Rural young in High School: schooling experiences and youth expectations - UFT
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Revista Brasileira de Educação do Campo
Brazilian Journal of Rural Education
ARTIGO/ARTICLE/ARTÍCULO
DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.20873/uft.rbec.e11490
Rural young in High School: schooling experiences and
youth expectations
1 2
Karla de Freitas Alves Pinto , Ruth Bernardes de Sant'Ana
1
Universidade Federal de Viçosa - UFV. Departamento de Economia Doméstica DED. Avenida Peter Henry Rolfs s./n.,
2
Campus Universitário. Viçosa - MG. Brasil. Universidade Federal de São João del Rei - UFSJ.
Author for correspondence: karlaalvesp@ufv.br
ABSTRACT. This article presents the results of a research that
sought to analyze the schooling process of young students in their
first year of Higher Education from a rural school. We try to
highlight the most significant facts of the school experiences
brought by students and their expectations for the future with the
aim of understanding the meaning they attribute to the
experiences in a school located in countryside. The research
procedures were establishment observations, individual semi-
structured interviews, questionnaire and documentary study The
survey data suggest that teenagers are able to express their
opinions about classes, content and school. From the research
data, we can say that youngsters are able to express their opinions
about classes, content and school. From the interviews, we
realized that the meanings attributed to the school in the
schooling process are positive, since young people feel confident
in this institution.
Keywords: rural youth, high school, schooling.
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1
Este conteúdo utiliza a Licença Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License
Open Access. This content is licensed under a Creative Commons attribution-type BYPinto, K. F. A., & Sant'Ana, R. B. (2021). Rural young in High School: schooling experiences and youth expectations...
Jovens rurais do Ensino Médio: experiências escolares e
expectativas juvenis
RESUMO. Este artigo apresenta os resultados de uma pesquisa
que buscou analisar o processo de escolarização de jovens do 1º
ano do Ensino Médio de uma escola pública rural. Procuramos
destacar os fatos mais significativos da experiência escolar trazidos
pelos alunos e suas expectativas de futuro, com o objetivo de
compreender os sentidos que eles atribuem às vivências em uma
escola localizada na zona rural. Os procedimentos de pesquisa
utilizados foram observações de estabelecimento, entrevistas
individuais semiestruturadas, questionário e estudo documental. Os
dados da pesquisa sugerem que os jovens são capazes de opinar
acerca das aulas, dos conteúdos ministrados e da escola. A partir
das entrevistas, percebemos que os sentidos atribuídos à escola no
processo da escolarização são positivos, já que os jovens se sentem
confiantes nessa instituição.
Palavras-chave: juventude rural, ensino médio, escolarização.
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Jóvenes rurales de la Escuela Secundaria: experiencias
escolares y expectativas juveniles
RESUMEN. Este artículo presenta los resultados de una
investigación que buscó analizar el proceso de escolarización de
los jóvenes estudiantes del primer año de la secundaria de una
escuela rural. Tratamos de resaltar los hechos más significativos
de la experiencia escolar aportados por los estudiantes así como
sus expectativas para el futuro, a fin de comprender los
significados que atribuyen a las experiencias en una escuela
secundaria ubicada en zona rural. Los procedimientos de
investigación utilizados fueron: observaciones del
establecimiento, entrevistas individuales semiestructuradas,
cuestionarios y análisis de documentos escolares. Con los datos
de la investigación, podemos decir que los jóvenes son capaces
de expresar sus opiniones sobre las clases, el contenido y la
escuela. A partir de la entrevista echa a los jóvenes, nos dimos
cuenta de que los significados atribuidos a la escuela en el
proceso escolar son positivos, ya que ellos se sienten confiados
en esta institución.
Palabras clave: juventud rural, escuela secundaria, escolaridad.
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Introduction inside and outside the establishment, and
on youth schooling in its relations with
This paperi presents the results of a
urban and rural areas. This collection
research that aimed to analyze the
instrument was designed to cover all
schooling process of rural high school
students in the class, unlike the interview,
youngsters in Rio das Mortes, district of
whose purpose was to address the
São João del-Rei, Minas Gerais, in a
meanings of the school experience,
school located 8 km from this city. The aim
through attentive and dialogic listening –
of this study was to identify the role of
that why it should reach a small number of
school in these people’s lives, as well as
teenagers, and ensure the same proportion
their life perspectives in a context of
among boys and girls.
social, cultural and economic
This class is made up of 33 students:
transformations in which the
17 boys and 16 girls. When the
differentiation of urban and rural spaces is
questionnaires were filled out, 10 students
reconfigured and becomes increasingly
were absent; among the 23 present, three
tenuous.
