Addressing Alcohol in the Context of Elementary Education: the Social Imaginary Reconstruction of Teachers

Abstract

Alcohol consumption is considered a global problem, principally affecting adolescents. In this context, the aims of this study were to identify the pedagogical strategies developed by elementary school teachers in the approach to alcohol with adolescents; To analyze the attitudes, beliefs, values and practices of the elementary school teachers in relation to alcohol; To discuss the repercussions of the attitudes, beliefs, values and practices of the teachers about alcohol in the dialogue with the students and in the implementation of the strategies referred to above. This was a qualitative study performed with 26 teachers of a Rio de Janeiro public school. The data were analyzed through thematic content analysis and grouped into 5 categories. It was concluded that social imaginary and attitudinal construction of the teachers directly interferes with the personal and professional practice and has repercussions in the quotidian life of the students. It was noted that the focus should not just be on the students, but on the relationship of the teachers with their pedagogic strategies. El abordaje del alcohol en el contexto de la enseñanza fundamental: la reconstrucción socio imaginaria de los docentes El consumo de alcohol es considerado un problema mundial, afectando principalmente a los adolescentes. En este contexto, se adoptaron como objetivos: identificar las estrategias pedagógicas desarrolladas por los profesores de la enseñanza fundamental en el abordaje sobre el alcohol junto a los adolescentes; analizar las actitudes, creencias, valores y prácticas de los profesores de la enseñanza fundamental en relación al alcohol; y, discutir las repercusiones de las actitudes, creencias, valores y prácticas de los profesores sobre alcohol en la interlocución con los alumnos y en la implementación de las estrategias seleccionadas. Se trata de estudio cualitativo realizado con 26 profesores de una escuela municipal de Rio de Janeiro. Los datos fueron tratados a través del análisis de contenido temático y agrupados en 5 categorías. Se concluye que la construcción socio-imaginaria y la actitud de los docentes interfieren directamente en la práctica personal y profesional repercutiendo en lo cotidiano de los alumnos. Se destaca que el enfoque no deben ser apenas los estudiantes, se debe también considerar la relación de los profesores con sus estrategias pedagógicas. IntroductionAlcohol use has been historically institutionalized. Theoretical frameworkThe theoretical framework of this study is based on the intersection of the concepts of beliefs, attitudes and values (5) with the concepts promoted by social psychology, especially in regard to behavior and social interaction, i.e. in the relationship between subjects and reality (6) . From this intersection of the theoretical framework, beliefs are considered as inferences made by the observer about states of basic expectations. The beliefs function predisposed to induce an attitude in response to an object, fact or situation (5) .From this, the attitude can be understood...