Considering the current concern to create on-the-job training programs for day care center educators, we have studied eight municipal day care centers in Botucatu, a town in São Paulo State. Our objective was getting to know educators' work and education conditions based on data that allow assessing the initial and continued education procedures applied to them, underlying concepts in their professional practice, their expectations about (the) on-the-job training programs, and the effective needs such programs must meet in view of the quality parameters set up for children education. From the results obtained, we have drawn a panorama and offered suggestions that may help formulate an initial and continued education proposal by drawing from some contributions of historical and cultural theories enriched by critical and recent reflections on the area, as opposed to proposals supported in official documents in force and publicized countrywide.
DAY NURSERIES; VOCATIONAL TRAINING; BOTUCATU-SP; PREPRIMARY TEACHERS