refused to participate. One of the
The research subjects were rural
youngsters who did not want to answer the
youngsters from the 1st year of high school
questionnaire was the one who was more
in a public school. The research sought to
aloof and suspicious. Considering all the
highlight the most significant facts of the
classes observed, he was the most distant
school experience brought by the students
with regard to teachers and subjects. The
and, to this end, the researcher undertook
other two who didn’t respond are
an investigation with a
apparently influenced by that one.
plurimethodological approach – qualitative
Regarding the girls, they readily wanted to
and quantitative at the same time. The
answer the questionnaire and did not have
questionnaire, as well as semi-structured
much difficulty in doing so. All showed
individual interviews and observations
interest in collaborating with the research,
were the primary sources for data
and some of them established a closer
collection, while medical records, files,
relationship of friendship with the
among other student documents, were
researcher.
configured as a secondary source of data
Individual interviews were
collection. The questionnaire dealt with the
conducted with 12 teenagers who agreed to
socioeconomic characterization of students
participate, 6 girls and 6 boys. In order to
and their families, on school activities
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get a greater number of young males – school trajectory. To better fit the
with the aim of making the number of teenager’s needs, the school must focus on
interviewees between the sexes more equal aspects related to the permanence of the
– the researcher had to insist a lot on the student and the quality of services offered.
invitation to young men, as some of them To this end, it is necessary to be aware of
did not really appreciate giving interviews. the institution’s operating conditions, the
We assume that the school is a place training of teachers, the quality of teaching
where many teenagers spend a large part of materials, the reading in school work, the
their lives. In fact, it is not new that many participation of parents in school and at
schools are unable to attract and retain home, and the quality of school meals
teenagers, but it is usually in this space of (Dayrell, 2007).
encounters and experiences that they begin For rural young people, the school
to build their life project. We share with establishment is a very important relational
Leão, Dayrell and Reis (2011) the territory, which allows them to experience
conception that the expectations for the various exchanges, the elaboration and
future of young people refer to the idea of redimensioning of social norms and the
achievements in the professional, affective constitution of ways of living life as
and school context. Such expectations teenagers and students at the same time,
depend on a field of possibilities given by from sociocultural references that are
the socioeconomic and cultural context in simultaneously rural and urban that are
which the young person finds modulated in the here and now of the
himself/herself. Understanding the social interaction among them.
expectations of these youngsters allows, The global and the local are probably
above all, to comprehend the different mixed in the lives of rural young people
anxieties of those in this age group of who managed to reach high school and
schooling and, at the same time, to reflect affect their immediate and immediate
on significant aspects of the social world in projects. In this way, we seek to identify
which they are inserted (in and out of the role of school in the lives of these
school) in their relationships with the subjects and the perspectives of life in a
prospects for the future they envisioned. context of social, cultural and economic
Thus, it is at school that youngsters transformations in which the
establish relationships that greatly differentiation of the borders between
influence their life, their choices and their urban and rural is reconfigured and
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becomes increasingly tenuous, to the diplomas due to the expansion of access to
extent that these new dynamics in rural all levels of education, including higher
areas should have more impact on the education, and the economic imperative of
younger population and those with a longer expanding the training of young people for
schooling path provided by high school. competition/insertion in the market formal
One way to investigate the teenagers’ work. Secondary education represents only
experiences of students living in the rural the last three or four years of basic
world today is to analyze how they education, but it presents difficulties when
perceive the impacts of schooling in their defining policies for this stage of schooling
fields of possibilities in the present and in that has never had a very clear identity,
the future. Currently, they live a trajectory both in terms of access to university and
less common for the previous generation, professional training (Krawczyk, 2013).
that is, attending high school and having a For most teachers and researchers,
later entry into the world of work. young people who attend high school are
understood only in terms of their student
Schooling of rural teenagers: contexts
dimension. In this way, the condition of
and challenges
student appears as a natural fact, and not as
When it comes to reflecting on the a social and historical construction.
Brazilian educational system, there is a Regardless of gender, age, social origin or
consensus in the perception that secondary social experiences, it is the student’s
education is the level of education that condition (almost always in its cognitive
provokes the most controversial debates, dimension) that informs the understanding
whether because of the persistent problems that the teacher or researcher builds on
of access and permanence, or because of these actors. The stage of life and its
the quality of education offered, or by the peculiarities, social origin, gender and
discussion about its identity (Kuenzer, ethnicity, among other dimensions that
2007). constitute him/her as a young person,
The inclusion of secondary education should be placed in parentheses in the
in the context of basic education and its name of the student’s cognitive progress.
mandatory nature demonstrate the That is why these elements of the youth
recognition of its political and social experience are not taken into account and,
importance. This is a growing demand for when approached outside the school, the
schooling in a context of devaluation of student’s life appears as a time empty of
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meaning in the definition of the teaching- appropriation of ways of being in society is
learning process. In this understanding, also a reflection of the loosening of
little is learned about the real subjects who territorial boundaries, as shown in the
attend school, the multiple dimensions of study by Carneiro (1998). This author
their social experience, their demands and suggests that countryside and city are
expectations (Leão et al., 2011). increasingly interconnected, which
According to Castro (2005), for contributes to redefining the dynamic
adolescents from the rural youth universe, between these two poles.
