Professional skills of high school mathematics Teachers Valued by a good school: the supremacy of the culture of performativity

Abstract

This article presents some results of research conducted in a school that had excellent results in the 2009 ENEM Exam (National Examination of High School Education). The main aims were to investigate and analyze what professional skills for mathematics teachers in high school are considered relevant for this institution. We also aimed to identify the influence of the culture of performativity in the work of these teachers. We interviewed the coordinator, supervisor and four high school teachers from the institution investigated. Our research showed that the most valued skills are directly influenced by the need to obtain good results in internal and external evaluations. The most valued skills were time management, keeping up to date with external evaluations and relating well to students. Another aspect we noticed about the management team was how the faculty aimed to ensure that their students were prepared for the most competitive entrance examinations in the country.

Mathematics Education; Mathematics Teacher Education; Professional Skills; Culture of Performativity; Large-Scale Evaluations