O professor de classe especial para deficientes mentais educáveis: formação e prática educativa

Abstract

This study proposed to investigate perceptions of teachers of mentally retarded students in regard to their students, to their role as a teacher and to said type of education. A revision of literature treated of the professor's special training, how he became involved and his permanence as a Teacher of Special Education; circunstances relating to the student from the time he is selected to receive special education untíl his return to regular class work; and the proposals and decisions about the organization and functioning of special classes. The basic preposition was that discrepancies exist among the definitions of special classes; just who is prepared to teach spacial classes; just who is regarded an educable mentally retarded person, and what one actually encounters. Case studies were used for qualitative analysis procedures and interviews and observation as data collection instruments. Nine (9) teachers of special classes for educable retarded children within the Fortaleza public school system, participated in the study as did four (4) principais of schools holding said classes. The results of this research show that: a) the teachers perception of his hole reflected an idealistic attitude wich emphasis on personal characteristics reached during the training programs; b) the student's difficulties are understood by the teacher as result of organic factors and/or unfavorable sociocultural environmente; and c) the professor sees the special class as necessary, however the system does not truly contribute to the development of the student. The final considerations are to rethink the training proposed for teachers of special classes and the practical education offerd; the classification of educable retarded students and the objectives of special classes.