This article presents an analysis about teacher’s education possibilities regardingtheir professional context in elementary education. For this, a conceptual reviewabout relationship between education and community is explained. In this analysis,the educational processes’ characteristics from this perspective are highlighted, aswell as their implications. Subsequently, some guidelines about teacher’s education from this view are exposed and a systemic approach of education are presented taking into account educational factors inside and outside the school, as well as the teacher as an agent who learns permanently. / Este artículo presenta un análisis sobre las posibilidades de formar al profesorado de educación básica en relación con el contexto en el que desarrolla su labor profesional.Para ello, se parte de una revisión conceptual sobre el vínculo entre educación ycomunidad con la finalidad de explicar las características de los procesos formativosque se llevan a cabo desde una visión comunitaria, así como sus implicaciones. Apartir de este análisis se establecen algunas orientaciones sobre los aspectos a considerar en la formación del profesorado en este sentido, destacando una visión sistémica de la educación, dentro de la cual los factores escolares y los del entorno se relacionan, y en la que el profesor es un agente en continuo aprendizaje. / Este artigo apresenta uma análise sobre as possibilidades de formar professoresde educação básica relacionado com o contexto em que desenvolvem seu trabalhoprofissional. Para tanto se partirá de uma revisão conceitual sobre o vínculoentre a educação e a comunidade, com o objetivo de explicar as características dosprocessos formativos que desenvolvem dentro de uma visão comunitária, assimcomo suas implicações. A partir desta análise se estabelecem algumas orientaçõessobre os aspectos a serem considerados na formação do professorado, enfatizandouma visão sistêmica da educação, dentro da qual a escola e o meio ambiente estãointer-relacionados, e na qual o professor é um agente em contínua aprendizagem.

Submitted by Renata Lopes (renatasil82@gmail.com) on 2016-04-18T14:07:43Z No. of bitstreams: 1 catarinadearrudacortez.pdf: 1191116 bytes, checksum: 9e3ec18615ca6c12b876aad444026c64 (MD5) / Approved for entry into archive by Adriana Oliveira (adriana.oliveira@ufjf.edu.br) on 2016-04-24T03:11:53Z (GMT) No. of bitstreams: 1 catarinadearrudacortez.pdf: 1191116 bytes, checksum: 9e3ec18615ca6c12b876aad444026c64 (MD5) / Made available in DSpace on 2016-04-24T03:11:53Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 catarinadearrudacortez.pdf: 1191116 bytes, checksum: 9e3ec18615ca6c12b876aad444026c64 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2015-01-20 / Esta dissertação é caracterizada pelo estudo de caso realizado em duas escolas estaduais urbanas, no município de Querência – MT, com o objetivo de analisar as ações da equipe gestora, a partir de preceitos definidos na Lei de Gestão Democrática nº 7.040/98 do Estado de Mato Grosso. A pesquisa foi executada para responder a seguinte questão: de que maneira as ações da equipe gestora das duas escolas urbanas do município de Querência, embasadas nos princípios da gestão democrática participativa, podem ou não contribuir para a efetividade da educação escolar? Para responder a essa questão, foi feita a coleta de dados através de entrevistas semiestruturadas com membros do Conselho Deliberativo da Comunidade Escolar (CDCE), observação não participante e análise documental de registros das escolas. A análise dos dados constituiu-se em um conjunto de informações que, à luz das legislações vigentes e das concepções teóricas revisitadas em Paro, Lück e Machado, apontaram avanços e desafios para a efetividade da gestão democrática participativa nas escolas. No Capítulo I, são apresentadas a estrutura organizacional da Secretaria de Estado de Educação do Mato Grosso (SEDUC/MT) e das escolas, bem como dados que as caracterizam, inclusive os das aprendizagens dos alunos. O Capítulo II traz a fundamentação teórica que subsidia o modelo de gestão escolar democrática e participativa. O Capítulo III apresenta um Plano de Ação Educacional voltado para a consolidação de práticas participativas na gestão das escolas, com ação conjunta SEDUC a fim de integrar colaborativamente os atores educativos internos e externos do Órgão Central e Escolas e desta com a comunidade escolar. A efetividade da gestão democrática participativa contribui significativamente para a melhoria da qualidade da educação, sendo esta o resultado de uma escola considerada eficaz. / This work is characterized by case study in two urban public schools in the municipality of Querencia-MT, in order to analyze the actions of the management team, from precepts defined in the Democratic Management Law No. 7,040 / 98 of the State of Mato Grosso. The research was performed to answer the following question: how the actions of the management team of two urban schools in the municipality of Querencia, based in the principles of participatory democratic management, may or may not contribute to the effectiveness of school education? To answer this question was asked to collect data through semi-structured interviews with members of the Board of the School Community (DCEC), non-participant observation and document analysis of records of the schools. The data analysis consisted of a set of information that the light of current laws and theoretical concepts revisited in Paro, Lück and Machado, showed progress and challenges to the effectiveness of participatory democratic management in schools. In Chapter I, are presented the organizational structure of SEDUC and schools, as well as data that characterize them, including student learning. Chapter II provides the theoretical foundation that gives subsidize the model of democratic and participatory school management. Chapter III presents an Educational Action Plan aimed at the consolidation of participatory practices in the management of schools, with joint action SEDUC in order to integrate collaboratively internal and external educational actors in the Central and Schools Authority and this with the school community. The effectiveness of participatory democratic management contributes significantly to improving the quality of education, which is the result of a considered effective school.

