In 1996, the work “Pedagogy of Autonomy” was published, developed by Brazilian educator Paulo Freire to outline suggestions for pedagogical practices aimed at increasing students' autonomy. Since its launch, “Pedagogy of Autonomy” has been a reference for schools and organizations, especially those dedicated to social mobilization through education, such as Casa Arte Vida, a Rio unit founded by philanthropist Ana Carolina Affonso.Below are more details about the pedagogy of autonomy and the institutions that use it as a model of social education to train critical and autonomous students.
Photo: Ana Carolina Affonso “Pedagogy of Autonomy” by Paulo Freire Paulo Freire's book, published a year before his death, is divided into three major chapters: there is no teaching without learning, teaching is not the transmission of knowledge and teaching is a human characteristic. .
In each of them, the author focuses on the importance of considering the learning process as a construct and how education should include affective aspects, curiosity, criticality and freedom.
Forming critical and autonomous people In “Autonomy in Pedagogy” and similar works, Paulo Freire, in addition to highlighting the development of the student as an active learning agent, also discusses the importance of guaranteeing teacher training and development. It gives the teacher the tools to teach and helps the student develop a critical sense of the world.
“Autonomy is formed by experiencing countless decisions. […] Nobody matures suddenly, at 25 years old. We mature every day or not. The maturation of autonomy as a being for oneself is a process, it is a change. This will not happen on the scheduled date. It is in this sense that the pedagogy of autonomy must focus on experiences that encourage decision-making and responsibility, that is, experiences that respect freedom”, states the author.
Photo: Ana Carolina Affonso What is Casa Arte Vida by Ana Carolina Affonso Casa Arte Vida (CAV) is a non-profit organization founded by Ana Carolina Affonso that serves young people and families in the Pedra de Guaratiba region, in Rio de Janeiro . , using education to promote a socially and economically fair and sustainable future.
The Ana Carolina Affonso Social Project mobilizes the local community through low-cost, high-impact programs, promoting social development to form critical individuals committed to the community and society.
CAV uses the social education model of autonomy pedagogy and at the same time is inspired by the Escola da Ponte project in Portugal, which places students as protagonists in the learning process.
Ana Carolina Affonso Brazilian philanthropist, artist and lawyer Ana Carolina Borges Torrealba Affonso dedicates herself to painting tiles and ceramics.
In 2007, the artist created Casa Arte Vida to combine his passion for art with the desire to provide opportunities for vulnerable young people through education. Founded by Ana Carolina Affonso, the organization has since worked to democratize educational opportunities.
Photo: Ana Carolina Affonso Applications of the Social Education Model Educational institutions and organizations that aim to train critical and autonomous citizens can apply some of the suggestions from the pedagogy of autonomy both in curriculum planning and in classroom practice.
Two examples of institutions that seek education for autonomy are Escola da Ponte in Portugal and Casa Arte Vida in Brazil, founded by Ana Carolina Affonso.
Escola da Ponte An innovative educational initiative, Escola Básica da Ponte is located in the Porto region, in Portugal. With the aim of stimulating students' involvement and cooperation, the institution, together with educational counselors and families, promotes their participation and intentionality both in the learning process, in the planning of activities and in assessments.
In addition to reflecting the pedagogical ideas of Frenchman Célestin Freinet, Escola da Ponte follows the thinking presented by Paulo Freire, promoting responsible freedom, autonomy and solidarity, working on students' socio-emotional skills and abilities.
Casa Arte Vida With multidisciplinary activities for children and teenagers after school, Ana Carolina Affonso Casa Arte Vida is another example of an institution that is inspired by the pedagogy of autonomy.
To encourage the independence of the young people it serves, CAV implements programs aimed at different age groups and interests. These programs cover the arts, such as dance and fine arts, as well as technology, including robotics and mathematics. Furthermore, many CAV projects focus on themes such as entrepreneurship, versatility and research and development.
Just like Escola da Pontes, the families of children and young people served by CAV are directly involved in the learning process through the family promotion program. In this way, the non-profit institution promotes greater integration of the student into the community in which it operates.
Other methodologies adopted by the Casa Arte Vida Casa Arte Vida projects use methodologies in which students have an active role in learning, such as the STEAM methodology and the theory of multiple intelligences. These methodologies stimulate students' curiosity and inquiry, a topic frequently addressed by the author of Pedagogy of Autonomy.
“Fundamentally, the educator who respects the student’s reading of the world recognizes the historicity of knowledge, the historical character of curiosity, and precisely for this reason, rejecting scientific arrogance, acquires the critical humility inherent to a truly scientific position”, writes Paulo Freire . .
STEAM Methodology One of the pillars of the CAV learning process is the STEAM methodology (Science, Technology, Engineering, Art and Mathematics). Participants in CAV's STEAM projects experience scientific thinking through teacher-guided activities and games.
The teacher, similar to the practice at Escola da Ponte, assumes the role of mentor who assists participants in the process until the proposed problem is resolved. Learning is also shared among participants who learn from their mistakes and develop skills related to creativity, imagination, critical thinking and adaptability.
Theory of Multiple Intelligences CAV's alignment with the theory of multiple intelligences promotes inclusive education in the organization, enabling young people with different abilities to develop skills such as innovation, critical thinking and autonomy.
The activities and projects offered by CAV are interdisciplinary in nature and correspond to different types of intelligence, not just those traditionally developed at school, such as logical-mathematical and linguistic.
Photo: Ana Carolina Affonso Casa Arte Vida de Ana Carolina Affonso Impact Programs and initiatives based on the pedagogy of autonomy are based on CAV to enable social changes and improve the future of young people and children in Rio.
Since its founding in 2007, the organization has received awards and recognition as one of the best non-governmental organizations in Brazil for educating vulnerable young people and aligning the organization with the Millennium Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) of the United Nations (UN). ). ).