The ephemical trajetory of rural normal schools in Brazil (1930-1970)

Abstract

Between the 1930s and 1970s various experiences in teacher???s training for rural primary schools occured in Brazil, more evidently were the Rural Normal Schools. These experiences were anchored on the moviment towards extending education to the rural areas and within of the principles of New Education and which sought to qualify a teacher apt to work as a agente of civilization in the rural area. This paper analyses the historiography on the theme, pointing out the trends and changes in the conceptions and polices for training rural teachers in Brazil. The study puts into question the brief trajetory of the rural normal schools in Brazil, questioning the meaning of this experience as well as of its failure while stressing the progressive deslocation of the government policies focussed on rural teacher training towards programmes with emphasis on the lay teachers training.