The purpose of this purposive qualitative study was to examine the perceptions of school community relationships of preschool parents, preschool teachers, and elementary administrators. In this purposive study, participants were chosen based on predetermined characteristics (Shenton, 2004). Parents from varying levels of academic and socioeconomic backgrounds, as well as their level of parental involvement, were included in this study to eliminate bias. The following themes emerged through coding and transcribing data: the family aspect at school; positive perception of principals; positive perception of teachers; open lines of communication between home and school; opportunities for parent involvement; the expectation of parent involvement; support school community relationships; promote a positive school climate; encourage open lines of communication; and provide activities for parent involvement. This qualitative study also looked at factors that facilitated and inhibited relationships. Factors that emerged in facilitating relationships were good communication, appreciation for involvement opportunities, one-to-one parent teacher meetings, being open to parents, and establishing positive relationships. Factors that may inhibit relationships were socioeconomic barriers and communication and transportation issues.

Against the background of various socio-economic barriers in many South African school-community contexts, I compared how teachers in four schools implemented an asset-based intervention aimed at school-based psychosocial support. The working assumption was that teachers could act as protective resources in implementing the asset-based approach (following their participation in STAR1) to promote psychosocial support in their school-community contexts. The four schools were conveniently selected as information-rich cases to participate in the research study. The four cases comprised one informal settlement primary school in the Eastern Cape, two urban primary schools in Gauteng and one rural secondary school in Mpumalanga. Purposeful sampling was used to select ten participating teachers (n=40) in each school. Methodologically, the study followed a qualitative paradigm and a comparative case study design, implementing participatory rural appraisal (PRA) principles. The asset-based approach was used as theoretical framework. Multiple data gathering (focus groups, observation and intervention artefacts) and documentation procedures (verbatim transcripts, field notes, research journal and visual data) were implemented over a period of three years. Following constructivist grounded theory analysis, three main themes emerged: teachers using an asset-based approach for psychosocial support; teachers addressing barriers resourcefully; and teachers’ demonstrated asset-based competencies. The findings of the current study confirm that schools as part of unique systems are interrelated in terms of networks that mobilise assets, irrespective of the context. Teachers experience and prioritise a) socio-economic barriers (HIV/AIDS, financial constraints due to poverty and unemployment, and child abuse) and b) stressors of teaching (workload and related time constraints, attrition of group members, low levels of parent involvement, as well as context-specific factors). Teachers’ identification of barriers is determined by school contexts. Across school contexts teachers identified a) internal assets in their classrooms, the school context and in their communities together with b) community resources (physical resources, natural and environmental resources, community organisations and institutions). In psychosocial support, teachers mobilised identified assets and resources to ameliorate the impact of barriers. Teachers therefore promoted resilience by means of psychosocial support. The characteristics of school-based psychosocial support include identifying assets, prioritising barriers, mobilising assets to ameliorate the presence of barriers and establishing systemic networks and partnerships. When providing psychosocial support, teachers demonstrated asset-based competencies (positive identity formation, group effectiveness skills and management skills) signified as internal protective resources. By dynamically engaging in the challenges of their school-community contexts, teachers demonstrated self-determination (Deci&Ryan, 1985, 2002; Ryan&Deci, 2000, 2002) In the process, teachers displayed and actualised asset-based competencies, which in turn fulfilled the underlying psychological needs of competence, relatedness and autonomy. When they implemented the asset-based approach, it seemed to enhance teachers’ sense of coherence (Antonovsky, 1987) as they viewed the existence of barriers as being comprehensible, manageable and meaningful. Teachers were able to address barriers at an intrapersonal and interpersonal level as well as by deploying management skills. The three levels on which teachers addressed barriers correlate with their asset-based competencies. Their asset-based competency of positive identity formation was utilised to address barriers on an intrapersonal level; their group effectiveness skills addressed barriers on an interpersonal level and their management skills were deployed to address barriers on a level of administrating barriers efficiently. The study provides empirical evidence to broaden the