Teachers’ continuing education: similarities and dissimilarities among the teaching networks of Blumenau, Gaspar and Timbó

This paper analyzes similarities and dissimilarities of Elementary School teachers’ continuing education of three municipal networks in Santa Catarina: Blumenau, Gaspar and Timbó. It is a qualitative and field research, supported by Gatti (2008; 2013), Davis, Nunes and Almeida (2011), Nóvoa (2009) and Imbernón (2009). Interviews have been performed with the continuing education personnel of the Municipal Secretary of Education as well as the analysis of the following documents: municipal curricular proposals, statute and career paths, municipal and national education plans, in addition to the Guidelines Law and National Education Basis, among others. The content analysis technique was used as the analysis procedure. The similarities found were: formulation of the curricular proposals in partnership with the university; theory and practice relation of the continuing education; continuing education format and continuing education inserted in the municipal curricular proposal. Regarding the dissimilarities: partnership with the forming agency; forming processes performed in schools and application of a third for planning time. The analyzed teaching networks hold a historical path on continuing education and align with the current educational legislation. It is recommended to potentiate the teaching professionalization through valuation policies, particularly the teachers’ continuing education; as well as broaden the debate and the effective accomplishment of continuing education policies in Elementary School teaching networks.