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For an enchanting, effective, and possible education
Teaching math to children has never
been just about numbers, formulas, or tests. For attentive parents and
educators, the real challenge lies in helping young learners see the beauty of
numbers with the same ease they find in a drawing, a comic strip, or a game of
tag. As Brazilian educator and poet Cecília Meireles once said, “Teaching is an
exercise in immortality.” When math is taught with affection, playfulness, and
creativity, it transforms from a “bogeyman” into a bridge of wonder that
fosters logical reasoning, autonomy, and self-confidence. In this context, the Pedagogies
of Creativity and Autonomy (PCA), developed by Antônio Carlos dos Santos,
emerge as a sensitive, effective, and deeply humanizing response to the
challenges of math education in early childhood.
The first cornerstone
of Antônio Carlos’ proposal is the belief that every child learns better
when they feel safe to make mistakes, create, and try again. This is where
the Mané Beiçudo Puppet Theater (TBMB) comes into play—one of the most charming
methodologies he created. Imagine a classroom where addition and subtraction
are introduced through small theatrical scenes with puppets: one of them,
Beiçudo, needs to buy ingredients to bake a cake and enlists the children’s
help to calculate change. Instead of repetitive worksheets, we have stories
with a beginning, middle, and end, where each math challenge is experienced as
part of a fun adventure. Neuroscience supports this: according to a Harvard
University study (2022), learning associated with positive emotion activates
the hippocampus—the brain region linked to long-term memory—more strongly. In
other words, learning with joy is more lasting than learning under pressure.
Another pillar of the
PCA is MAT – Mindset, Action, and Theater, which combines concepts from
developmental psychology with playful and theatrical practices. MAT encourages
a view of math as a problem-solving tool for everyday life, awakening in
children the “possibility mindset.” For example: instead of teaching fractions
with a whiteboard and chalk, why not create a “classroom pizzeria”? Groups of
students prepare pretend slices and negotiate quantities with their classmates,
discovering for themselves what it means to divide a pizza into eighths, have
three-quarters of a slice, or add two pieces. These concrete, interactive
experiences are the heart of MAT. The lesson becomes not just understandable
but meaningful and memorable.
In the same creative
spirit, there’s ThM – Theater Movement, which integrates body, space,
and math into a single practice. With ThM, children learn measurements,
geometric shapes, and even numerical patterns through physical movement. In one
class, they might represent shapes using their own bodies or perform
choreographies based on number sequences. In another, they explore angles by
forming triangles on the floor with colored ropes and then “living out” the
angles with their arms and legs. According to research from Stanford University
(2023), associating movement with math improves concept retention by up to 30%,
while also enhancing children's self-esteem and self-regulation.
For parents and
educators who want to apply these ideas at home or in the classroom, the path
can be simple and incredibly enjoyable. A first practical tip is to create personalized math stories. Use
characters that the child loves and create adventures where the child needs to
solve small problems to move forward. For example: “Joana, the bunny, needs to
plant carrots. She has 12 seeds and wants to plant them in rows of 4. How many
rows will she be able to make?” Mathematics, then, gains life and purpose,
while logical reasoning develops naturally. This is a technique described by
Antônio Carlos in several of his children's books, such as the "Collection
Folk legends play with numbers", which mix folklore and storytelling with
problems solved in an affectionate and contextual way.
Another simple
exercise championed by the PCA is using everyday objects as math tools.
With jars, bottle caps, and small toys, one can teach concepts like counting,
comparing quantities, grouping, and proportion. Antônio Carlos encourages
parents to create “math corners” at home: a box where the child stores anything
that can become part of a math game—from beans to illustrated cards. The key is
that the environment supports autonomy: the child chooses the games, creates
challenges, corrects their own mistakes, and celebrates every small discovery.
Another inspiring
example comes from the use of plays,
songs and rhymes to teach multiplication tables. In his vast literary and
theatrical production, Antônio Carlos dos Santos wrote texts with rhythm and
humor that help children memorize multiplication with pleasure. The success of
this is proven by neuroscience: as pointed out by a study by the University of
Toronto (2021), artistic learning stimulates areas of the brain associated with
language, attention and working memory – all fundamental processes for
mathematical reasoning.
It’s important to
remember that every child has their own rhythm, timing, and learning style. The
PCA acknowledges this individuality and promotes a personalized,
affectionate, and creative approach where mistakes are part of the process
and autonomy is continuously encouraged. The goal is not to memorize formulas,
but to understand the world through mathematical relationships. When a child
realizes they can solve a problem on their own, their brain releases dopamine—a
hormone associated with pleasure and motivation. Thus, teaching math becomes an
act of empowerment.
Finally, it’s
essential to highlight that the Pedagogies of Creativity and Autonomy
are not just teaching strategies. They are an invitation to a new perspective
on childhood, knowledge, and the educator's role. They show us that teaching
math with lightness, art, and enchantment is not only possible—it’s urgent.
That every number can become a story. That every operation can become a theater
scene. That every equation can become a dance. And above all, that every child
can—and should—be the protagonist of their own learning journey.
By applying these
ideas, parents and teachers aren’t just teaching math. They’re teaching
courage, confidence, and creativity. They’re building foundations so children
can grow not only skilled with numbers but, more importantly, skilled in
thinking, deciding, and transforming the world around them. Because, as
Antônio Carlos dos Santos so beautifully puts it, “the math of life begins in
the heart and is solved through imagination.”
Access the books by Antônio Carlos dos Santos on amazon.com or amazon.com.br
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