School (im)possibilities as narrated by teachers

Abstract

This article aims to present considerations about the state school context in Mato Grosso do Sul, based on studies conducted within the Postgraduate Program in Mathematics Education at the Federal University of Mato Grosso do Sul. In general, it seeks to problematize how schools, and particularly the teaching of mathematics, generate specific characteristics that extend beyond what is mandated by legislation. Using the methodology of oral history, narratives from mathematics teachers and teachers of other subjects are created to historically investigate the schooling of specific groups. The diversity of educational experiences — including Youth and Adult Education (EJA), Full-Time Education, and the challenges of the pandemic period — supports the discussion in this text. Written collaboratively, the text explores different conceptions of schools within the state education network. The perspectives narrated by educators involved in the educational process illustrate the (im)possibilities within schools amidst diverse movements. These narratives reveal not what the school is, but rather how teachers perceive and experience it from the inside.