A EJA pelo olhar de estudantes idosos: as motivações para estudar nessa fase da vida

Abstract

The article discusses the relationship of elderly students with Youth and Adult Education (YAE). The text presents data on the subjects’ expectations regarding education, highlighting the differences noticed by them in relation to the methodologies and attitudes of educators compared to those of teachers from past periods of their lives. This is part of the results of a master’s research which had the Youth and Adult Elementary Education Project–2nd Segment (PROEF-2) of the Federal University of Minas Gerais (UFMG) as its research field. This is a qualitative research and was carried out with semi-structured interviews and document analysis as instruments for collecting information. The interviews were conducted with seven elderly people, four women and three men, aged between 60 and 81 years. The results indicate that elderly students in YAE expand and modify their views on school and education as their expectations are fulfilled. The research demonstrates that the elderly perceive YAE as a place to fulfill their dreams and that the affection in the relationship between teachers and students strengthens their bonds and eases the permanence of students in school as well as their learning process. The research findings also contribute to thinking about the training of the YAE educator