Historical Influences and Legal Frameworks in the Constitution of the Teaching Profession:

Mathematics Teacher Training in Brazil and South Korea

Abstract

Teacher training is a central research topic in the field of education, especially since the 1990s, in countries like Brazil, which faces constant challenges in its educational systems given the diversity of its population. In an increasingly globalized world, specific competencies are demanded when it comes to working in the teaching profession. Initial and continuing teacher training becomes a field of dispute over educational projects and societal perspectives, reflecting the values ​​and priorities of each nation. Based on this premise, the objective was to analyze the constitution of mathematics teacher training in Brazil and South Korea from the perspective of historical influences, legal frameworks, and educational policies. A qualitative approach was adopted, with bibliographic research and document analysis, guided by the assumptions of comparative education. The results indicate that South Korea prioritizes a meritocratic system, with rigorous selection processes, high social and salary valuation, strongly influenced by its post-war economic development and Confucian ethics. Brazil presents a diverse system, with significant legislative advances, but still faces challenges in the quality of training offered by undergraduate courses and in the professional development of teachers. It is concluded that dialogue between experiences can foster the construction of more effective training models, suggesting for Brazil more robust policies for teacher selection and professional development; for South Korea, it is recommended that reflection be done on teacher well-being and the limitations of excessively competitive evaluation systems.