a challenge is the uncertainty between Carneiro (1998) also reminds us that
“going out and staying” in the countryside, the media are strong influences in this
due to the difficulties of remaining in narrowing of borders, since they have an
agriculture, the limits imposed by the important impact on the redefinition of
scarcity of land, the low income of families values and this can lead to difficulties in
and, consequently, the meager investment defining the particular characteristics of a
in production. Young people live in a given space. However, the author observes
dilemma between the possibility of that the increasingly intense exchanges
becoming owners of land (or of some between countryside and city do not
property) and the aspiration to live in eliminate their specific social and cultural
cities. characteristics.
According to Matos (2002), the According to the study by
departure of youngsters from the Breitenbach and Corazza (2019), the issue
countryside to the city is also due to the of rural youth gained centrality, especially
search for the “modern”, which, according because it is a category associated with the
to the author, characterizes the view of the future of the rural environment. In this
rural as backward or primitive. This vision context, the social identity of the Brazilian
leads rural teenagers to desire the rural youth is built in a process of dialogue
“moulds” of “modern” urban youth so as between the rural universe and urban
not to be seen or see themselves as spaces. Subjective aspects such as
“backward” or “inferior”. emotional attachment and family ties have
To counteract this image of an important influence on the permanence
inferiority, young people often seek to of young people in rural areas. In addition,
appropriate new technologies and the difficulties and uncertainties found in
academic knowledge. Part of this new rural areas and the existence of more than
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one generation on the same property judged, and for some students, because
compromise the transfer of heritage and they thought that the researcher could be a
the succession of inheritance between school employee.
generations. These factors that still figure The questionnaire applied helped us
today as the main responsible for the in the task of drawing a profile and better
departure of young people from the world characterizing the universe of research
rural. subjects by containing the opinions,
According to a survey carried out by beliefs, feelings, interests, expectations,
Santos (2017), the rural exodus, especially social origin, monthly family income and
of young people, has been constant in relationship with the work and with the
recent years. There are several reasons that school. This allowed us to bring together
drive young people to the city, among school and extra-school experiences.
which is the lack of incentives for these According to Gil (2008), a positive
young people to remain on the family feature of the questionnaire is its ability to
property and develop activities there. cover a large number of people in a short
period of time, in addition to guaranteeing
Methodology
the anonymity of the subjects who answer
To understand the school experiences it. This can give more freedom in the
and expectations of young people, we elaboration of responses, since there is no
carried out observations of the first-year concern about the possible consequences
high school classroom, in order to obtain a of their statements.
more global understanding of the subjects’ We conducted individual interviews
interactions in the classroom, as well as with 12 teenagers, 06 (six) girls and 06
their relationship with the school in their (six) boys. All students in the class were
schooling process. invited, but in the second round a girl had
The observations were descriptively left the district to live in São Paulo. We
recorded in the field diary, with the aim of also carried out a semi-structured
storing the impressions of everyday school interview, that is, one directed through a
life. In some situations, the recording of previously established script, consisting of
impressions after leaving the classroom open questions. Even elaborated in
was used. The observations generated an advance, this script allows for flexible
initial discomfort for some teachers, who organization, which gives the researcher
feared they were being evaluated or the possibility to expand the questions as
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the respondent offers information and afternoon, Elementary II (6th to 9th grade)
expresses himself with some freedom on had 177 students with one class in the
the topics indicated. With this type of afternoon and five classes in the morning.
interview, we assume a less directive role High School had four morning classes,
in the search for an open dialogue with the with 110 students, and an evening group of
intention of understanding under what Youth and Adult Education (EJA), with 24
perspective the interviewee speaks and of students. There was also an Acceleration
bringing out significant aspects about the Class (TA) from the 9th grade of
research topic. Elementary, with a view to moving to the
1st year of High School, whose objective is
General characterization of the School,
the socio-economic conditions of the to correct the age/grade distortion and
young people, their families and the reduce school failure – a government
schooling of the surveyed teenagers
program called “continuous progression”.
