Summary: This paper reports on research aimed at investigating (in 2003/2007) the ways in which Portuguese teachers are experiencing changes in the policy environment which have affected of their professionalism. As a curricular decision makers, use the Project to support the processes of teach and learn, and how the Curricular Project influences the organizational and professional development. Within an innovative context, where school is called upon to respond, based on Curriculum Projects, this study plays a role for the understanding and discussion of the changes of curriculum management practices in schools, and their impact to improve students learning. Objectives or purpose: The elements present in this paper a result of research carried out in Portugal in the last 4 years. Within the process of Curriculum Reorganization of the basic Education system it was introduced a new National Curriculum, oriented towards the development of competencies as well as the proposal for development of Curriculum Projects by the schools with the goal of adjusting it to each school and classroom. This process broug a vibrant discussion around concepts and how to turn national Education orientations into real practices. Perspective(s) or theoretical framework: Within the process of Curriculum Reorganization of the Basic Education system, where this dissertation is grounded, it was introduced a new National Curriculum, oriented towards the development of competencies as well as the proposal for development of Curriculum Projects by the schools with the goal of adjusting it to each school and classroom. This process brought a vibrant discussion around concepts and how to turn National educational orientations into real practices, regarding the cultural diversity existing in the educational communities. With the intend of knowing “from the inside” the conditions, meanings and processes of the construction of a Classroom Curriculum Project (CCP), within the ecological context of schools, it was used a qualitative and interpretative research methodology translated into two case studies, done in two basic education schools and particularly with two Classroom Councils from 6º and 8º grade in each school.

The methodology approach of these studies, with characteristics that are close to the collaborative, action research ones, emerged from data collected on an extended exploratory study which helped provide adequate guidelines for the subsequent steps. Valuing teacher’s experiences, which allowed a shared and reflective construction of knowledge between them and the researcher, we observed and interpreted how the CCP is done, what are the strengths and constraints teachers face in this process, how is the of the knowledge that it implies understood and which dynamics it unleashes within daily school life. The analysis of data lets us understanding and clarifying the problems and challenges that teachers face within the processes of developing a Project in schools which we did the study, allowing for establishing some cut-off points that emerged within the construction of Curriculum Project.

The case studies mirror, in a differentiated and unique way, dynamics inside and outside the Classroom Councils, levels and processes of involvement with the construction of the CCP and, yet, different perspectives about change. Identify the evidence of Educational Research for the Development of professional practices. Resuming, we think that this study had the purpose of understanding and clarifying the problems and challenges that teachers face within the processes of developing a CCP in the schools which we did the study, allowing for establishing some cut-off points that emerged within the construction of Curriculum Project. Among others, we would like to underline the ambiguities created by the tendency of a techno-bureaucrat understanding of the Curriculum Project, contrasting with a constructivist and autonomous conception that prevails in the official discourses and in the letter of written Projects.