Producing meanings from and with the school: Ivan Illich’s contributions to occupational therapy in the field of education

Abstract

This essay offers a reflection on the theoretical-methodological frameworks of occupational therapy in education, exploring its interface with social contexts and considering the regulations and parameters related to professional insertion and the practices established in this field. The theoretical-conceptual study on occupational therapy and education was enriched by readings on school institutions and by philosophical and sociological foundations of education, with the aim of ultimately contributing to the field. The results indicate that, although Ivan Illich’s social and pedagogical thought does not stand out as a theoretical-methodological framework in the field in the same way as Paulo Freire's, his historical dialogue with Freire on school, schooling, and social transformation remains relevant. Thus, an effort was made to understand to what extent Illich’s idea of the radical deschooling of society and his educational proposals could offer contributions to professional actions within the school context, considering informal education as a crucial dimension of everyday life, the exchange of knowledge and practices as an activity accessible to all, and advocating for formal education as a social right to be guaranteed for all, promoting a truly open, participatory, and socially transformative school.