current knowledge bases of the asset-based approach, resilience and school-based psychosocial support. The study contributes to the existing knowledge base of the asset-based approach by firstly highlighting social capital in school-community contexts as potential outcome of the implementation of the asset-based approach. Secondly, the study introduces asset-based competencies, as well as the dynamic relationship between these competencies and fundamental psychological needs (competence, relatedness and autonomy) as signified in self-determination theory (Deci&Ryan, 1985, 2002; Ryan&Deci, 2000, 2002). Lastly, the study conjectures the interconnectedness between the asset-based approach and a sense of coherence, in the sense that implementation of the asset-based approach could result in enhanced eustress (Simmons&Nelson, 2005) and sense of coherence (Antonovsky, 1987, 1993) when faced with and addressing barriers. Within the context of the existing knowledge base of resilience in schools and school-based psychosocial support, the findings suggest that resilience in schools could be promoted by teacher-driven psychosocial support initiatives. Firstly, the study signifies greater insight in teachers’ perspective on the potential assets and resources available in school-community contexts that could be mobilised for psychosocial support and the promotion of resilience. Secondly, the findings suggest empirical evidence that teachers (in a school context) can mobilise resources so that schools may serve as protective resources to promote resilience through school-based psychosocial support. Thirdly, the study contributes to new insight in possible barriers that teachers could encounter on a daily basis as well as the sort of psychosocial support that could be expected from similar school-based interventions. Lastly, the study provides insight into potential ways in which teachers can address barriers on an intrapersonal and interpersonal level and by deploying management skills. / Thesis (PhD)--University of Pretoria, 2011. / Educational Psychology / unrestricted

The purpose of this study was to explore and describe teachers’ implementation of asset-based psychosocial support in a school community to promote resilience in vulnerable children and families (particularly within the context of HIV/AIDS). The study formed part of the broader STAR-pilot project. The primary assumption with which I approached the study was that teachers are able to provide asset-based psychosocial support focusing on social, emotional, health and educational needs of vulnerable children and families. An interpretivist paradigm was used to describe the asset-based psychosocial support implemented. I selected a case study design with eight participants (teachers) who were conveniently and purposefully selected due to their involvement in the STAR-pilot project. I co-facilitated a PRA-directed workshop with the teachers. Data was collected by means of a PRA-directed workshop, observations, visual data (photographs) and field notes. I followed a thematic content analysis of data to interpret emerging themes and sub-themes. Psychosocial support interventions were focused on addressing basic physiological needs, social support and emotional needs. Findings revealed that implementation of asset-based psychosocial support within a school community, promoted the resilience of vulnerable children and families. / Dissertation (MEd)--University of Pretoria, 2010. / Educational Psychology / unrestricted

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Made available in DSpace on 2016-04-26T18:17:56Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 Aglae Cecilia Toledo Porto Alves.pdf: 2330664 bytes, checksum: 12b60889f8e7950ad177e663aba147ea (MD5) Previous issue date: 2009-04-30 / The aim of this thesis is to find out whether it is possible to undertake an innovative pedagogical project in the state public schools of São Paulo by putting the local culture in the global limelight by means of the educational portal ¨Educarede¨, particularly, in the virtual community called The benefits for and from my land¨. By adopting a new perspective, four categories can be defined that comprise the focal point of this study: the State, local and global culture, the school community and the group environments. The contemporary state is pervaded with a degree of complexity and fragility that has allowed anew kind of organisation to emerge. This is reflected in the public/private partnerships which currently influence the spheres that have traditionally been regarded as lying within the sole competence of the public sectors, or rather the State. The local and global cultures have merged into a new hybrid form in response to the economic, social and political model through which its influence is felt. This has given rise to the birth of a wide range of existing forms which are closely interlinked with each other, as well as with other forms, apparent realities and the technological apparatus produced by humans themselves, (which has ushered in cyber culture). This study examines the benefits derived by the school community from being responsible for planning, carrying out and evaluating its own projects. This means that it is the school itself that must be shaped to become the place where ¨extraordinary¨ events can take place, as well as a privileged space which is able