Estudos de gênero: o que a matemática tem a ver com isso?: reflexões sobre uma ação formativa com docentes que ensinam Matemática

Abstract

Even today, the mistaken notion that mathematics is a neutral science, free from social and political implications, persists, as if it were disconnected from cultural issues. However, this field is shaped by Eurocentric intentions that influence its teaching. This understanding leads mathematics to contribute to the (re)production of social norms that regulate bodies that do not fit the established standards. To encourage reflection among mathematics teachers on this matter, a formative action was carried out, culminating in the extension course “Gender Studies: What Does Mathematics Have to Do With It?”. In it we discussed mainly how mathematics teaching perpetuates the maintenance of the societal status quo, while also fostering connections between the fields of mathematics education and gender studies. Thus, this doctoral dissertation aims to identify how the extension course contributed to both initial and continuing education, as well as the practice, of mathematics teachers. The dissertation is structured in a multipaper format and consists of an introduction, four articles, and a conclusion, which offers a cross-sectional analysis of the articles. Each article is independent, yet together they enable the achievement of the research objective. The first article reflects on the need to design a mathematics teacher education program that considers intersectionality as a structuring axis. The second analyzes data collected during the course registration, identifying the profile of the interested participants. The third article examines discussions from one of the course’s forums, considering the possible stereotypes that mathematics may (re)produce concerning individuals who deviate from gender and sexual norms. Lastly, the fourth article looks at the impacts of the formative activities on the teaching and academic practices of those who completed the course, as well as on their personal lives. The results highlight the importance of fostering educational experiences that promote mathematics that dissent from imposed social norms. We must break away from the (re)production of discriminatory processes in our society, which are also reinforced by the current structure of mathematics teaching and knowledge production.