PRACTICAL CLASSES: A FUNDAMENTAL RESOURCE TO PROMOTE KNOWLEDGE AND COMBAT POST-PANDEMIC EDUCATION FAILURES

Abstract

This paper presents an account of the pedagogical experience developed at ECITE Advogado Nobel Vita, Coremas/PB, focusing on the use of practical classes as a fundamental resource to promote knowledge and combat the challenges of post-pandemic education. Facing setbacks such as learning deficits, socioemotional issues, school abandonment, and evasion, the intervention proposes an active and investigative methodology. Actions included implementing practical Biology classes covering topics such as Cytology, Human and Comparative Anatomy, and Genetics, with diverse activities like microscopy, cell division simulations, and manipulation of bovine organs for anatomical studies. The initiative aimed to strengthen scientific, critical, and creative thinking, articulating National Common Curricular Base (BNCC) competencies in Natural Sciences (EM13CNT202, EM13CNT301, EM13CNT302, EM13CNT304, EM13CNT308) with Portuguese Language descriptors (D6-D12, D14, D16, D18, D19, D23) and Mathematics descriptors (D15, D16, D27, D32, D33, D34). Results show that practical classes are perceived by students as engaging, contributing to the school's surpassing of its Basic Education Development Index (IDEB) target for 2021 (4.2 achieved versus 3.8 projected), in addition to helping combat disinformation (fake news) and fostering youth protagonism. It is concluded that practical classes, when well-integrated into the curriculum, are effective tools for learning recovery and advancement, promoting quality and more engaging education in the post-pandemic context.