EARLY EDUCATORS' PERCEPTIONS ABOUT THE NEED FOR INITIAL AND CONTINUOUS TRAINING

Abstract

The aim of this paper is to present a research excerpt on the provision of initial and continuing education for early childhood educators in the South of Minas Gerais, highlighting results regarding the perception of active educators regarding their training needs. Considering that Early Childhood Education carries remnants of a historical context marked by assistance, in which educators were seen only as those who care and interact and, given that, given the legal and curricular prerogatives, it is necessary to think about the inseparability of care and education for effectiveness development and learning. This study brings theoretical discussions about expectations for Early Childhood Education, so that we can think about the promotion of education and care in its specificities, as well as data collected from education professionals working in day care centers and preschools in the city of Poços de Caldas – MG, through which we sought to analyze their expectations and needs in relation to initial and continuing education. Therefore, a qualitative research was carried out with the application of questionnaires and the collected data were interpreted by content analysis. As a result, it was identified that the expectations of working children's educators, regarding the training courses, correspond to the expectations for the stage highlighted in the legislation and curriculum guidelines, with play as a central part of the work with this stage.