The PLAYING AS A FORM OF INTERVENTION AND HEALTH PROMOTION IN THE WORK WITH CHILD EDUCATORS

Abstract

Society still has a limited and poorly understood view of the educator's work, which contributes to their feeling unmotivated and undervalued. It is remarkable the growth of work-related illnesses in the context of early childhood education due to existing working conditions such as overcrowded day care centers, families who are absent the responsibility of childcare and do not recognize the work of the educator and so on. All these reasons linked to the subjectivity of each educator and their internal resources to find outlets for physical and emotional non-illness corroborate to trigger increasing levels of enxhaustion in the workplace. 

The participants were eight educators from the Vovó Chiquinha Municipal Children's Educational Center (CMEI), from the Patos de Minas City Hall. The meetings are held fortnightly within one hour. The project aimed to provide the opening and adequate space for educators to learn to deal with and mitigate stressors in the workplace, in a pleasurable - playful way and with the possibility of giving new meanings to professional practices. The methodology used was play as a strategy, intervention and health promotion at work for teachers of early childhood education. With the completion of the project, it enabled greater understanding and respect among the educators and improvements in interpersonal relationships and in the workplace.