A tristeza em crianças do Ensino Fundamental I à luz da Teoria Santiana: a escola como espaço de desenvolvimento cognitivo e afetivo

Abstract

The present study examined the feeling of sadness in students in the final years of Primary Education I at a public school in the interior of the State of Ceará, with the main objective of understanding how childhood sadness is perceived by the child, their guardians, and the school institution regarding cognitive and emotional development. The descriptive format proposed by this study guided the choice of qualitative descriptive methodology, as the participants' statements and the object of study in this research, childhood sadness, constitute the content used for analysis and understanding of the theme. The innovative psychopedagogical ideas of 'extended family support' and the scientific paradigm of connectivity, proposed by Branco (2010) in his doctoral thesis, informed the choice of the theoretical framework of the Portuguese intellectual Dr. João dos Santos because, as argued by the author, they confirm the inseparability between mental health and education. Santos considered psychoanalysis as the primary theoretical field for understanding human beings and the vicissitudes of childhood. In this sense, foundational authors such as the Austrian Sigmund Freud, considered the creator of psychoanalysis, and the French Henri Wallon, in whom Santos was a researcher in the child psychobiology laboratory, constitute sources of invaluable importance. Holanda's studies (1997) align with the investigation, especially regarding the thematization of the construction of students' cognitive autonomy. Following pre-established criteria, two children from the third and fourth grades, along with their guardians and teachers, were chosen. Therefore, a total of six interviews were conducted, including all participants. The two main events triggering sadness in the children are related to experiencing grief and the separation of parents. The impacts on behavior and cognition differed between the two students, and the teachers' approach to the manifestation of children's sadness was not the same. The importance of teachers deeply understanding their students, willing to comprehend the reasons for experiencing sadness, became evident. It was highlighted that a close relationship between the teacher and the student can facilitate conflict resolution through affection, as such an approach creates a channel of communication, providing space and time for the child to express their feelings.