Critical Mathematics Education (CME): Mathematics Teacher Education Graduates’ Perspectives on Initial Teacher Training

Abstract

This article investigates the perspectives and understandings of Critical Mathematics Education (CME) held by graduates of a Mathematics Teacher Education program at a higher education institution located in the metropolitan region of Fortaleza, Ceará, Brazil. In light of the need for an educational approach that fosters the formation of citizens capable of interpreting and acting upon reality, CME emerges as a framework that positions Mathematics as a tool for social analysis and the exercise of citizenship. To this end, a bibliographic and documentary review on the investigated theme was conducted. Additionally, an investigation with characteristics of a case study was carried out through the application of a questionnaire via Google Forms to the program graduates. The results reveal a paradox: although participants do not demonstrate formalized knowledge of CME theory and even report not recalling having studied the topic, their pedagogical reflections and practical concerns show an intuitive alignment with the core principles of the approach. Issues such as contextualization, equity, criticism of the “banking model” of education, and the pursuit of a practice that integrates technical competence and humanistic values emerge in their statements, indicating a latent potential for critical awareness. It is therefore observed that a gap exists between the graduates’ critical sensitivity and a robust theoretical foundation, suggesting the need for greater integration of CME into teacher education curricula in order to transform this sensitivity into an emancipatory and conscious teaching praxis.