The school used as the empirical Most of the students at the school belonged
basis for this research was the Evandro to the district of Rio das Mortes, but most
Ávila State School, located in Rio das of them lived in other villages. The
Mortes, district of São João del-Rei, Minas distance between school and villages is
Gerais. There is no exact definition of also variable, such as the village of
when this school was founded, only Goiabeiras, which is 4 km from Rio das
accounts of various possible dates. No Mortes.
records were found referring to the The school’s team of workers totaled
Evandro Ávila State School, nor in the 43 people, including teachers (permanent
school itself, nor in the Regional Teaching and contracted), supervisors, pedagogical
Superintendence (SRE) or even in the coordinators, technical assistants in basic
Municipality of São João del-Rei. education (secretary assistant), secretaries,
Therefore, all information was materialized basic education service assistants
by reading blogs (from the school and the (cantineiras), technical assistants in
Minas Gerais government), from the education basic (financial/accounting part),
School’s Political Pedagogical Project and librarians, director and deputy directors.
information from oral history. Regarding the position in the ranking
At the time of the research, the of reference schools in the state of Minas
school had 423 students. Elementary I (1st Gerais by the Basic Education
to 5th grade) had 112 students in the Development Index (Ideb) of 2009,
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Evandro Ávila School occupied the with family, and no young person is
position number 492 among Minas Gerais married.
public schools, in a list with one total of The analysis of the interviewees’
3,497 positions. Regarding the school’s family situation suggests that only 10% of
IDEB, in 2013 the educational institution the students’ families do not live in their
reached the goal of 7.6 in the initial years own home and just over half of them
of the state network, with the goal being (55.6%) have rural properties (land
5.2. In relation to the final years, it also destined for cultivation). The level of
reached the target set by the government of education of the parents or guardians is
4.5, but did not maintain the previous score predominantly complete elementary school
of 6.0, as it obtained 5.3, which means a and only in one case the father has a
significant drop. In addition, the school university degree. The level of education
registered a percentage of 68% of students of mothers has an average of 28.6% in
who learned the proper skills in reading each of the following levels: incomplete
and interpreting texts by the 5th grade. 1st degree, complete 1st degree and
Students who attended this school complete 2nd degree. Only two mothers
arrived at 7:20 am, on foot or by school have completed higher education.
bus. They found the gates open, entered the The family income of 81.8% of
school and chatted with groups of friends respondents, considering all working
in the school yard while waiting for classes adults, is no more than three minimum
to start at 7:30 am. The school atmosphere wages. It is noteworthy that in none of the
was relaxed, with little conflicting social valid answers the family income was
relations between students and school staff. above 06 minimum wages.
A large part of the families with Regarding the mother’s or guardian’s
which young people live is nuclear, that is, profession, nine categories were listed by
they are made up of the father and the the interviewees. Of the total number of
mother. In general, the students who mothers who work outside the home,
participated in the survey belong to 21.4% work as domestic servants.
relatively small families (4 to 7 members) Furthermore, 21.4% are housewives. A
and the vast majority are parents and two nursery helper mother and another cook
children, live in the rural area, in the home were also mentioned. As for the profession
of their parents or grandparents, are aged of the father or guardian, eleven categories
between 15 and 17 years old and all live were listed, with “retired” having 21.4%.
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Professions such as bricklayer, pensioner, considering that each person has a
farmer and rural services make up the particular need according to the spatial
activities performed by the interviewees’ location of their home or work. Not
parents. everyone has a car or motorcycle, and
Laura, one of the interviewees, takes commuting by public transport becomes
courses at SENAI, as well as private very important, as it directly influences the
lessons and writing lessons. Her family is quality of life of young people.
the only one that guarantees extracurricular In rural areas, public transport is
courses for the student's better academic important for families who live or work
and professional performance. Lucas and outside Rio das Mortes, as, for some, it is
Afonso have also taken extracurricular the only way they have to come and go. In
courses at SENAI and say they are Rio das Mortes, this displacement is made
interested in attending others. by an urban bus company that has some
In this context, it is important to units of its fleet specifically for the direct
highlight that in the community even route between São João del-Rei and Rio
young people who seek a more advanced das Mortes. The same company also has
level of education from buses that circulate around São Sebastião
technical/professional education in São da Vitória, Goiabeiras and Rio das Mortes.
João del-Rei continue to live in Rio das These buses have specific schedules and
Mortes, thus maintaining a relationship run every hour from 6:00 am to 10:00 pm.
with their family and with the rural On weekends, there are itineraries until late
environment where they live. afternoon.
It can be observed that the In many parts of the country,
encouragement of parents to study is transport companies face many limitations
unanimous in the research. For families, in serving the rural population, the main
studies are of great importance to one being the structure of the roads, which,
guarantee that young people will have a for the most part, are precarious and wear
better future. It was also possible to out the vehicle a lot. The stretch between
conclude that participation in meetings at São João del-Rei and Rio das Mortes is a
school are recurrent attitudes among the highway. In this way, it is possible to see
parents of these youngsters. that young people in Rio das Mortes are
Another issue to be considered is the not necessarily physically and spatially
access of young people to school, isolated and that their life trajectories take
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place between the rural and urban worlds. attendance important for their professional
Thus, it is possible to conclude that they future. Regarding the content taught at
are influenced by values from the two school, 47.8% believe there is a balance
cultural universes, which makes it difficult between useful and useless knowledge. In
to establish boundaries between urban and addition to regular classes, students show
rural elements in their ways of living their interest in the computer science and
youth. cultural activities; however, most do not
According to the students, the participate in any extracurricular courses.
