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In a time when the world
demands innovation, empathy, and the ability to solve problems creatively,
educating children using only traditional methods is no longer enough. The
challenge of raising autonomous, creative, and collaborative citizens leads us
to deeply rethink our pedagogical practices. Within this context, the so-called
Pedagogies of Creativity and Autonomy (PCA), created by Antônio Carlos
dos Santos—a renowned educator and researcher—stand out. His studies have
transformed early childhood education based on solid foundations from
neuroscience, psychology, and the arts. The PCA framework comprises three main
methodologies: TBMB (Teatro de Bonecos Mané Beiçudo), MAT (Mindset, Action, and
Theater), and ThM (Theater Movement). These methodologies directly engage the
child’s playful, expressive, and autonomous potential, promoting emotional,
cognitive, and social development from the earliest years of life.
The theoretical
foundation of the PCA is supported by recent studies from Harvard, Stanford,
and Oxford universities, which show that fostering creativity and autonomy in
childhood is directly linked to a greater ability to solve problems, flexible
reasoning, high self-esteem, and the building of strong emotional bonds. For
example, research published in the Journal of Neuroscience and Education
shows that the child’s brain responds more effectively to learning environments
that promote symbolic play, guided imagination, and body expression—three
essential pillars of the methodologies proposed by Antônio Carlos dos Santos.
Let us begin with TBMB
(Teatro de Bonecos Mané Beiçudo), an approach that uses handcrafted puppets
to dramatize everyday childhood situations. Inspired by popular puppet theater
traditions and adapted using neuroeducational principles, TBMB allows children
to express their emotions and better understand social dynamics. Imagine a shy
child who avoids interactions with peers. By creating and manipulating a puppet
that faces similar challenges, the child projects their emotions onto the
character, gaining a safe space to explore fears and develop solutions. TBMB is
more than theater—it is therapy, affective learning, and a bridge to empathy.
The second
methodology, MAT (Mindset, Action, and Theater), is based on the idea
that the mind transforms through movement, intention, and creation. Inspired by
Carol Dweck’s research on the growth mindset, MAT encourages children to
believe they can learn anything—as long as they allow themselves to try, fail,
reflect, and try again. In the classroom, this materializes through small
performances where students assume roles that require ethical reasoning,
decision-making, and critical reflection. For instance, when dramatizing a
conflict at recess, children rehearse different solutions, developing moral
thinking, empathy, and agency.
ThM (Theater Movement), the third
methodology, proposes an education of the body in motion, valuing gesture,
rhythm, and nonverbal language as legitimate forms of expression and learning.
Based on the ideas of Rudolf Laban and somatic pedagogy, ThM includes
activities such as “mirror games,” “invented dances,” and “character walks,”
where children explore space freely and with body awareness. This promotes not
only balance and motor coordination but also skills such as attention,
creativity, and emotional expression. From a neuroscientific perspective,
movement is key to integrating the brain’s hemispheres, which boosts holistic
learning.
One of the great
differences of PCAs is that all these methodologies are interconnected by a
vast amount of children's literature
written by Antônio Carlos dos Santos himself. His playful and reflective works
address themes such as respect for differences, the environment, conflict
resolution and cooperation, always in accessible and sensitive language. Books
such as “Ui Ghur: the teddy bear that released books”, “Screens only with
health - Computers: between freedom and slavery” or “Happy pets” are used as a
starting point for discussion groups, dramatizations and interdisciplinary
projects. Reading thus becomes a driving force for artistic expression,
critical thinking and the construction of autonomy.
The PCA also offers simple
and practical exercises that can be applied by teachers and parents on a
daily basis. A TBMB example: ask the child to create a puppet with recyclable
materials and invent a story where the puppet faces a problem the child has
personally experienced. For MAT, suggest that the child role-play different
professions and discuss how each contributes to society’s well-being. For ThM,
explore animal-inspired movements and turn that play into a conversation about
the body, nature, and imagination.
It’s important to
remember that these methodologies respect the rhythm of childhood. This is not
about accelerating development, but about expanding opportunities for the child
to discover who they are, what they like, how they express themselves, and how
they can contribute to the world. Autonomy, in this sense, is not a final
destination, but a continuous process of discovery and responsibility. And
creativity is not just artistic talent, but the ability to see new
possibilities in the face of old problems.
Research from the
University of Cambridge shows that children educated in environments that
stimulate creativity and autonomy exhibit greater emotional resilience, higher
academic performance, and better social adaptation. By integrating art,
science, and affection, the PCA offers not just a pedagogical method but a life
philosophy: to educate with the heart, with the body in motion, and with a mind
open to the infinite possibilities of being human.
Thus, investing in the
Pedagogies of Creativity and Autonomy means betting on an education that
prepares children for both the present and the future. It means giving them the
tools to become protagonists of their own stories—with sensitivity, courage,
and empathy. With these methodologies, parents, teachers, and caregivers hold a
powerful guide not only to transform the classroom but also the world we hope
to build with and for our children.
Educating with
creativity and autonomy is, ultimately, about reigniting the spark of
uniqueness in each child—and allowing that flame to shine freely, curiously,
and lovingly.
Access the books by Antônio Carlos dos Santos on amazon.com or amazon.com.br
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