Learning of indigenous knowledge in school: Challenges for indigenous teacher training

Abstract

The “Indigenous Knowledge Action Project at the School - UFMT Network” is a political action aimed at indigenous school education in order to meet the specific rights of the people from Brazil. In Mato Grosso, it focuses on the continuing education of 115 teachers from 12 indigenous peoples, with a focus on literacy, literacy and numeracy, as well as the production of bilingual teaching material. Respect for their own learning processes, language and culture from an intercultural perspective is a right, and this paper examines this right within the context of the production of teaching materials with three peoples. The collaborative research referenced the indigenous pedagogies contained within the teaching material and the sociolinguistic policy that permeates the historical struggles of the original peoples. The data analysis emphasizes the complexity of political action aimed at school education that considers intercultural knowledge and practices and enables people to build their identities and worldviews as they also become literate in the world. It is concluded that strategies of solidary learning networks help indigenous communities face challenges and political obstacles, such as the withdrawal of rights and specific public policies that directly impact the indigenous peoples of Brazil.

Keywords

• saberes indígenas
• escola indígena
• línguas indígenas
• pedagogias indígenas