Today we visited Escola Aberta which is a school for kids between the ages of 3-12 where there is a total of 5 teachers and 130 students. At the daycare I work at home, our ratio is 1 teacher for every 18 students that are aged 4-5. I couldn’t even imagine the patience, discipline, and skill that it takes to manage 26 students at one time. Although we didn’t spend a long time with them, I really enjoyed the few minutes where we could play hopscotch and soccer as if we were kids again as well.
We walked into the lively communidade with our group for only a few minutes before we reached the school. The people in the community seemed to be used to having groups of students walk up to Escola Aberta because their demeanor bordered on either slightly curious or uninterested. The school wall, both outside and inside, were actually painted by visiting schools including the Georgia State University 2017 study abroad trip. I like the idea of having colorful murals on the walls and thought it was neat that students had the opportunity to leave something behind at Escola Aberta.
Inside of the school walls there was a playset where children were running around followed by a few classrooms, a hallway that led to an office and the kicthen, and stairs that went up to more classrooms, the library, and the indoor gym. The indoor gym is where several students showed off their capoeira skills. We also spoke to three kids who could potentially be a future nurse, futbol player, and obstetrician. When we were outside, we played soccer with the kids and I appreciate that they didn’t go easy on us. The three GSU students who tried playing definitely lost to the five kids that were chasing the ball around.
While inside of Escola Aberta, we learned about the school’s history. It has been open for 35 years and was built by the community, for the community. It is free from the influence of the nation’s politics because its funding comes from outside resources. The women running the school have fought hard for the school to continue and are immensely passionate about the work they do every day. The devotion that they have to Escola Aberta is unmatched.
