Learning how to value

In November 2009, as part of the São Paulo Project*, the high-school students of the Nossa Senhora das Graças School made a visit to the Cantareira Association in Brasilândia (a neighborhood in northwest São Paulo). With the creation of GRASSA we had the idea of doing an activity in Arco-Íris (name that means rainbow), an institution in that region. As we had contacts with that place directors, we found out the materials they needed for more elaborated activities and a greater learning of the youngsters. Then we used the money raised by the series during the June Festival (typical Brazilian party) to buy a television and a DVD with karaoke as a present for them.
The institution works with children and young people that have Down syndrome or other mental disabilities, and our proposal was to do an activity with music to promote greater integration among students from our school and the Rainbow teenagers.
Each student brought a bottle or pot with a portion of grains (rice, beans or corn) so we could perform the scheduled activity. Thus we distribute scrap and grains so that each couple rode his rattle and initially divided the sounds that each instrument emitted. Then we played some songs together and some of them even rose to sing, dance and play in the middle of the circle. It was very spontaneous and fun. After this moment, when everyone was relaxed, we ask them to put a song, and the teacher suggested forró (a Brazilian kind of music), because they enjoy it vary much. It was just hit the "play" that each one found a pair and all went dancing around the room. For an hour we could only hear laughter and the sound of the accordion. The most striking part of the day was their reaction on the proposals. When we reached the room where they were seated, a smile lit the face of each one. We presented ourselves and made the delivery of the gifts. They loved it and thanked us, but they happier when delivered the scrap to make rattles.
That was the lesson learned that day: to appreciate the acts and activities with others, rather than the nice materials. These feelings and memories are arable and permanent.


* Project proposed by teachers: study in greater depth the history of São Paulo, its spaces and inequalities.