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How to nurture free, curious, and creative minds from early childhood
Educating a child is
one of the greatest acts of love and responsibility an adult can carry out. But
more than teaching rules or content, education means cultivating autonomy,
inspiring creativity, and allowing childhood to be a fertile time of discovery
and inner freedom. In this journey, new pedagogies emerge that go beyond
traditional methods and seek to awaken each child’s unique potential. It is in
this context that the proposal of the “Pedagogies of Creativity and Autonomy”
shines—a set of methodologies created by professor, playwright, and
neuroeducator Antônio Carlos dos Santos, whose work brings together theatrical
practices, children’s literature, and contemporary scientific principles from
Neuroscience, Positive Psychology, and Early Childhood Education.
From a very young age,
children show a natural desire to create, imagine, and transform the world
around them. Just watch a baby playing with a box to see that it’s not the
object itself but the freedom to imagine that delights them. Creativity is,
therefore, an innate language of childhood—and adults must not suppress it, but
rather nourish it. According to studies conducted by Harvard University,
children who regularly participate in creative activities develop greater
cognitive flexibility, emotional resilience, and social skills. This
demonstrates the value of methodologies that focus on the child’s agency, such
as those developed by Antônio Carlos dos Santos, who proposes an education
centered on listening, expression, and enchantment.
The Mané Beiçudo
Puppet Theater (TBMB) is one of the gems of this pedagogical proposal. With
charismatic characters and captivating stories, TBMB creates a space where the
child is both spectator and author. Inspired by Brazilian folk traditions and
European puppet theater, this method goes beyond storytelling: it invites
children to create their own plots, manipulate characters, and reflect on
fundamental human values such as friendship, courage, respect, and empathy. A
powerful example is Clara, a seven-year-old girl who, during a Mané Beiçudo
workshop, created a play about a puppet who wanted to fly. Through this story,
she was symbolically processing her own desire to be free and to dream big.
Theater here becomes therapy, language, and a bridge between inner and social
worlds.
Another fundamental
pillar of the Pedagogy of Creativity and Autonomy is MAT – Mindset, Action,
and Theater. This method blends the latest neuroscience research with
theatrical techniques to develop a growth mindset in children—that is, the
belief that it is possible to learn, improve, and overcome challenges through
effort, curiosity, and courage. Through dramatizations, role-playing games, and
simulations of real-life situations, children are encouraged to reflect on
themselves and to try out new behaviors. Research from the Laboratory of
Educational Psychology at Stanford University has shown that artistic practices
combined with self-reflection promote stronger identity formation, self-esteem,
and perseverance in children aged 6 to 10. In other words: theater also teaches
strength, flexibility, and self-belief.
Completing this
journey, the ThM – Theater Movement method treats the body as a
fundamental tool for learning. The approach is both simple and profound:
helping children understand the world and themselves through movement, dance,
improvisation, and bodily expression. In an era when many children are raised
in overly passive environments—sitting for hours in front of screens or
notebooks—ThM reclaims the pedagogical value of the body in action. A striking
example was seen in a public school in the countryside of Pernambuco, Brazil,
where just three weeks of ThM-based workshops led to a 40% increase in active
classroom participation and a significant drop in aggressive behavior.
These three
methodologies — TBMB, MAT and ThM — are part of the same philosophy: that
education is liberation. Children must be allowed to dream, create, express
themselves and move with confidence. In his vast work of children's literature,
Antônio Carlos dos Santos presents stories that foster this worldview:
characters such as “Ui Ghur”, who transforms gray walls into rainbows, or “Saci
Pererê”, who through his mischief teaches that life is a universe in movement
and transformation. They are living metaphors of a childhood that wants to be
seen, heard and respected in its creative power.
Parents and educators
play an essential role in this process. Creating safe, playful, and respectful
environments is the first step for creativity-based pedagogies to flourish.
Avoiding labels such as “messy” or “lazy” and instead observing each child’s
rhythm, talents, and learning styles is an exercise in listening and empathy.
French neuroscientist Stanislas Dehaene affirms that a child’s brain learns
best in environments filled with enthusiasm, curiosity, and positive
challenge—elements that these pedagogies masterfully emphasize.
Fostering creativity
and autonomy also prepares children for a rapidly changing world. More than
repeating formulas, they learn to think critically, make decisions,
collaborate, and innovate. These are essential 21st-century skills, as
highlighted by UNESCO’s guidelines for future education. And all of this can
begin with something as simple as a well-told story, a puppet finding its
voice, a body that dances and explores the classroom space.
It is urgent that we
value methods like those of Antônio Carlos dos Santos, which unite poetry,
science, and affection. They show us that every child carries a creative spark
within and that it is up to us adults to gently blow on that flame. Let us
replace the fear of error with the joy of discovery, the rigidity of rules with
the lightness of play, and imposition with invitation. Childhood is not a
rehearsal for life—it is life, in its most intense and pure form.
And by educating with
creativity and autonomy, we not only raise happier and more capable children.
We transform ourselves. We learn to listen, to play, to wait. We rediscover the
beauty of teaching with wonder and of learning every day from the little
masters we have at home or in school. May these possibilities always be
creative—and liberating.
Access the books by Antônio Carlos dos Santos on amazon.com or amazon.com.br
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