The goal of this study is to identify the main guidelines adopted by some Brazilian states and counties in the offering of Programs of Continuous Education for Teachers (PCET). Data collection involved interviews with personnel from 19 municipal and state Boards of Education, from different regions of the country. The results showed that PCET are offered mainly to teachers who are working in the initial years of the basic schooling, system focusing primarily on the subject of Portuguese and Mathematic. Two main perspectives were adopted: the individual one, which seeks to solve the difficulties and impasses presented in the classroom; and, the collaborative approach, which focuses predominantly on activities that take place in schools, emphasizing cooperative work. Most of these Boards of Education found that more enduring and systematic modalities of PCET are more productive in promoting teachers' learning, eventually leading them to modify their pedagogical practices. There were also many difficulties in evaluating and monitoring the PCET results. The conclusions indicate that, at the moment, the Boards of Education have to make simultaneous use of modalities aimed at the teacher and at the school as well as to strengthen internal educational policies that are better articulated and more harmonious with other teaching policies. These seem to be the best alternatives to upgrade the knowledge and skills of teachers, helping them to develop themselves in their profession.
continuos education; teacher education; educacional polices
