THE TRAINING EDUCATORS TO TEACH MATHEMATICS: ANALYSIS OF THE PPCS FOR BACHELOR'S DEGREES IN EDUCATION IN PERNAMBUCO

Abstract

By introducing algebra as a thematic unit starting in the early years of elementary school (EF), the National Common Core Curriculum (BNCC) has posed a new and significant challenge for initial teacher education. The present study aims to analyze the curriculum plans (PPCs) of Bachelor’s degree programs in Education offered by public higher education institutions in the state of Pernambuco, mapping the paths that initial teacher training has taken following the adoption of the BNCC, particularly with regard to the initial training of educators to teach Mathematics, specifically the development of Algebraic Thinking. Historically, the literature points to a weakness and superficiality in the mathematical training of educators, often focused excessively on “how to teach” at the expense of mastery of “what to teach.” This gap becomes even more critical with the demand for the early development of Algebraic Thinking, a form of reasoning that requires teachers to master concepts such as patterns, sequences, and equivalence relations. The research methodology, which was documentary and qualitative in nature, used the PPCs as the primary source of data. The results of the analysis revealed a promising outlook: although the theoretical framework points to a historical weakness in the mathematical training of educators, the PPCs examined demonstrate significant curricular evolution. This evolution is evident in the inclusion or elaboration of courses on the Fundamentals and Methodologies of Mathematics Education, which now explicitly address Algebra and Algebraic Thinking, focusing on topics such as patterns, sequences, equivalence relations, and an introduction to inductive-deductive reasoning. Finally, it is concluded that the initial training of teachers in Pernambuco shows a promising curricular evolution for the teaching of Algebraic Thinking, driven by the requirements of the BNCC.