**4. The constraints on and potentials of projects in the school**

The principal constraint, mentioned both by the Vice‐principal for teaching and by the teachers, was the time allotted by the school for planning projects, as can be observed in the following extract: "[…] we should have more time for discussion" (IT14). This time could be apportioned during the school's teachers' meetings, since this is an activity that goes beyond the teachers' normal classroom activity. The same constraint was also identified by the Principal.

*[…] the obstacles to them having more time to plan are administrative, teachers should nowadays have "teacher's time" and be paid for it, teachers do it on their own time, just like they grade tests, they do it as part of their jobs, but if we look at it properly, it would be more time for planning than, including paid time, perhaps more meetings. (IPrin)*

Another constraint, highlighted by the Vice‐principal, is related to teachers who also work for other educational institutions: "[…] also considering the teachers' working hours, considering their involvement, sometimes, with more than one institution, well this caused some difficulties" (IVPT). This constraint, compounded by the lack of time, means that the teacher also needs to make more time available outside of the school.

*It's obvious that there are certain barriers to this approach, but it demands that the teachers make themselves available beyond their involvement with the school. It requires teachers to talk to their peers both inside and outside of the school environment. (IVPT)*

However, despite the existence of these constraints, it is clear, in what was said by the history teacher, for example, that: "[…] we integrate and I loved meeting up to plan and grade the projects and we grew together with others who have different points of view, because we also have to negotiate" (IT4). This situation of integration and discussion of the debate encourages reflection within the group that is already working with projects.

It should not be forgotten that there is turnover among the school's teaching staff, that is, new teachers are contracted who had not taken part in the discussions about the projects. Therefore, new teaching concepts should be expected and also that teachers will be contracted who do not have this understanding of what working with projects is or how it is done.

*Obviously, some people were not disposed, obviously they could not continue to work here because they were unable to work within this system. This is perfectly understandable, without detracting from, without considering that there is any lack of merit in these teachers' professional activity. They have to be respected, within their own concepts of education. (IVPT)*

In addition to the constraints reported above, issues related to paperwork and training also stand out in the interviews, such as, for example, personal issues, as illustrated in the following excerpt from the interview with the Portuguese language teacher: "I think that today the barriers are, on my part, overly optimistic expectations with relation to the presentation of projects; I always expect much more than the students produce" (IT13).

This constraint related to the expectations of a languages teacher was not observed in the transcripts from the humanities teacher. Here it is clear that when they are working with projects, the students tend to become more involved in the teamwork dynamic, which provides openings for exchange of ideas, which are sometimes different from the teacher's ideas.

*[…] when we do an integrated project, we automatically involve the students and the students integrate and the students get a feel for the school, they work within a different perspective in which evidently the subjects don't matter, but they do matter, you know? But there is a type of socialization, of knowledge between all of the teachers, and with the students, and it becomes clear that many things, for example, what it means to work in a team; I think that the students take this experience away with them, because they end up, respect for human beings, because they are discussed, they're not imposed, so I have to accept that, very often, it's not how I think, so it is an exercise in democracy. (IT14)*

As the Vice‐principal pointed out, when the theme is based on subjects that are more significant to the students, there is an observable increase in their involvement in the project.

*[…] the advantages are obvious, to the extent that the students were involved in executing these projects, and they became more relevant each time, as we managed to focus on subjects that were significant to the students, as well. So, to the extent that we improved or perfected these subjects, the students' involvement with this is huge, in relation to this. (IVPT)*

We can also see that the projects approach employed at the school enabled greater integration not only among the students but also between them and the teachers. This multiple integration is superior to pure memorization of curricula content with little meaning and depends upon a dialogue between different points of view. The result is an amplified view of the world and makes it possible to "[…] form a critical and creative person, at one with their times, who can collaborate in construction of a better society, you know? You see lots of all of this in the integrated projects, you see it in action, they have thousands of ideas" (IPrin). The teacher (IT13) confirms this:

*[…] they (the students) have a much richer view of the world, […] a completely different reality, including to me, because I was also unaware, so you realize that we live in a much larger world, with those we live with. (IT13)*

We can see, in the interviews with the management team and with the teachers, that they have a number of different conceptions with relation to the nature of the projects that are run at this school, their planning, and the possible ways of implementing them. Their expectations are primarily linked to issues with the time available for planning and discussion with groups of teachers and are associated with a lack of teachers' meetings at the school.

Therefore, analyzing the interviews with my interlocutors, I was able to identify the many constraints that could make use of projects impossible, and I was also able to reflect on other spaces in the school dynamic where it would be opportune to expand this discussion.
