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International Review of Education

, Volume 62, Issue 1, pp 63–89 | Cite as

The pedagogical and ethical legacy of a “successful” educational reform: The Citizen School Project

  • Gustavo E. Fischman
  • Luis Armando Gandin
Original Paper
First Online:

Abstract

The Citizen School Project (Escola Cidadã) was implemented from 1993 to 2004 in Porto Alegre, capital of the Brazilian state of Rio Grande do Sul. This article presents the conception behind the Citizen School Project, the basic mechanisms created to implement and evaluate its strengths and weaknesses, and some of its contradictions. After contextualising the educational reforms in Brazil during the 1980s and 1990s, the authors demonstrate how the Citizen School Project’s emphasis on participation and democratisation was a radical departure from Brazil’s traditional public education system. Next, they present the three main goals and structures of the Citizen School Project – democratisation of access to schools, democratisation of schools’ administration, and democratisation of access to knowledge. They conclude by discussing some pedagogic, social and political dynamics which appear to be strong legacies of this pedagogical project. The authors also argue that the Citizen School Project has both improved the quality of education in Porto Alegre and is an important contribution to our collective thinking about the politics of “successful” educational policies.

Keywords

Citizen School Project Brazil democratisation educational reform 

Résumé

L’héritage pédagogique et éthique d’une réforme éducative « réussie » : le projet « École citoyenne » – Le projet de l’école citoyenne (Escola Cidadã) a été réalisé de 1993 à 2004 à Porto Alegre, capitale de l’État brésilien Rio Grande do Sul. Cet article présente la conception à la base de ce projet, les mécanismes fondamentaux mis en place pour le réaliser et pour évaluer ses forces et ses faiblesses, ainsi que quelques-unes de ses contradictions. Après avoir contextualisé les réformes éducatives du Brésil au cours des années 1980 et 1990, les auteurs montrent que l’accent du projet de l’école citoyenne mis sur la participation et la démocratisation a été un changement d’orientation radical par rapport au système traditionnel de l’éducation publique au Brésil. Ils décrivent ensuite les trois grands objectifs et également structures du projet : démocratisation de l’accès à l’école, démocratisation de l’administration scolaire et démocratisation de l’accès aux connaissances. Ils concluent en analysant plusieurs dynamiques pédagogiques, sociales et politiques qui se révèlent être le solide héritage de ce projet pédagogique. Les auteurs constatent par ailleurs que l’école citoyenne a amélioré la qualité de l’éducation à Porto Alegre et contribue en outre fortement à la pensée collective sur les politiques générant des stratégies éducatives « réussies ».

Resumen

El legado pedagógico y ético de una reforma educativa “éxitosa”: El Proyecto Escuela Ciudadana – El Proyecto Escuela Ciudadana (Escola Cidadã) se llevó a cabo desde 1993 hasta 2004 en Porto Alegre, capital del estado brasileño de Río Grande do Sul. En este artículo se presenta la conceptualización del Proyecto Escuela Ciudadana, los mecanismos básicos creados para su implementación y para evaluar fortalezas y debilidades, y algunas de sus contradicciones. Después de contextualizar las reformas educativas en Brasil durante los años 1980 y 1990, los autores demuestran cómo el énfasis del Proyecto de Escuela Ciudadana en la participación y la democratización fue un cambio radical respecto del sistema de educación pública tradicional de Brasil. Luego, se presentan los tres objetivos principales y las estructuras del Proyecto Escuela Ciudadana – democratización del acceso a las escuelas, la democratización de la administración de las escuelas, y la democratización del acceso al conocimiento. Concluyen discutiendo algunas, dinámicas pedagógicas, sociales y políticas que parecen ser los legados fuertes de este proyecto pedagógico. Los autores también argumentan que el Proyecto Escuela Ciudadana mejoró la calidad de la educación en Porto Alegre y es una importante contribución a nuestro pensamiento colectivo sobre la política de las políticas educativas “exitosas”.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. 1.Mary Lou Fulton Teachers CollegeArizona State UniversityTempeUSA
  2. 2.Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do SulPorto AlegreBrazil

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