. “Falta de mão de obra qualificada prejudica 69% das empresas.”
Folha. 6 April 2011. Web. 6 April 2011.
Day 3: Popular education in Brazil
Lecture on the life and work of Paulo Friere and his influence on Brazilian education
today, with particular emphasis on the MOVA Brasil program as it exists today.
Sources:



Freire, Paulo. Education for Critical Consciousness. [New York]: Herder and Herder,
1970.
Freire, Paulo. Pedagogy of the Oppressed. [New York]: Herder and Herder, 1970.
n.p. Paulo Freire. Instituto Paulo Freire. n.d. Web. 2nd July 2011.
http://www.paulofreire.org.
Phase 2: Interpretation
Day 4: Issues in Education Administration
Exploration of key frameworks for understanding the process of educational reform, with
particular attention to analyzing the Brazilian education reform of 1988 and subsequent
reforms through the lenses of Marx, Weber, and Gramsci.
Sources:


Levinson, Bradley et al. “Forerunners and Foundation Builders: Origins of a
Western Critical Social Theory Tradition.” Levinson et al. 25-50.
Gross, Jacob. “Education and Hegemony: The Influence of Antonio Gramsci.”
Levinson et al. 51-79.
Day 5: Issues in Educational Praxis
Exploration of the role of popular education in challenging and subverting the traditional
student/teacher educational framework, the limitations of the popular education model,
and an introduction to educational techniques that facilitate student participation.
Fellows complete 2nd Google Hangout interaction with SENAI counterparts.
Sources:
4. Arnove, Robert F. and Fink, Marcy. “Issues and Tensions in Popular Education in
Latin America.” International Journal of Educational Development. 11. 3 (1991):
221-230. PDF.
Phase 3: Ideation
Day 6: Meet SENAI counterparts and explore project ideas
Jesse D Hatcher
Sample Curriculum
Travel to SENAI and interact with students. Begin advancing project ideas for
education project with Popular education organization. Develop priority tasks for further
lesson plan development and refinement.
Day 7: Refine implementation ideas for project
Refine ideas and generate a formal plan for education project implementation. Meet
with SENAI counterparts via Google Hangout to report and get feedback on formalized
lesson plan.
Phase 4: Experimentation
Day 8: Implement popular education project with SENAI counterparts.
Travel to popular education organization and implement project.
Phase 5: Evolution
Day 9: Reflect on project experience and create a project presentation.
Meet via Google Hangout with SENAI counterparts to reflect on experience, create a list
of successes, challenges, and areas for improvement in the future. Use feedback from
SENAI counterparts to develop a presentation on the project and seminar as a whole.
Day 10: Reconvene with SENAI counterparts and present on experiences
Travel to SENAI school, reconnect with SENAI counterparts, give presentations, and
explore ways to collaborate in the future.
End of Outline