WHEN THE TECHNOLOGICAL EDUCATIONAL GYMNASIUM (GET) BECOMES A LABORATORY: 71 46

THE OLITEF EXPERIENCE AND THE TEACHING OF ECONOMICS FOR THE 6TH GRADE

Abstract

This article examines the pedagogical experience developed by OLITEF with a 6th‑grade class at GET Vera Lúcia Chaves da Costa, located in Santa Cruz, Rio de Janeiro. The intervention aimed to promote financial education as a formative practice integrated into students’ daily lives, connecting basic economic concepts, socio‑emotional competencies, and critical reflection on consumption, value, and planning. Through thematic workshops, experiential activities, economic simulations, and discussion circles, the project enabled students to understand economics as a social, emotional, and cultural dimension, rather than merely a technical field. The results reveal cognitive gains, greater autonomy in decision‑making, the development of mathematical skills, and behavioral changes related to organization, care for materials, and conflict resolution. The experience also strengthened the relationship between school, family, and community, while encouraging teachers to incorporate financial education into the curriculum in a continuous and meaningful way. It is concluded that OLITEF’s work contributed to expanding youth protagonism, fostering innovative pedagogical practices, and promoting the formation of students who are more aware, critical, and capable of relating individual choices to the broader economic dynamics of their territory.