A GEOGRAFIA ESCOLAR E O CONHECIMENTO GEOGRÁFICO NO CONTEXTO DOS PARÂMETROS CURRICULARES NACIONAIS (PCNS)

The object of study is Brazilian school geography and geographical knowledge, analyzing its approach in the National Curriculum Parameters (PCNs). The PCNs emerged at the end of the last century as a response to the need for a single curriculum for the whole country, aiming to promote public educational policies throughout the national territory. The objective of this study is to evaluate the approach to geography in the PCNs, considering advances and setbacks. The concepts of landscape, place, territory and region are resumed, but there is a lack of consistent articulation of these concepts with the general objectives and methodological procedures. In addition, the economic approach receives little emphasis, and geopolitics is practically absent in the PCNs. The methodology used for this analysis consists of examining the PCNs guidelines in relation to school geography, identifying gaps, inconsistencies and progress from the perspective of two authors: Maria Encarnação Beltrão Sposito (1999) and Nídia Nacib Pontuschka (1999). The broader context of Brazilian educational policy is also considered, including the decentralization of guidelines, regional disparities and demands for quality education. The conclusion of this study reveals that the PCNs present advances and setbacks in the approach to geography for elementary school. Although there is a resumption of important concepts, such as landscape and place, the lack of consistent articulation and the absence of relevant themes, such as geopolitics, compromise the effectiveness of the guidelines. In addition, the importance of cross-cutting themes in the PCNs is highlighted, which address social, environmental, ethical and cultural issues in an integrated and cross-curricular manner