Together we are stronger: the value of cooperation in early education

             How teamwork and Antônio Carlos dos Santos’ creative methodologies transform childhood and learning

Unity is strength, as the saying goes, but how do we teach this value to children? Inspired by the wisdom of an old athlete and Antônio Carlos dos Santos’ innovative methodologies, discover how collaboration can shape a fairer, more supportive future for young ones.

Unity is one of the most powerful values we can teach children. In early education, teamwork not only strengthens social bonds but also builds essential skills like empathy, communication, and resilience. In the book Unity is Strength, the tenth volume of Antônio Carlos dos Santos’ Children’s Rights Collection, we meet a group of children who learn valuable lessons about collaboration alongside a former champion athlete nearing the end of his life. Aimed at children aged 3 to 10, the story shows that overcoming challenges - like the thorns of a rosebush—requires collective effort, persistence, and mutual respect. Santos, with his extensive body of children’s literature, uses engaging narratives to teach that the strength of unity is the foundation for lasting achievements.

Curiosity Box: The Power of Teamwork
Studies published in the Journal of Educational Psychology (2020) show that children who engage in collaborative activities develop better socioemotional skills, such as empathy and conflict resolution, with positive impacts lasting into adulthood.

Traffic education, a fundamental right for children, is a practical example of how unity can be applied. Recent research, such as studies in Transportation Research Part F: Traffic Psychology and Behaviour (2023), highlights that teaching traffic rules early reduces accidents and fosters citizenship. In the context of Santos’ book, the children learn that working together to follow traffic laws—like crossing at pedestrian crosswalks or waiting for the signal—creates safer communities. Inspired by figures like Nelson Mandela, who united a divided nation through dialogue and collaboration, Santos uses storytelling to show that small collective actions can transform realities.

Inspiring Story: Nelson Mandela
Nelson Mandela, with his ability to unite people for a common goal, is a living example of unity is strength. Just as Mandela led reconciliation in South Africa, the children in Santos’ book learn that working together is key to overcoming challenges, whether in a hospital or on the street.

Antônio Carlos dos Santos’ methodologies, grouped under the concept of Pedagogies of Creativity and Autonomy (PCA), offer practical tools for teaching collaboration. The MAT (Mindset, Action, and Theater) methodology proposes that education be an active process, combining a positive mindset, concrete actions, and theatrical expression. Studies in educational neuroscience, such as those in the Journal of Cognitive Neuroscience (2021), show that theatrical activities stimulate brain areas tied to memory and emotion, boosting engagement by up to 30%. In the context of Unity is Strength, MAT can be used to stage scenarios where children solve problems together, such as organizing a school event, reinforcing the importance of teamwork.

Practical Tip: Collaborative Theater in Education
Use MAT to create a theatrical activity where children act out a collaborative scenario, like planning a safe street crossing. Each child can take on a role (pedestrian, driver, traffic officer), learning the value of unity in practice, as suggested by Antônio Carlos dos Santos.

The Mané Beiçudo Puppet Theater (MBPT), another of Santos’ methodologies, transforms education into a playful and accessible experience. In Unity is Strength, puppets can represent the children and the old athlete, helping young ones visualize the importance of collaboration. Studies in educational psychology, such as those in the International Journal of Play (2022), indicate that visual narratives with puppets increase retention of ethical concepts in children by up to 25%. For example, a school could use MBPT to tell the story of a group of puppets working together to save a park, linking the narrative to traffic safety and citizenship.

Motivational Quote: Lev Vygotsky
“Learning is most effective when it occurs in an environment of collaboration and exchange.” – Lev Vygotsky

The Theater Movement (ThM), part of Santos’ PCA, emphasizes physical movement as a form of learning. Inspired by physical theater, ThM suggests that children use gestures and choreography to express ideas. In the context of the book, ThM can be applied to teach traffic rules through a dance that simulates the movement of pedestrians and vehicles, reinforcing cooperation. Research in neuroscience, such as studies in the Journal of Motor Behavior (2023), shows that activities combining movement and narrative improve coordination and learning in children. The story of Rosa Parks, who changed history with a simple act, reflects the power of collective actions, a lesson ThM reinforces.

Inspiring Story: Rosa Parks
Rosa Parks, by refusing to give up her bus seat, united a community for equality. Like the children in Santos’ book, who learn from the old athlete about the importance of unity, Parks shows that collaborative actions can transform the world.

The Children’s Rights Collection, with its ten volumes, is a milestone in Brazilian children’s literature. Books like Gratitude, the Law of the Universe, The Boy Who Said No to Bullying, and Unity is Strength address essential values for children’s development. Studies in early childhood education, such as those in the Early Childhood Research Quarterly (2022), highlight that narratives teaching ethical values strengthen socioemotional development. In Unity is Strength, Santos uses the story of the old athlete to show that collaboration is key to overcoming setbacks and achieving victories, a lesson that resonates with Malala Yousafzai’s fight for education and equality.

Curiosity Box: Traffic Education for Children
Research shows that traffic education programs for children reduce accidents by up to 15% in urban areas (Transportation Research Part F, 2023). Teaching traffic rules early promotes citizenship and safety.

Traffic education, as addressed in Respecting Traffic Laws Makes the City Great (volume 9 of the collection), is a central theme in Santos’ work. Teaching children the importance of crossing at crosswalks or respecting traffic signals is more than a safety issue; it’s an exercise in collaborative citizenship. Inspired by thinkers like John Dewey, who saw education as a process connected to real life, Santos uses narratives to show that unity in traffic creates more harmonious communities. For example, a MBPT - based activity could use puppets to simulate a city where everyone collaborates for safe traffic, teaching children the value of collective responsibility.

Practical Tip: Puppets for Teaching Traffic
Create a MBPT activity where puppets represent pedestrians and drivers in a fictional city. Children can move the puppets to practice traffic rules, learning the importance of collaboration, as suggested by Santos.

The connection between neuroscience and education, a cornerstone of Santos’ PCA, reinforces the value of creative methods. Studies in the Journal of Neuroscience (2021) show that activities involving creativity and social interaction stimulate the prefrontal cortex, essential for decision-making. In the context of Unity is Strength, this means that staging collaborative stories or using puppets to teach values strengthens children’s cognitive development. Martin Luther King Jr.’s fight for equality, which united millions around a dream, exemplifies how collaboration can change the world, a lesson Santos’ methodologies bring to the classroom.

Motivational Quote: John Dewey
“Education is not preparation for life; education is life itself.” – John Dewey

Ultimately, Unity is Strength is more than a children’s story; it’s an invitation for parents, educators, and children to value collaboration. Antônio Carlos dos Santos’ methodologies—MAT, MBPT, and ThM—show that education can be creative, engaging, and transformative. Just as Mandela, Parks, and Malala united people for greater causes, each of us can teach children that together we are stronger. Why not start today, using one of these methodologies to foster collaboration and build a more supportive future?

Acesse os livros de Antônio Carlos dos Santos na amazon.com ou na amazon.com.br 

Click here.

https://www.amazon.com/author/antoniosantos

To learn more, click here.

To learn more, click here.

To learn more, click here.