Educational Policies and Institutional Daily Practices in Secondary School: A Study of the Case of Secondary School from Rio Negro

Abstract

The aim of this research is to analyse the relationship (approaches, semblances, differences) between educational policies set by policymakers on Secondary School (focusing on new curriculum design for Rio Negro Secondary School system), and senses and meanings given in daily practices by institutions and their actors (teachers and directors), to those orders. This research is carried out from a qualitative-interpretative perspective, and the methodology is the case study. Methodological resources used in this research process are: deep and open interviews with several institutional actors, lesson observations and official and governmental agencies files analysis. Analysis of collected data shows important points on which the new curriculum proposal is focused, such as post structure, inter and multidisciplinary work, working in learning pathways and cuatrimestralization of subjects. We make reference to important points in order to give an account of the significance reached by these aspects in the educational policies area, after considering that they will influence as a performative modification (Austin, 1962) of the traditional school format. We believe that these points do not succeed in becoming a force for change in educational institutions but, on the contrary, become a point of complexity/critical issue in daily work at schools, manifesting as obstacles faced by teachers during their daily practices. In this tension, the complex truss of logics of significance and laws of functioning of social fields (Bourdieu, 1990) historically established takes action, with its specific institutions. A complex truss of disputes and negotiations started between the curricular field and the realization field of those policies which are schools, and inside of them, classrooms.