School material culture and textbooks

Abstract

This article aims to place the textbook in the context of school material culture, highlighting its role in the constitution of this field of study. The school environment is made up of several elements that are fundamental both for those who spend only part of their day at school and for those who stay there for long periods, such as teachers. Classrooms, corridors, courtyards, desks, chairs, chalkboards and, of course, textbooks, all these elements contribute to the configuration of space and time at school. The textbook, in particular, plays a central role in this context, being an essential resource in the hands of teachers. Its use not only reflects aspects of academic and social culture, but also conveys and reinforces a wide range of moral, social and cultural values to children, helping to shape their understanding of the world and their role in society. Explores the relationship between the textbook and the emerging field of study of school material culture. It is noteworthy that, in recent decades, there has been a significant change in the perspective of the history of education in Brazil, thanks to the influence of cultural history and the new cultural history. The history of material culture offers an approach that focuses on the tangible, everyday elements of life, rescuing aspects often neglected in other historical approaches, such as demography and economics. This allows for a more complete and detailed view of everyday practices and experiences in the educational context. The history of material culture also promotes a change in historical perspective, by focusing on "everyday life" and what is produced and consumed by humanity. This is related to the work of archaeologists, who often do not have access to written sources and, therefore, depend on material evidence to reconstruct the past. This approach is not limited to prehistory, but can also be applied to more recent historical periods. The importance of school material culture in understanding the history of education in Brazil is significant, highlighting that textbooks and manuals play a significant role in this context. They not only reflect ideologies and political prescriptions, but also contribute to the formation of children's identities and the construction of school culture. Thus, the textbook can be seen as an object that carries valuable clues about the evolution of modes of knowledge and educational practices throughout history.