The literacy methodology at the Tibetan Park School
Literacy at the Tibetan Park School is carried out in a very special way.
Long before a child learns the letters, a whole process of observation is conducted to determine if they are truly ready for this learning. The child demonstrates readiness through play and bodily signals; for example, when their baby teeth start falling out, it is an indication of their readiness to enter this phase of great discoveries!
Initially, the child is introduced to the world of shapes during a period that focuses on straight lines and curves, and only then do letters come into play with stories, poetry, and lots of music. “It’s a slow process that respects the full development of children, not just mentally, but also physically and spiritually,” explains Anália Calmon (Acácia), one of the founders of the school.
Each letter is worked on for 3 days: on the first day, the story is introduced, on the second day, the children play with the sound, and finally, the words are introduced. Learning the letters is interspersed with learning numbers. “When we let a topic rest and then come back to it later, it comes back with full force, and deep learning occurs in the child,” Acácia reports.
Camila Lee, a 1st-grade volunteer teacher, says that to learn the letters, the activities involve a lot of movement: “Children walk on the letter drawn on the floor, they form the letters with their bodies, and play at writing on each other’s backs. Literacy is an experience that engages all the senses.”
The Tibetan Park School has its own teaching and learning methodology, drawing inspiration from different pedagogical approaches such as Anthroposophy, Waldorf Education, Project-Based Learning, and Emergency Pedagogy. Its purpose is to offer quality education with a focus on the holistic development of the individual and to promote a culture of peace, service to the common good, and care for the planet and all realms of nature.
Currently, it serves 52 children, from preschool to the 9th grade of primary school, without charging tuition fees, relying solely on voluntary contributions and the organization of events by families.
It is located in the city of Carmo da Cachoeira, in southern Minas Gerais, Brazil, and is supported by the Casa Luz da Colina Philanthropic Association, affiliated with the Fraternity – International Humanitarian Federation (FIHF).
You can support the Tibetan Park School! Contact them at:
Instagram: @escolaparquetibetano
Facebook: Escola Parque Tibetano
E-mail: escolaparquetibetano@gmail.com
WhatsApp / Telegram:
(35) 99700-3049 com Joana Christo
(35) 99857-8776 com Irmã Juana de La Cruz
