The article proposes a reflection on the conditions in which the cycles of formation were implemented in the municipal school network in Porto Alegre. In it we situate the relationships between society and school culture, we present the genesis of the concept of cycles, with reference to studies by Vygotsky and Wallon, we return to what we consider some viable unpublished proposals in Brazilian education, such as the integral primary school and popular education, in their interfaces with the cycles; and, in conclusion, we present some specific situations from Porto Alegre related to other proposals of contemporary cycles. The concept of school culture is the focus of analysis of the practices and indicates the transition from conservative school processes to more democratic processes.
cycles; popular participation; school culture