CHILD “INSIDE AND OUTSIDE THE BOX”: PEDAGOGICAL PRACTICES IN THE RETURN TO EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION

Abstract

This article analyzes the initiatives of Early Childhood Education teachers and Municipal Centers for Early Childhood Education (CMEIs) during the return to in-person pedagogical practices after the remote teaching period caused by the Covid-19 pandemic. This qualitative research involved semi-structured interviews with eight teachers from the Municipal Education Network of Araucária (PR). Data analysis was based on Bardin (2016) and supported by the Atlas.ti software. The results reveal that teachers restructured their practices, redefined their planning, and strengthened their listening and attention to children, prioritizing the learning rights established in the BNCC. The main challenges included gaps in children's orality, socialization, motor development, and autonomy. In response, educators adopted strategies such as storytelling with active participation, group conversations, play-based activities, spatial reorganization, and the use of digital technologies. It is concluded that the return to in-person teaching demanded sensitivity, creativity, and intentionality from teachers, highlighting the importance of active listening, ongoing professional development, and child-centered planning for a more humane and responsive Early Childhood Education.