Problematizing knowledge of mathematical content of teaching in a political perspective

Abstract

Considering that the content knowledge of the teacher who teaches mathematics is politically established from his episteme and in a non-neutrality in the teaching activity, we analyze discussions of mathematical content, observing teachers discussing their practices. o do so, we made an appropriation of the idea of “problematized mathematics”, with the centrality of the epistemic discussion about pure mathematical content itself, the mathematical content as a teaching purpose and its effects. We point out ways on the possibility of politically discussing the teaching of mathematics from the tension about the naturalization of ready and pre-defined mathematical ideas, in the consideration of their production processes, inferring about possible social effects. Based on this theoretical discussion, we analyzed data produced by the immersion of the first author of this article in the school environment of teachers who teach mathematics in the early years of elementary school. Our analyzes indicate that processes of “denaturalization” of approaches, with discussions permeating the nature of the mathematical contents to be taught and problematizing the social contexts of the subjects, can reveal themselves as powers in the teaching professional development, because they are articulated with aspects that indicate: transforming the teaching practice itself; reaffirm that to teach mathematics there is specific knowledge; respect for local issues and productions; tensioning of conceptions about modus of mathematical production; and enable reflection on one's own way of living in the world.