to arouse a process of reflection and broaden one s awareness of the world. The possibility of forming virtual group environments is referred to as a way of allowing the spread, production and reproduction of cultural expression to occur in the most diverse languages. This increases the strength of the will to exist and brings about a sense of belonging and having group responsibilities in shared space. Finally, the envisaged project allows others to have the chance to experience the growing fascination of finding cracks in the ¨ordinary¨ while sensing the emergence of the ¨extraordinary¨ and thus enable one to enter a new world: from its constitution to an exceptional state / A presente tese tem por objetivo verificar se, ao se propiciar visibilidade global à cultura local, ao que é considerado genuíno nos inúmeros municípios do estado de São Paulo, por meio do portal educativo EducaRede, particularmente na comunidade virtual As coisas boas da/para a minha terra , desencadeia-se um fazer pedagógico inovador nas escolas públicas estaduais paulistas. A partir de um olhar diferenciado, definem-se quatro categorias que serão o foco deste estudo: o Estado, a cultura local e global, a comunidade escolar e os ambientes colaborativos. O Estado contemporâneo se imbuiu de um nível de complexidade e fragilidade que propiciou o surgimento de uma nova organização que se reflete nas parcerias público-privadas que influenciam, na atualidade, esferas tradicionalmente consideradas de competência exclusiva do setor público, ou seja, do Estado. As culturas local e global se hibridizaram de forma peculiar, em atendimento ao modelo econômico, social e político que se impôs, fomentando o nascedouro da diversidade de formas de existir, de se relacionar consigo, com o outro, com as supostas realidades e com o aparato tecnológico criado pelo próprio humano, inaugurando a cibercultura. O trabalho discute os benefícios obtidos pela comunidade escolar ao se responsabilizar pela elaboração, execução e avaliação de seus próprios projetos, passando a escola a se configurar como local de manifestação do extraordinário, como um espaço privilegiado capaz de desencadear processos reflexivos e de ampliação da percepção do mundo. Aponta para a possibilidade de os ambientes colaborativos virtuais potencializarem a divulgação, a produção e a reprodução das manifestações culturais nas mais diversas linguagens, aumentando a potência da vontade de existir, a gerar um sentimento de pertencimento e de corresponsabilidade pelo espaço partilhado. Enfim, o projeto visa propiciar ao outro a oportunidade de vivenciar o deslumbramento advindo de fraturas no ordinário, suscitar o surgimento do extraordinário e instigar o ingresso a um novo mundo: à composição ao exorbitante

Dans le contexte actuel de l’éducation, l’enfant est davantage placé au cœur des relations entre la famille, l’école et la communauté, et les parents sont invités à accompagner leur enfant tout au long de son parcours scolaire. Quant aux enseignants, ils sont conviés à collaborer de façon systématique avec les familles. La collaboration entre les enseignants et les parents devient donc une condition essentielle à la réussite scolaire des élèves, notamment avec ceux qui éprouvent des difficultés d’apprentissage. Actuellement, dans nos écoles, la collaboration se situe principalement au niveau des communications obligatoires de base prescrites par le Régime pédagogique. En ce sens, Kalubi et Lesieux (2006) soulignent que le partenariat tant souhaité dans les documents officiels des ministères concernés ne transparaît pas toujours dans les pratiques quotidiennes. D’ailleurs, la littérature scientifique montre qu’il existe de nombreux obstacles liés à la collaboration école-famille-communauté, tout particulièrement lorsqu’il s’agit d’entretenir des relations harmonieuses avec les parents d’élèves à risque. À cet égard, une plus grande participation parentale est sollicitée en vue d’intensifier la collaboration entre l’école et la famille. Effectivement, les enseignants désirent que les parents s’impliquent davantage auprès de leur enfant dans les travaux et les devoirs à la maison et, du côté des parents, ils se demandent souvent comment agir pour aider encore mieux leurs enfants dans leur apprentissage (Gouvernement du Québec, 2000). Le plan d’intervention est un outil reconnu par les milieux scolaires pour aider l’élève à risque dans son cheminement scolaire puisqu’il sollicite la participation des parents et encourage la collaboration école-famille-communauté. De fait, il s’inscrit dans une démarche dynamique et prend appui sur une vision systémique de la situation de l’élève, ce qui permet de mieux identifier les besoins de l’élève à risque et d’y répondre adéquatement (Gouvernement du Québec, 2004). En prolongement à ce que l’on connaît déjà sur la participation parentale et la collaboration école-famille-communauté, nous orientons cette recherche sur les perceptions et les attentes d’enseignants au primaire en classe ordinaire et de parents d’élèves à risque à l’égard de la participation parentale et de la collaboration école-famille dans le cadre de l’élaboration et du suivi du plan d’intervention. Cette étude emprunte une approche de recherche qualitative de type exploratoire et elle est menée auprès de huit enseignants au primaire et de sept parents d’élèves à risque. Les participants ont