Active school in Brazil in the work of psychologist and educator Helena Antipoff

ABSTRACT

Aspects of the circulation and appropriation of New Education ideas and proposals are presented through the work done by the Russian-Brazilian psychologist and educator Helena Antipoff in teacher training courses offered at the Fazenda do Rosário Educational Complex, in Ibirité, Minas Gerais, Brazil. from 1948 to 1974. Former students’ testimonials were collected in diary notebooks filed at the Helena Antipoff Foundation, and interviews were conducted with former participants of the courses. It was found that the process of circulation and reception of scientific knowledge in education in this institution was based on New Education principles and on Active School methods, emphasizing the theory-practice relationship, decision making based on the observation of students and of the teaching situation, groupwork and self-government. This knowledge came from the experiences lived in Europe by the educator, and inspired the elaboration of original educational proposals adapted to the reality found in Brazil.

Keywords:
New School; Helena Antipoff; Psychology