The First Geography Teachers Formed at USP (1934–1960)

Márcia Cristina de Oliveira Mello, Geyce Iris Goering Maia
(Universidade Estadual Paulista Júlio de Mesquita Filho (UNESP), Brazil)

Abstract: It is presented onwards the results on a research which is aimed at identifying the first geography teachers working at São Paulo schools from the decades 1930s to 1960s. It is a historical and bibliographic background research developed through identification, assembling, organization and analysis of documentary sources referring to aspects of the first secondary course of geography teachers, offered at the Philosophy, Sciences and Letters College. (PSLC) of University of São Paulo (USP) and its Education Institute. We will endeavor to reflect to what extent those people contributed to the constitution of the history of teacher education on Geography in Brazil. It stands out the figure of the female teacher and the contributions of Maria Conceição Vicente de Carvalho, graduated in 1938 and Amélia Americano Franco de Castro, in 1940. They were part of 68% of the graduated teachers. The teacher training on Geography presented at the PLSC of USP and its Education Institute brings characteristics of pedagogical theories and the geographers specific training, favoring an analysis of knowledge transmission and methodologies necessary to the teaching practice of that time.

Key words: geography teaching; training of geography teachers; didactics of geography