Memories of lay teachers who worked in rural education in the region of Italian immigration in Rio Grande do Sul state, Brazil.

The article explores the memories of lay teachers who worked in Italian immigrant communities of Rio Grando do Dul state from 1930 to 1950. Topics include communities marked by immigration from the standpoint of teaching experiences, the leading role of the community in the creation of teacher identity, and the prominent place the teachers occupied in the Italian rural communities.