délibérément été choisis pour leur représentativité par rapport à l’objet d’étude (Mongeau, 2009). Une procédure d’échantillonnage par volontariat a été appliquée et les données ont été recueillies par le biais d’entrevues semi-dirigées. L’analyse des entrevues révèle que les parents participent au plan d’intervention parce qu’ils veulent soutenir et aider leur enfant dans leur cheminement scolaire. Il existe cependant de multiples façons pour les parents de participer à la réussite scolaire de leur enfant, celles-ci variant particulièrement selon leurs intérêts, leurs compétences et leurs disponibilités. En ce qui concerne les enseignants, les entrevues nous dévoilent qu’ils ont globalement des perceptions positives à l’égard des parents, ce qui favorise grandement l’établissement de relations harmonieuses. Par contre, ils s’attendent à une plus grande participation parentale dans le suivi scolaire de l’enfant à la maison. Tant d’un côté que de l’autre, les résultats indiquent qu’il faut favoriser davantage la participation des parents à l’élaboration et au suivi du plan d’intervention de l’élève à risque. Idéalement, les enseignants et les parents devraient s’enrichir mutuellement de leurs ressources et de leurs expertises complémentaires en créant des relations collaboratives plutôt que hiérarchiques. Ce niveau de collaboration est sans aucun doute celui qui favoriserait avantageusement la réussite scolaire des élèves à risque. / In today’s education context, the student is placed in the center of the relations between the family, the school and the community. Parents are invited to help their children all along their schooling and teachers are asked to systematically collaborate with families. The collaboration between teachers and parents is therefore an essential condition of the student achievement and it is even more important for students with learning disabilities. Currently in our schools, the collaboration is being mainly maintained at the obligatory basic communications level which is prescribed by the Pedagogic System. Kalubi and Lesieux (2006) indicate that the so desired partnership in official documentation from concerned ministries does not transpire in day to day school practices. Furthermore, scientific literature as shown that there are obstacles to family-school-community partnership especially in regards to keeping harmonious relations with parents of special needs students. Furthermore, even greater parent participation is sought in order to intensify the collaboration between the school and the family. Teachers wish for parents to get more involved with their children in order to accompany them in their school projects and homework. Parents are often asking themselves how to act in order to help even more their children in their homework and learning activities (Government of Quebec, 2000). The individualized education plan is a tool recognized by schooling communities to help the special needs student in their learning activities as it involves parent participation and promotes the family-school-community partnership. The individualized education plan is at the core of a dynamic plan of action which is based on a systemic vision of the student situation in order to better identify the specific needs of the special needs student and to respond to these adequately (Government of Quebec, 2004). In the continuation of what we already know about parent participation and family-school-community partnership, this research is about both perceptions and expectations of teachers and parents of special needs students in elementary school in regards to parent participation and family-school-community partnership in the preparation and follow-up of the individualized education plan. This study is using a qualitative approach of the exploration type with eight teachers in elementary school and seven parents of special needs students. These participants were deliberately chosen for their representativeness in regards to the study (Mongeau, 2009). A process of voluntary sampling was put in place and the data was collected via semi-directed interviews. Data analysis extracted from these voluntary interviews reveals that parent participate in the individualized education plan because they want to help and support and their child in their learning activities. It appears that there are many different ways and levels of engagement for parents to participate in their child’s student achievement. These different ways and level of engagement varies depending on parent’s interests, skills and availability. In regards to teachers, the data extracted from their interviews shows that they have a global positive perception in regards to parents which greatly helps to establish harmonious relationships between them. On the other hand, teachers are expecting greater involvement of parents in their child learning activities at home. On both teacher and parent side, results indicate that parent participation must be facilitated in the preparation, execution and follow-up of the individualized education plan. Ideally teachers and parents should mutually benefit from each other resources and knowledge based on a collaborative relationship instead of a hierarchical one. Such collaborative relationship between teachers and parents would be, without a doubt, the best approach to help special needs students in their school success.

