Entre o sonho e a realidade: o professor e a geografia como propulsores da formação cidadã na E.E.M.T.I Dona Hilza Diogo de Oliveira, Fortaleza, Ceará

Abstract

The Teaching of Geography plays a fundamental role in shaping students’ citizenship, especially in contexts of social vulnerability. This study investigates how School Geography and Geography Teachers can contribute to the development of active citizenship among students at E.E.M.T.I Dona Hilza Diogo de Oliveira, located in the Vila Velha neighborhood, Fortaleza, Ceará. This qualitative and exploratory research is based on classroom observations, the daily life of the neighborhood, and semi-structured interviews with former students and the Geography teacher. The theoretical framework is grounded in School Geography and teacher training as pillars for constructing critical and emancipatory knowledge (Pontuschka, Paganelli, and Cacete, 2007; Kaercher, 2007, 2014), the mediating teacher as a central element in students' critical development (Cavalcanti, 1999, 2012, 2019), and active citizenship as an essential factor for social participation (Marshall, 1967). Additionally, it is supported by the perspective of education as a transformative practice (Freire, 1974, 1986, 1996). The results indicate that Geography, when approached critically and reflectively, expands students’ knowledge, helping them understand the territorial and social dynamics around them. It was also found that the school's previous structural precariousness and urban violence directly influence teaching conditions, making Geography an important tool for reading reality and fostering social engagement among students. Thus, School Geography emerges not only as a curricular component but also as a tool for social transformation and a driver of active citizenship.