Cartography at Elementary School Level: Continuing Education of Teachers and Experiences in the Classroom - Maps for the Future Children Education and Internet - page 71

representation of the vehicles in profile (cars and motorcycle), indicating horizontal
or lateral vision as well as the representation of the houses in perspective, demon-
strate the confusion pointed out by authors Telmo (1986) and Almeida ( 2003 ). The
pupil's drawing is the only one that includes an allegorical drawing of the sun, sky
and clouds, embellishing the representation and functioning as a backdrop for the
image.
Analyzing the projects that were presented allows us to consider how, in the
same class with pupils of a similar age (between 9 and 10), representations of
the route from home to school can be presented in so many ways. The teacher
should be aware of these situations, which are routine in the classroom, and value
the way that each child tackles the task to prepare a sketch map, individually. The
way of understanding and exploring our living space varies from person to person,
according to their previous experiences. Referring back to Tardif ( 2010 ) mentioned
at the beginning of this article, the knowledge of individuals, whether they are
teachers or pupils, is directly linked to their identity and life experience.
Examples of sketch maps presented by children from Grade 4, show that the same
proposed activity can be tackled and done differently, depending on how the pupils
interpret the teacher's request, according to their cognitive development, their
experiences and relationships with each other and with the environment in which
they live. This diversity is repeated in many of the activities proposed in the training
course at CECEMCA and reflect the diversity of people and the creative ability of each
to face up to the daily challenges in the classroom, whether they are teachers or pupils.
Next we highlight a brief report by Aghata (classroom teacher), to which the
previously presented Figs. 5.2 and 5.3 were annexed. Upon selecting the drawings
presented and considering them “great results”, led us to believe that the diversity
of approaches taken by the pupils of the class to the proposal to prepare the sketch
map was understood. It is not possible, however, to gauge the teacher's level of
comprehension of the results achieved by their pupils in performing the activity
based on the record made.
This kind of situation occurred several times in the continuing education courses
offered by CECEMCA, indicating the teacher's difficulty to conduct an analysis of
the effectiveness of their own work in the classroom. Being aware of the value of
the material prepared by the pupils in question, allowed the teacher to select them to
present to the study group, although it was not possible for her to interpret and
analyze the results achieved from the practice in her record, leaving a gap between
what was achieved and understood and documented in the course and the practice in
the classroom.
5.8 Conclusions
The working environment of the continuing education courses at CECEMCA
through the establishment of study groups, allowed those who accepted the chal-
lenge of this experience to grow as professionals. The compiling of written reports