distance from the interviewees’ homes to Invited to reflect on their possible choices,
the city of São João del-Rei is 10 to 14 47.6% of respondents answered that they
kilometers. When asked to project the would study at a public school in the city,
future, most youngsters (83.3%) responded 23.8% would study at a private school in
that they intend to go to college. Among the city and 28.6% would continue at
the greatest difficulties of rural youth listed Evandro Ávila School. This seems to
by the interviewees are the roads and their signify the strong attraction that the city
poor conditions (within the district) and the exerts on many of them, more than a
limited hours of public transport. derogatory judgment of the school, in
terms of the quality of education and the
Schooling of surveyed you people
social relationship within it.
Most students (76.5%) entered Data from the 12 students who
school between four and five years of age; answered the questionnaire show that the
70% of respondents said they did their percentage of young people who do not
schoolwork always or almost always and consider themselves rural is 38.9%, as they
30% sporadically. In this question about believe that young people are young
performing the tasks, one student claimed people, no matter the place. Already 33.3%
“laziness” as a reason for not fulfilling the of these youngsters consider themselves
obligation and another stated that he fails rural youngsters because they live in rural
to do the task when he has doubts about it. areas. One of the young people who do not
On a school day, 55.0% of students do consider themselves rural for other reasons
household works in an hour or less. claimed that he “identifies” himself with
When asked about the reason for the rural area and another does not live in
going to school, 72% of young people the countryside.
answered that they consider school
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Regarding media and access to The internet is also seen as a form of
culture, the average number of books that entertainment. Facebook is the most used
young people have at home, in addition to social network, especially for
school ones, is less than twenty books, in conversations, dating and entertainment.
most answers. There were no responses Other media resources were also present in
greater than a hundred books or less than the speech of young people. Marina, for
one. From the point of view of access to example, sometimes accesses the internet
new information and communication on her cell phone, but commented that the
technologies, it was possible to notice, in connection is very bad. Pedro explained
the moments of interviews and in field that, in his free time, he enjoys visiting
work, that television and the internet are social networks and playing online games.
the media most used by young people. In Josiane, in turn, reported that she likes to
most of the observations, it was possible to stay at home “touching” the computer.
notice that almost all young people always Lucas has already stated that he likes to
had their cell phone in their hands in the watch television. Of the young people
classroom, although the school's investigated, all had internet access,
management team had prohibited the use although Vitória and João did not have a
of cell phones due to excesses and lack of computer and, therefore, Vitória used the
attention in the subjects. computer at her grandmother’s house and
The presence of cell phones was a João used the computer at school. João,
constant feature. Like Silva and Pereira Laura and Vitória reported that they
(2015), we observe that, similarly to the searched for information on the internet for
young people researched by these authors, school research.
the young people from the rural school Based on these data on the usages of
investigated in this work also demonstrated these media devices, it is possible to
that this technological communication consider that the fact of having books at
device is very widespread in daily school home and/or internet access does not
life as a mark of being young in current necessarily mean an increase in school
society. Thus, it is impossible not to knowledge and culture in general. The
associate the image of young people with media allow the insertion of young people
the use of these new communication and into the technological world and provide
information technologies. skills for the general use of technologies,
which can be directed towards cultural
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13Pinto, K. F. A., & Sant'Ana, R. B. (2021). Rural young in High School: schooling experiences and youth expectations...
targets unrelated to the knowledge valued developed in the community itself and,
by the school. According to the teenagers, although this does not offer many options,
during the week, time is spent “from young people seek to participate in
school to home, from home to school”. The everything that is offered. Here are
life of young people outside of school included cultural events traditionally
during the period they are attending High organized there and the tours promoted by
School also involves work inside the home, the school. In the first year of the research,
where they help parents with housekeeping for example, it was possible to witness a
activities – this cannot be considered an march by the school with all the students in
impediment to the execution of school the surroundings of Rio das Mortes. The
tasks, since it consists of a short period of march was a request for “Peace” from the
time compared to the daily time spent on school and the community due to the death
TV and computer. The use of social of a young man in the vicinity of the
networks, online games, television and also institution. In addition, in the reports of
the dedication to school tasks are some young people, we can see that the multi-
very common statements among the young sport court is frequently used by the
people surveyed. population of this location, even in extra-
The average time that these students school times.
spend watching TV and using the The search for cultural activities
computer, in a school day, was more than outside the district is also a common
four hours in more than 30% of the practice among young people looking for
answers in both cases. When asked about alternatives such as bars and dating in
how much they study at home, 45% neighboring cities. In informal
consider it sufficient, 25% insufficient, conversations with the teenagers, it was
20% would like to study more and only possible to notice that they like to attend
10% consider the time they spend studying the festivals in São João del-Rei, due to the
more than enough. Those who answered visibility between them, as well as the
that they would like to study more and traditional festivals in the neighboring
those who think that the study time is cities.
insufficient were asked what prevented In relation to work, 47.8% are not
them from studying. working and 30.4% are looking for a job.