Collaboration between the parents, the schools and the community has a powerful influence on a child’s development, academically as well as behaviourally. Such partnerships benefit the students, the educators and the families alike. However, home, school and community partnerships are weak in Kenya’s Child Friendly Schools (CFSs) at primary school level, particularly in Kakamega County. This study, therefore, was designed to assess the effectiveness of family-school-community partnerships in these schools. A literature study of local and international sources regarding family-school-community partnerships and the CFS initiative in Kenya was done to frame the sequential mixed method inquiry used in this study and also to inform the design of the data-collecting tools. The study was done in two phases. Phase 1 constituted the quantitative component (a survey) and Phase 2 the qualitative component (interviews). In Phase 1 a sample of 361 primary school teachers in 34 schools were selected from a population of 8 964 teachers in 848 primary schools, distributed across the 12 districts in the county, by means of stratified random sampling. In Phase 2 thirteen parents, twelve Parent Teacher Association (PTA) chairpersons and ten District Quality Assurance and Standards Officers (DQASOs), as being information-rich informants, were purposively sampled for the interviews. The parent participants and the PTA chairpersons were nominated by the head teachers of the 34 schools indicated in the stratified random sample. A self-designed paper and pencil questionnaire was used to gauge the teachers’ views of home-school-community partnerships in the CFSs. The data were analysed and presented by means of descriptive statistics such as frequencies, percentages and mean. Similarly, the researcher made use of semi-structured individual interviews, guided by interview schedules, in interviewing selected parents, PTA chairpersons and DQASOs. The presentation of the relevant data was done in a narrative format substantiated by verbatim quotations. The findings indicated inadequacies in parenting skills, home-school communication, volunteering, home-learning, decision-making and collaboration with the community as the key areas of focus in this study. It was ascertained that the family-school-community partnerships in the county were largely ineffective. The findings could be used to improve practice involving these partnerships and implementing the CFS initiative with a view to attaining meaningful learning among the children. / Educational Foundations / D. Ed. (Comparative Education)

Made available in DSpace on 2016-06-02T19:39:35Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 5084.pdf: 907637 bytes, checksum: 5a23e7a7199662f6dc764dc43744f860 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2013-02-27 / The primary objective of this dissertation is to investigate the main factors that affect the participation of school counselors in public schools in São Carlos / SP. To this end, we opted for conducting empirical research in order to produce and analyze data capable of providing greater concreteness to the arguments. Thus, in order to determine the research tools and the universe to be studied, techniques for the gathering, samplings, and analysis of data, were selected. For the gathering of data, a questionnaire was applied to Community Education Managers and school counselors. In order to determine the sample, we opted to cover fifty school units ensuring that all segments represented in the School Board answer the questionnaire. And finally, our analyzes were grounded on studies by authors who discuss the democratic management of public schools as a means of extending citizenship and guaranteeing the right of participation. Our preliminary results indicate that, power relationships present in the in interpersonal relationships, is the main factor that hinders the participation of counselors, followed by bureaucratic aspects, described as a subcategory due to the fact that they are related to the fundamental category mentioned above. In contrast, engagement and knowledge in the field are presented in the research as factors that facilitate the participation of counselors. Thus, the results highlight the need to formulate strategies to minimize the negative factors and leverage them to promote the participation of counselors at the municipal level. / O objetivo principal da pesquisa de que trata esta dissertação foi identificar quais são os principais fatores que interferem positiva ou negativamente na participação dos membros do Conselho Escolar nas escolas públicas do município de São Carlos/ SP. Optamos por realizar uma pesquisa empírica, cujo instrumento básico de coleta de dados foi um questionário, aplicado aos Gestores Comunitários em Educação e aos Conselheiros Escolares, representantes de todos os segmentos que compõem o Conselho Escolar, de cinquenta escolas. As análises foram fundamentadas em autores que discutem a gestão democrática da escola pública como mecanismo de ampliação da cidadania e do direito à participação. Os resultados das análises indicaram as relações de poder como o principal fator que dificulta a participação dos conselheiros, com pouca variação de segmento para segmento. Em contrapartida, o engajamento e o conhecimento na área se apresentam na pesquisa como fatores que facilitam a participação dos conselheiros. Assim, os resultados evidenciam a necessidade de formulação de estratégias que minimizem o efeito das relações de poder e potencializem o acesso a informações, como forma de se ampliar a participação dos Conselheiros.