Abstract:
This research deals with the Evangelical-Lutheran principles of the Synodical Network of Education. Throughout the studies the quest was to identify how the guiding principles are present in these educational institutions based on the Lutheran confessionality. The methodology chosen was the use of a case study. For such, three institutions members of the Synodical Network of Education of different sizes, small, medium and large, were selected. These institutions are located in the Center Region which covers the valleys of the Taquari and the Rio Parto rivers. During the case study, the writings about the theme and the pedagogical projects of the three institutions divulged by the Synodical Network of Education were analyzed and the directors of these educational institutions were interviewed. The analysis of the data was carried out based on three pillars: identity, school management and the pedagogical project. One can perceive that the Evangelical-Lutheran principles originate from the ideas of Luther about education brought by the German immigrants during the 19th and 20th centuries in the southern region of Brazil. These principles guide a peculiar way of management based on the autonomy of the schools, on the decentralization of the processes and on community participation. Besides this, these institutions have a differentiated educational project which aims at quality and holistic formation of the subjects and is marked by complementary activities. However, one perceives that these institutions need to maintain their authority through their identity and their pedagogical project and not through a mercantile orientation. Finally, the study concludes that all the entities should be based on principles which should be instituted by the institution itself through the shared view of the people who are part of the vision.
