O educador social em contexto escolar

: testemunho reflexivo

Abstract

This abstract refers to the Reflective Report written in of the Masters in Educational Science, specialization in Social Psychology of the Faculty of Education and Psychology of the Portuguese Catholic University (FEP- UCP), Porto. Its title is “The Social Educator in a School Context: a Reflexive Testimony “based on a critical analysis of our work experience. The incidence of this reflection is based upon the experience obtained at Paços de Ferreira Secondary School, on the work developed as Operational Assistant and Technical Assistant. We aim to link the acquired knowledge in academic training in Social Education with the knowledge and competences acquired through the experience of working in a school, enunciating its advantages and limitations. On the level of a conceptual and methodological approach, we resorted to the conceptual matrix of Social Pedagogy while Educational Science, which involves the social educative praxis in the pluralism of its dimensions. It is our goal to reflect on the experiences of the period in analysis, more specifically in the period between 2005 and 2012, based on the scientific area already referred, mainly because it is an area guided by values of human proximity which gives a significant number of reflection tools and critics that allow to establish the different ways of thinking the school space. In our career and doing a different activity from the one we initially had qualifications, in direct contact with students and other professionals, we could experience and acquire a significant knowledge. This knowledge, together with the initial qualifications and the will of working as a social educator, has given us a different performance in the work with students, teachers and the whole school community and also a differentiated interpellation which, by disturbing us, has taken to this reflective way. The report begins with a general introduction and its subsequent organization corresponds to two fundamental parts. On the first part, we have opted for an explanation of our analysis matrix in the sphere of Social Pedagogy and Social Education, considering its aspects in school context. On the second part, we have reported to an empirical look on our professional path till obtaining a degree on Social Education, focusing on the work developed in the school, which is the basis for our reflection. We have started by referring to the workplace and also the professional action. Throughout this professional path in a school and, although the formation / training in Social Education has never been neglected, a work on the tasks of a social educator has never been developed before. The will to do this job has always been there, though. This reality make us reflect and this feeling has led us to an agglomerate of interrogations about the possible ways of intervention of a social educator in the school context, always evoking what we do, with our guidance while a Social Educator. This report ends with some final considerations to what we consider to be the benefits of having Social Educators in schools. These professionals, may, in collaboration with teachers and integrating multidisciplinary teams, create and / or participate in projects in and with the school itself, in developing a complementary work to the one of the teacher’s. This intervention, mainly with those students who need a social educational support and with their corresponding families, to strengthen the bond between in school and the students’ family. They can act as mediators working with children, youngsters, with families and the community, developing projects that take into account the realities and needs , in the sense of making the community and school getting closer and building a school for everybody, in all aspects. As we have already referred, this work is the result of a reflection supported by the principles of Social Pedagogy and Social Education. It reflects the Social Educators’ anxieties who haven’t obtained their place in the school context although their competence is recognized and benefits to students, school and the local community as well.

Date of Award	2012
Original language	Portuguese
Awarding Institution	Universidade Católica Portuguesa
Supervisor	Isabel Baptista (Supervisor) & Fernanda Cachada (Supervisor)