Man and black teacher at kindergarten: notes and reflections from a beginner

Abstract

The present work is a continuity of individual
reflections in the theme of racial relations, black population and
gender/sexism articulated in the teacher practices in children education
as realized by a black teacher who, in his day by day work, discerned
how complex are the school social relations. From this point it comes
the itinerary for this investigation: to discuss gender and race in school
social relations; to point out some guidelines in an inquiry of gender/
man and race/black in an environment eminently feminine. The
methodology utilized is Oral History with the telling of two moments:
the coming to a new work at the first school and, in a second moment,
a pedagogic practice. The results indicate that relations of gender and
race present at Brazilian society are reflecting in school relations. These
relations are markedly racist and biased in femininity and common
sense, though silenced and hidden. They indicate also some challenge
and surmounting as facing the man black teacher as (1) a professional
as the woman teacher; (2) male/fatherly and “anti-sexist” figure, and
(3) social and ethnic references and gender diversity in those spaces.