Análise do meio escolar na perspetiva dos agentes educativos: características, dinâmicas e condutas

Abstract

The school has a fundamental role in the psychosocial development of young people, and is a privileged context for that development as well as for the prevention of various social phenomena. The professionals who work in this context, in turn, are key agents of fundamental changes. Therefore, they should be considered in assessing the most diverse needs and problems. The present study, using the questionnaire survey method, involved a sample of 302 educational agents, aged between 29 and 66 years (M=50,25; D.P.=8,16.), and the majority of the participants was women (72,8%). The results pointed to a favorable perception of the respondents regarding the characteristics of the surrounding physical environment, as well as the internal and external functioning ofthe school environment. Nonetheless, participants rated negatively the involvement of parents in initiatives promoted by school institutions; they also identified various students’problematic behavioral manifestations that should be considered (e.g., school absenteeism, widespread disrespect among students, aggression). The participants also identified some measures (e.g., increase human resources, greater rigor in the disciplinary system, promote policing, create multidisciplinary teams) that it is important to promote at school level. Finally, we discuss the practical and preventive implications of this work.