AS CONTRIBUIÇÕES DAS FUNDADORAS DO JARDIM DE INFÂNCIA TIA NASINHA PARA A EDUCAÇÃO INFANTIL DE CAXIAS - MA

Abstract

This research aims to analyze the contributions of female teachers to Early Childhood Education in Caxias-MA through the memories of the founders of Jardim de Infância Tia Nasinha, seeking to record their legacy in the educational historiography of Caxias and the state of Maranhão, by highlighting the relevance of these educators to local Early Childhood Education. By valuing their practices and professional paths, the study intends to broaden the understanding of the historical role of women in shaping the educational context of the region. To this end, the research seeks to investigate how these women became early childhood educators; identify the challenges faced by the founders in establishing and maintaining Escola e Jardim de Infância Tia Nasinha; and highlight the importance of the work carried out by female teachers in Early Childhood Education in CaxiasMA. The theoretical framework is grounded in works that discuss childhood education, gender, and memory, including authors such as Nora (1993), Kuhlmann Junior (1998), Bourdieu (1999), Le Goff (2013), Motta (2013), Nunes (2006), among others. The starting point of this study was the question regarding the absence of records about the contributions of the founding teachers Luzinete Pereira de Almeida, Raimunda Pereira de Almeida, and Flordelys Pereira de Almeida in the educational history of Caxias, underscoring the need to document their memories. The methodology combined bibliographic, documentary, and field research. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with individuals who had direct contact with the founders—former teachers, former students, friends, and family members—as well as informal conversations with kindergarten teachers in Caxias. The results of this study reveal the absence of the founders' stories in traditional historiography, while reaffirming the central role of their contributions to local educational development. By reconstructing their narratives, it became evident that the work of these women transcended the often-assigned charitable character of women’s teaching. It brought visibility to their resistance and to the historically silenced female figure. Thus, by deconstructing the marginalization of women's presence in educational history, this research reaffirms the need for new approaches that not only rescue but also value the experiences and legacies of these women.