BELONGING TO REMAIN: IDENTITY AND LIFE PROJECTS IN RURAL EDUCATION

Abstract

This article stems from the dissertation "Education and Sustainability: The Importance for Adolescents and Youth in the Family Succession Process on Rural Properties" and is part of a study conducted in the Master's program in Sustainable Agribusiness at Uniderp (Uniderp), aiming to assess the value placed on knowledge by adolescents and youth from families on small rural properties as an impact factor on land succession and economic sustainability. The study was developed based on qualitative and quantitative research that sought to understand how this population interprets school dynamics, focusing primarily on the construction of meanings about the future, work, and belonging in rural settings. Two methodological techniques were used: Free Drawing, which enabled the spontaneous expression of feelings and worldviews, and the KSD (Kinetic School Drawings) technique, which identified elements to be maintained, modified, or improved in the rural context, according to the participants' perspectives. The results indicated that adolescents from rural families in the studied settlement demonstrate a strong appreciation for knowledge, but there is a feeling of isolation and lack of belonging within the school environment. However, the positive perception of teachers, who act as supportive figures, stands out. These factors influence prospects for continuing education, an essential condition for family succession on rural properties, by enabling young people to acquire technical knowledge about agroecological practices, resource management, and productive innovation, without breaking with their community roots when they study in schools that consider their own environment.