Brazilian educator Paulo Freire published the book “Autonomous Pedagogy” in 1996, proposing suggestions for teaching practices aimed at cultivating student autonomy. Since its creation, “Autonomous Pedagogy” has been a reference for schools and organizations, especially those dedicated to social mobilization through education, such as the one founded by philanthropist Ana Carolina Affonso, the Rio-based entity Casa Arte Vida.Here are more details about autonomous pedagogy and the institutions that use it as a social model of education to develop critical and autonomous students.
Photo: Ana Carolina Affonso Paulo Freire's Pedagogy of Autonomy Points from the book published a year before Paulo Freire's death There are three main chapters: there is no teaching without learning, teaching is not the transfer of knowledge and teaching is a human peculiarity.
In each article, the author highlights the importance of viewing the learning process as a construct and how education should encompass emotional aspects, curiosity, criticality and freedom.
Developing Critical and Autonomous People In addition to emphasizing the formation of students as active agents of learning, Paulo Freire in Autonomous Pedagogy and similar works discusses the importance of ensuring the training and development of teachers. This provides teachers with teaching tools and helps students develop a critical awareness of the world.
“Autonomy is built through the experience of countless decisions […] No one suddenly matures at 25 years old. We mature, or immature, every day. It does not happen on a pre-determined date. It is in this sense that autonomous pedagogy must focus on experiences that inspire decision-making and responsibility, that is, experiences that respect freedom”, believes the author.
Photo: Ana Carolina Affonso What is Casa Arte Vida Author: Ana Carolina Affonso Casa Arte Vida (CAV) is a non-profit agency founded by Ana Carolina Affonso that serves young people and families in the Pedra de Guaratiba region, in Rio de Janeiro. January, using education to promote a socially and economically fair and sustainable future.
Ana Carolina Alfonso's social projects mobilize local communities, promote social development and develop key individuals committed to their communities and society through low-cost, high-impact projects.
CAV adopts a socio-pedagogical model of autonomous pedagogy and is inspired by the Escola da Ponte project in Portugal, which places students as protagonists in the learning process.
About Ana Carolina Affonso Ana Carolina Borges Torrealba Affonso is a Brazilian philanthropist, artist and lawyer specializing in tile painting and ceramics.
In 2007, the artist founded Casa Arte Vida, combining her passion for art with the desire to give disadvantaged young people opportunities through education. Since then, the organization founded by Ana Carolina Affonso has worked to democratize access to education.
Photo: Ana Carolina Affonso Application of the socio-pedagogical model Educational institutions and organizations that aim to train critical and autonomous citizens can apply some of the recommendations of autonomous pedagogy in curriculum planning and classroom practice.
Two examples of institutions that apply autonomous teaching are Escola da Ponte in Portugal and Casa Arte Vida in Brazil, founded by Ana Carolina Affonso.
Escola da Ponte is an innovative educational initiative, Escola Básica da Ponte is located in the district of Porto, in Portugal. To inspire inclusion and cooperation among students, the institution encourages their participation and intention with educational advisors and families, whether in the learning process, planning activities or assessments.
In addition to reflecting the pedagogical philosophy of Frenchman Célestin Freinet, Escola da Ponte also follows the ideas proposed by Paulo Freire, promoting responsible freedom, autonomy and solidarity, and working on the development of students' socio-emotional skills and abilities.
Casa Arte Vida Offering multidisciplinary extracurricular activities for children and teenagers, Casa Arte Vida, designed by Ana Carolina Affonso, is another example of an institution inspired by autonomous pedagogy.
To encourage the independence of the young people it serves, CAV implements programs aimed at different age groups and interests. These courses cover artistic areas, such as dance and fine arts, as well as technical areas, including robotics and mathematics. Additionally, many of CAV's programs focus on topics such as entrepreneurship, multi-skills development, and research and development.
Just like Escola da Ponte, the families of children and adolescents served by CAV are directly involved in the learning process through family facilitation programs. In this way, non-profit organizations can promote better integration of students into their communities.
Other methodologies used in the Casa Arte Vida project The Casa Arte Vida project uses methodologies that allow students to play an active role in learning, such as the STEAM methodology and the theory of multiple intelligences. These methods stimulate students' curiosity and inquiry, a topic frequently discussed by authors of Pedagogy of Autonomy.
“Essentially, educators who respect students’ interpretations of the world recognize the historicity of knowledge and the historical character of curiosity and, as such, reject the arrogance of science and adopt the critical humility that characterizes a truly scientific stance,” wrote Paulo Freire .
STEAM Methodology One of the pillars of CAV's educational process is the STEAM methodology (abbreviation in English for Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts and Mathematics). Participants in the CAV STEAM program experience scientific thinking through teacher-led activities and games.
The teacher, like the one at Escola da Ponte, plays the role of mentor, helping participants throughout the entire process until the problem posed 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 The combination of CAV with the Theory of Multiple Intelligences promotes inclusive education within organizations, allowing young people with diverse talents to develop skills such as innovation, critical thinking and autonomy.
The activities and projects offered at CAV are interdisciplinary in nature, catering to different types of intelligence, not just those traditionally developed in schools, such as logical-mathematical and linguistic.
Photo: Ana Carolina Affonso Casa Arte Vida de Ana Carolina Affonso Impact CAV works to promote social changes and improve the future of young people and children in Rio de Janeiro.
Since its founding in 2007, the organization has received awards and recognition as one of the best NGOs in Brazil for training disadvantaged groups and for its role in aligning with the United Nations' Millennium Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Country (United Nations).