La enseñanza de la democracia en la educación primaria en Méxicoestudio de caso

Resumo

This research paper, "A Case Study of The Teaching of Democracy i n elementary Schools in Mexico", is a qualitative research project based on class observation of nine teachers in two suburban schools in the county of San Francisco del Rincón, in the state of Guanajuato, Mexico. This project is an attempt to find out what concepts of democracy teachers use in the classroom. Regarding the teaching of democracy, the aim is to uncover what resources and strategies are used and which conceptual, procedural and attitudinal contents are used in the classroom. Concerning the aim of the teaching of democracy , the type of democratic experience students have at school and the democratic values that are taught and how they are taught are revealed . All the information has been interpreted using the statistical categories and indicators proposed in this project. A theoretic framework about democracy and citizenship was created for this research project from which its own pat1icular concept of democracy and citizenship arose. A search for previous research and contributions about citizenship i n Europe, particularly in Spain, was carried out, as well as, research into democracy and citizenship published in English in the UK, Canada and the USA and finally concluding with the research situation in Mexico regarding the same issue. A contextual analysis of the presence of the teaching of democracy i n standard Mexican educational curriculum and texts was carried out. From ali the previous research into theory and an initial analysis of the information gathered from observation, a series of statistical categories, descriptors and indicators were created which will be guiding parameters during the analysis and interpretation of the information . This paper also contains an analysis and description of the methodology and techniques proposed for the processing of the facts and figures. As regards the methodology, this is a qualitative research project admi nistering ethnographic techniques during the process of obtaining information, such as classroom observation, observation files and field notes, in addition to semi-structured interviews. Grounded theory codification techniques based on ethnographic methodology were used for the analysis of the information. The conclusion seeks to respond to the research questions and proposals established initially. Sorne conclusions of this thesis are: regarding the concept of democracy taught by teachers at school, is that the two concepts are present, the politician who refers to the right of citizens to elect their rulers through voting. The social one that refers to the ability of citizens to participate and solve their problems and to hold public discussions. This is important if we consider that although the children have not yet reached formal citizenship, they are perfectly qualified to participate and propose solutions to the problems of their environment. We find that teachers do not seem to have a clear concept of what democracy is, as we saw in the analysis of class records and confirmed in interviews. This same confusion is transmitted to her students in class. Another finding is that the concept of political democracy is the most taught in classes and textbooks reinforce it. As for social democracy, in general, teachers do not propose to carry out these activities and approach the subjects of Civic and Ethical Training without any kind of retlection. Among the teachers observed we find sorne that give value to the participation and at sorne point seek their students to put it into practice. On the resources and strategies for the teaching of democracy, we find that most of the observed practices are undemocratic, centered on the teacher who explains, reads or puts students to read. In this model the teacher asks questions but does not listen to the students' answers or tries to lead the answers to what he wants to hear. In these types of classes it seems that they dialogue but in fact the discourse that is present is that of the teacher. Among the observed teachers we find a minority whose classes we can qualify as participative. With regard to the types of contents taught by teachers, conceptual contents are the most taught in classes. Regarding the procedural contents, we realize that not all teachers use in their classes this type of content. The less used content in the class about democracy are attitudinal. And if we consider that these contents should help students to make judgments and guide ways of acting, it is difficult to think that in these circumstances students will be able to develop democratic forms of behavior.