Experts debate the importance of literature for the insertion of diversity in school

Action carried out by the author of childish narrative works, Kiusam de Oliveira, will occupy the Instagram of actress Débora Secco during the 17th of July; program includes lives and debates about racial diversity with Camino School educators

When diversity is not accepted, it can become a reason for what is different to be related to something negative, being the target of prejudice and violence. Understanding that the different is a power, forming each individual in a particular way, is a mission that requires a lot of debate, conversation and reflection. However, addressing this issue is not exclusive to a single age group or a specific group, but rather a challenge that needs to be in everyone's mind and attitudes. And as one of the main educators of citizens, of awareness, whose objective is to educate, the school is the element that plays a fundamental role in this dialogue.

Thinking of a way to discuss the theme, the author of childish narrative works, Kiusam de Oliveira, will carry out an occupation on the account of actress Débora Secco on Instagram , who has almost 20 million followers, during the 17th of July. At 2 pm, it will be possible to follow a live on the importance of literature in the representation of black children in school with the director of Camino School, Leticia Lyle, educator Juliana Bueno, professor of Brazilian Popular Culture, a discipline that deals with cultural plurality in Brazil and Afro and Amerindian influences at Camino School, and also actress and presenter Samara Felippo.

For teacher Juliana Bueno, the first space for the formation of children's worldview is the school. Therefore, working with diversity is a reflection of the current society that has this characteristic and needs to be represented. “The school has to offer this diversity in roles that children are not used to seeing. They have already seen black people, for example, in bondage roles, and it is not only in these places that blacks have to be exposed, especially to children, ”he says.

Leticia Lyle, co-founder of Camino Education and director of Camino School, explains that education that promotes a more equitable world needs educational institutions that address the issue. “Diversity needs to be worked on so that students understand the concepts of a complex world. Education that does not work for diversity is making a choice not to demonstrate what is different. Discussing racial issues, differences, origins and working on the importance of local culture is essential for the quality of education, because it is with it that we build the world, life and the whole society ”.

The director also points out that school curricula need to address diversity not only in pedagogical content, but also in its management, with professionals representing the most diverse profiles, cultures and backgrounds. “For a long time, the school had a heterogeneous profile and urban schools, since the 20th century, have become multicultural, with children and even educators from different ethnicities and social contexts. In the curriculum, it is necessary to consider some elements: who are the children, what is their culture, what is the context in which they live. It is necessary to work on representativeness within schools with successful figures, with teachers from different cultures, with the personalities who were icons in these discussions, such as Martin Luther King, offering culturally relevant content. "

Diversity through reading

According to the educators, one of the ways of inserting the subject within schools is through literature. “Having works in which diversity is shown makes children, in their different profiles, identify themselves. We need to show the concepts of the past, such as the Indians who lost their lands and the enslaved Negroes, and bring them to the present, telling how these Indians and Negroes, today, are also in colleges, have become doctors, or are in any other profession. There is plurality in the country, in the world, and it is necessary to portray these cultures in a more true way ”, says Juliana Bueno.

One of the examples of children's works that can be used in schools is The Black Power by Akin, by Kiusam de Oliveira. The story tells the story of a 12-year-old black man who does not accept his Afro hair because he is a joke among his schoolmates, and ends up learning the importance of his origin and being proud of his own characteristics. The story depicts the reality of many black children who suffer from prejudice.

Juliana explains that with works like this, students can understand the issue, analyzing and reflecting on the problem exposed. “Talking about the origin of stories, of songs, contextualizing with games allows students, especially minors who have this first contact with the theme, to begin to assimilate and understand. It is necessary to show the problem, racism, prejudice, and teach children to know diversity. The child is not born racist, but he reproduces what he sees ”.

In this context, the role of the school includes introducing the theme with families so that learning about diversity is continued at home. “Families often don't know how to do this. Our generation of adults has been taught to be ashamed to talk about racism, gender issues, among others; that's why the discussion is so heated. Current events include a union of white and black people who are tired of seeing these differences as determining factors in cases of violence, and family members need to understand the importance of talking about it and educating students together with schools, ”says Leticia Lyle.

The professor of Popular Brazilian Culture also points out that creating alternatives for families to participate is part of the student's citizenship formation process. "Bringing speakers to talk to parents, specialists to talk to children, tell stories, all of this is part of education and understanding of diversity," says Juliana.

Because of this, the role of educational institutions in the quest to discuss diversity is even more reinforced in times when reflection needs to be part of the training of young people from an early age. “The school that chooses not to talk about racism and values of equality is helping children to conclude that this is not important. This is the main problem of not talking about diversity in these spaces ”, concludes Leticia.