However, a part of their free time is When asked to choose alternatives about
generally occupied with activities future expectations, 68.4% responded that
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14Pinto, K. F. A., & Sant'Ana, R. B. (2021). Rural young in High School: schooling experiences and youth expectations...
they would like to combine university and draw plans for their professional future and
work. Only one youngster would just like hope that the school will contribute to a
to work, which corresponds to 5.3% of good placement in the labor market. For
valid answers. In other options, one student many, the value of the school lies in the
would like to finish their studies and fact that it is a place where they meet
pursue a degree, while another would like friends, make friends and interact, which is
to be independent and have more indicative of the value of the school in
knowledge. youth sociability in the society in which we
live. The most common expressions of this
Meanings of School experience and
sociability are the games that occur in the
future expectations
class-group as a whole (with or without
To understand the meanings that teacher participation) or within groups of
young people attributed to school, it is mixed or gender-different peers (male or
essential to consider that they produce their female). It is a youth culture that is
own way of seeing and valuing school, constituted in youth social relations inside
which does not necessarily correspond to and outside the school, and that in the
the vision of their teachers and family school space signals the affirmation of
members. School life or even the what it means to be young, according to
“motivation” for studies depend a lot on the “student’s craft” or in opposition to it.
individual experiences, interests and It presents itself in the classroom as a
identities that were built from the lived tension between the demands of this
reality and interactions with other people “craft” and the youthful games and
and with the school itself. “jesting”. In the researched class, the
The research presented here reveals relational atmosphere was calm, as
that, while for some students the school teachers and students showed themselves
represents, above all, an obligation that capable of managing this tension in daily
parents or society impose, for others, school life when it manifested itself
studying is directly related to insertion in openly.
the labor market. In an individual The young people investigated
interview, Leo argues that he goes “…to believe they have had many significant
school to find a good job”. Leoni, in turn, experiences at school and make it clear that
explains that she wants to graduate “... and they could have dedicated themselves
have a good job”. Thus, young people more, as in Marlon’s speech: “I could have
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15Pinto, K. F. A., & Sant'Ana, R. B. (2021). Rural young in High School: schooling experiences and youth expectations...
studied more”; and in Marcos’ testimony: them placed the hope of achieving better
“I could have studied more, but I can’t social status and better jobs in school and
study at home, then I don’t do good education. There is a belief that school
exams”. offers better opportunities to “be someone
Regarding the reason for attending in life” or to enter the labor market. In
school, they more frequently highlighted addition, all young people show
the importance of studying to ensure a satisfaction in studying High School in the
better future, as pointed out by the young same institution where they started their
people in an individual interview (E.I). school careers.
According to Laura, the rural school
For a better future. (Afonso, E.I).
is not inferior to the urban schools of São
Because I like to study; here I take João del-Rei. In this regard, most young
care of myself, I acquire knowledge
that I can use later for exams, and it people believe that the school would help
gives me a basis for the job market.
them to stay in Rio das Mortes, but the
(Vitória, E.I).
lack of prospects for work in rural areas
The survey indicated that young drives them to create expectations of
people demand a school that makes sense having greater success in obtaining it
for life and contributes to their outside the district, as Laura illustrates. in
understanding of reality. They claim to link an interview in November 2015: “Staying
what is taught at school to their daily lives: in Rio das Mortes is difficult because of
the career I want to pursue. Many young
I prefer more dynamic classes, more people leave rural areas because they don't
in practice, not just much in writing.
(Josiane, E.I). have a guaranteed job throughout the year,
which leads to them leaving for lack of
Maybe teachers can conduct a class
to interact more with staff. (Felipe, options”.
E.I).
Regarding parents and the value
I think the quality of teaching, attributed to their children’s schooling
textbooks, literary books should be
improved, and the classes should be process, young people declare that parents
more dynamic, because just using the
blackboard and books is very tiring.
participated in their children’s school life
(Vitória E.I). through meetings at school, asking about
schoolwork and seeking to know about
These young people who attended
school performance, as Vitória points in
Evandro Ávila School built positive
EI: “My parents try to find out about my
representations about the school. Most of
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16Pinto, K. F. A., & Sant'Ana, R. B. (2021). Rural young in High School: schooling experiences and youth expectations...
grades and how I am in my work”. The relating what they have learned, leaving
young people indicate that the diploma is the routine with more practical classes,
very important for them and for the family, being able to do the tasks and calculations
since the parents believe that, without and being valued, these are aspects the
studies, the person is “nobody”, as Josiane young people most mentioned to justify
points out in an interview: “... without their taste for school life.
studying, we are not nothing".
