As atividades extraclasse na educação infantil e a formação continuada docente: implicações da lei 11.738/2008 em Fortaleza (CE)

Abstract

This research addressed the relationship between extracurricular activity policies and continuing teacher education. From this perspective, the study aimed to evaluate the implications of the extracurricular activity policy, established by Law No. 11,738/2008, for the continuing education of early childhood education teachers in an educational institution in Fortaleza, Ceará. The investigation was grounded in theoretical frameworks on public policies, continuing education, and early childhood education. It is understood that the aforementioned law, by ensuring the allocation of one-third of teachers’ working hours to extracurricular activities, contributes to the establishment of a space-time for strengthening, valuing, and professional development, particularly in relation to continuing education. This is a qualitative study, configured as a case study, with the empirical field being a Municipal Early Childhood Education Center (CEI) in Fortaleza. Methodological procedures included documentary analysis of federal and municipal legislation and regulations, as well as the application of a mixed questionnaire to 11 CEI teachers. The study adopted the In-Depth Evaluation approach, and data interpretation was anchored in the Thematic Content Analysis technique, which enabled the construction of three categories of analysis. The investigation found that extracurricular activities have been configured as a privileged space for professional development, fostering reflection on pedagogical practice, collective planning, and knowledge construction. However, teachers pointed out challenges related to material and organizational conditions for the full implementation of this policy. It is concluded, therefore, that although the implementation of Law No. 11,738/2008 represents a significant advance in valuing the teaching profession, structural and formative actions are still necessary to ensure the effectiveness of extracurricular activities as a public policy for continuing education in the first stage of basic education and, consequently, the improvement of the quality of early childhood education.