Learning biology. Practical biology
Laura was one of the young people classes are pretty cool. (João E.I)
who attended activities that expand school
We’ve got the same teacher for
education, such as the writing course and Philosophy and Sociology. This is
excellent because he talks to the
courses offered by SENAI in São João del-
whole class, so he listens to what we
Rei. She stands out for having the mother’s think. (Luana E.I).
support and encouragement to attend such
The teenagers aspire to continue their
activities. According to the girl, being
studies at universities, but representation
successful in the tests is not enough and,
about the role of the school is also linked
therefore, she seeks complements for her
to another type of expectation: making
training outside of school:
friends and getting along with people.
Laura: In the morning I have class, These young people state they like going to
right? In the afternoon there is class,
in the evening cursinho, Thursday I school because of their friends and express
have writing class in São João; then I dissatisfaction with the boring dynamics of
stay there.
Researcher: Do you do SENAI in some classes. They want a change in the
São João?
curriculum, with insertion of more
Laura: No, I’ve already stopped; it
was just a vacation course; as I had practical classes that arouse a taste for
nothing to do on vacation, so I went
and did it. study, and claim for teachers able to
Researcher: What do you do in the interact with the youth universe.
afternoon?
Laura: I do the assignments; I review University level education was
the contents and write the
compositions I have to do. shown to be a more present expectation
among the young people investigated (83%
The students stress their desire to of the students); however, there are
finish high school and continue their exceptions, as in the case of Afonso, who
studies, as this is an achievement for them intends to attend a professional course
and for their families. Learning new things, before and does not know if he will attend
understanding the subject, applying and university; and Vanessa, who, at first, does
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17Pinto, K. F. A., & Sant'Ana, R. B. (2021). Rural young in High School: schooling experiences and youth expectations...
not want to go to university, but to take São Paulo in search of her dream of being
courses related to theater and cinema. an actress.
None of the young people investigated
Conclusion
declared that they are at school because
they were forced or at the insistence of
This research ratified trends or
their parents, except for one who declared
dynamics identified by other research on
he “comes to school because he has to do”.
rural and urban youth. In addition, this
Of all the students interviewed, most
study sought to broaden the focus,
would like to combine work and studies
identifying that certain segments of rural
after high school. Some students would
youth have characteristics much more of
like to work after completing high school
their age group than of their specific rural
or graduation.
group, as they consume goods and
When asked to reflect on their
products common to urban youth, advance
expectations for the next ten years and on
in schooling in relation to their parents and
what students would do to be
have access to the new communication
professionally successful, the teenagers
technologies of the computerized world.
argue that they want to study more, attend
In fact, we are witnessing today the
college and get a good job.
non-agricultural rural world. This
For the future, the young people
perspective introduces new elements in the
aspire to leave Rio das Mortes and study in
way of looking at the rural and urban
São João del-Rei or other neighboring
worlds and the way in which they relate.
cities, in order to graduate from a college,
Between urban centers and rural areas, the
guarantee a good job, have better living
trend of relationships of complementarity
conditions and, therefore, help the family.
continues (Ferrão, 2000).
When asked what they would like to do if
The blurring of boundaries between
they stayed in Rio das Mortes, one young
countryside and city and the departure or
man says he would like to open a store
permanence of young people in rural areas
near his home in Goiabeiras, and another
are issues that go beyond the desire to
would like to play soccer in the rural
“stay or leave”: they are also linked to an
championship. The rest intend to build
assessment that young people make about
careers outside the district. The young
the countryside and that leads them to see
Vanessa, during our research, moved to
their perspectives, conflicts, difficulties
and challenges.
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18Pinto, K. F. A., & Sant'Ana, R. B. (2021). Rural young in High School: schooling experiences and youth expectations...
The district is just a few kilometers to make this happen in rural areas; they
from the city. The school is well-regarded show commitment to the family and the
and offers a good structure, good teachers feeling of belonging to their place of
and adequate materials, unlike perhaps origin, but they do not fail to express that
most schools in various regions of Brazil. they feel attracted to life in the city. This
This shows the effort of the state of Minas shows the general difficulty of Brazilian
Gerais to increase access to basic school society in guaranteeing well-defined
through high school for a public relatively programs for the insertion of young people
far from the urban perimeter. from popular sectors into the world of
One of the central concerns of this work, and the specific form taken by this
research was listening to these young lack of programs in the lives of rural young
people and identifying points of view people, who, throughout the history of
about their lives inside and outside school, Brazil, live the tension between “leaving or
in relation to the immediate and immediate staying”.
social and geographic context that From the speeches of the young
reference their daily experiences. This people, we realized that the process of
allowed us to understand a way of living schooling in high school is positive, as
youth composed of generalized leisure they feel comfortable at school and are
activities in Brazilian society, such as the eager to enter university. The survey data
use of the internet to participate in social also suggest that young people are able to
networks, the habit of watching television talk about classes, contents, school and
programs and attending a rural school could be important partners in reflecting on
establishment, youth territory where the educational project intended for them.
properly school learning intersects with Most of the young people
diverse youth sociabilities, constituting interviewed demonstrated to be satisfied
over there a way of appropriating the with the public school where they studied.
school that does not differ from the urban In addition, the students established a
world. trusting relationship with the professionals’
The conversations with the young efficiency, with the quality of teaching and
people made it possible to identify that with the curriculum. However, they would
their expectations fluctuate, as they say like the teaching method adopted at the
they want to “improve their lives” and “be school to introduce more practical and
someone in life”, but they do not see how stimulating lessons.
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19Pinto, K. F. A., & Sant'Ana, R. B. (2021). Rural young in High School: schooling experiences and youth expectations...
Despite demonstrating satisfaction, students explain that they find it difficult to
many students, when reflecting on how understand the statements of the activities
much they studied during their school and that they are unable to develop what is
career, stated that if they could change requested, in addition to facing the lack of
what they experienced at school, they meaning in some subjects. The presence
would study more, make less mess and try of the computer at home allows this media
to achieve better performance in the resource to be used for entertainment and
subjects. In addition, young people still virtual sociability, while young people seem to
resist its use for specifically school purposes.
face difficulties in the schooling process:
In this way, the school, which in the past had to
in the domestic space, they feel attracted to
compete with television, must now also
the computer, to the detriment of books
compete with the computer and the cell phone.
and notebooks.
This leads us to reflect that current society
The young people interviewed also seeks to make more time available to young
feel the challenge of combining the needs people from popular sectors, protecting new
of the present with the prospects for the generations from premature entry into the labor
future, and this is intertwined with the market, but they are unable to use part of the
tensions of school life: studying and not time available at home for school learning.
studying, paying attention in class and This indicates that solving the problem of low
expressing themselves through performance involves offering a full-time and
quality school, and encouraging the use of
conversation or mess. The clash between
these media for scientific and philosophical
the long-term objective and the more
knowledge.
immediate strategies is common, so that, at
The most significant experiences in
times, they oscillate and turn now to this
the school career were the teachers, the
priority, now to that one.
friendship relationships, the income in the
On the other hand, young people
subjects, the jokes made by friends and the
claim that many hours are dedicated to TV
skills and learning acquired. Young people
and the computer, but they use it more as a
perceive the value of a dialogical
form of entertainment and, in few cases, to
relationship of friendship and respect
seek information related to knowledge
between students and teachers as a gain in
valued by the school and that the time
school life.
dedicated to studying at home is
The issue of friendship was
insufficient. When presenting the reasons
mentioned as being fundamental to the
to justify the restricted time in studies, the
schooling process. At times, the school
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20Pinto, K. F. A., & Sant'Ana, R. B. (2021). Rural young in High School: schooling experiences and youth expectations...
enabled and encouraged the students to get Our impression is that teachers feel
connected through gymkhanas, cultural compelled to maintain order in the
and literary fairs and group work. classroom when students push the
However, at times, there was a certain boundaries. As a result, they end up putting
separation of groups of friends due to the pressure on students (sometimes with
students' disposition or the affinities in the threats or taking concept points) and
classes. excessive pressure and exaggeration of
We know, however, that school is not these lead to a rupture in the dialogue.
the only place for young people to Almost all of the 1st year students
socialize, as they attend other spaces linked continued at Evandro Ávila School. For
to sports, religion and the representative them, completing high school can
community council, in addition to represent a moment of victory and
socializing with friends. conquest. This moment is seen by them as
The relationship with teachers is the passage to yet another stage,
another issue strongly remembered by configuring itself, then, as the possibility
young people. Participants say they have of progressing to university.
positive and negative experiences with The school-effect is more easily
teachers. About positive relationships, they revealed in the relational climate that
mention the teacher’s efficiency in animates the investigated school. We did
promoting learning and good relationships not find any youngster hostile to it, as an
with students. Regarding negative expressively dialogic climate was
experiences, they point to situations of noticeable during the observations.
punishment and embarrassment. Although with differences in relational
Factors such as generational dynamics inside the classroom, the school
differences and relations of affirmation and seems capable of dealing with everyday
power are intertwined in the teacher- tensions, solving and containing the
student relationship. It is noticeable that conflicts that may arise.
the teenagers value dialogue with teachers
very much. In some moments, young References
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Article Information
Leão G., Dayrell J., & Reis, J.B. (2011).
Juventude, projetos de vida e ensino Received on January 27th, 2021
médio. Revista Educação e Sociedade, Accepted on May 04th, 2021
Published on July, 12th, 2021
32(117), 1067-1084
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73302011000400010
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