Although the majority of Brazil’s population is made up of black and female, there is still an under-representation of women, black, LGBTQIA+ and indigenous in science, especially in physics and astronomy. In collaboration with pedagogues and cultural agents of our universities (UFRGS and UFRJ), the Casa da Tia Ciata (Cultural Center) and public schools, the OruMbya project developed reading circles and workshops on the stories of the heavens. We built a traveling library with children’s and youth books that bring the voices of people silenced in the country – women, blacks, quilombolas, indigenous and favela residents. Our main objective is to strengthen primary and secondary education in science, through equity and equal opportunities for children and young people living in extreme social vulnerability. Our target audience are elementary and high school students and teachers in public schools. We are currently working with schools in cities such as Porto Alegre, Brazil; Salvador, Brazil; Rio de Janeiro, Brazil; São Valério do Sul, Brazil (Indigenous Land – Indigenous School); Praia, Cape Verde. We selected books by writers/scientists with questions about African, Afro-Brazilian, indigenous and western astronomy culture. We buy books and develop workshops with students/teachers in various cultural contexts.
We are also organizing an exhibition on African, Afro-Brazilian and indigenous cosmologies that will be held at the Planetarium of Rio for 15 years and around the exhibition more workshops on reading will be developed. In addition, we are producing an Ebook and an artistic-scientific video both focused on teacher training. We are realizing the intersection between science (astronomy) and art (literature) and to involve children in the universe of imagination.
Activities
- In Rio Grande do Sul: Throughout the year 2023 and 2024, except from May to August (due to floods), the project arranged biweekly meetings with classes, 2-hour meetings, with an average of 25 students per class. Students and teachers involved with the classes participate in reading circles and do extra class activities. There was no covid problem involved.
- In Salvador: classroom astronomy activities, conversation with astronomer, watched documentary on the Hubble Telescope, visit to the Energy Museum, reading done by the teachers, presentation of reviews of the books that children took home
- In Rio de Janeiro: presentation of the project, exhibition of the books, printing of the little book ‘novas atividades’, omnibus for the visit of two schools @the exhibition in the planetarium
- In Cape Verde: fortnightly astronomy discussions
- Presented 5 workshops for school on reading books in November 2023 and, in 2024, 3 others will be presented in November.
Feedback
“The reading of the books by teachers contributes to break/question Eurocentric perceptions, besides stimulating reflection on their work and the actions necessary for the construction of indigenous schools and specific pedagogical practices, differentiated, intercultural, Bilingual and quality. The readings taken converge in dialogues between teachers, moments when insights and concerns are shared. Nevertheless, this movement also contributes to more critical and sensitive teaching practices and to the central position of Kaingang epistemology. In short, for me the greatest and most precious result of the project is to contribute to the initial and continuing training of teachers with a focus on promoting quality education with equity. ”
“So, I can affirm that some issues related to astronomy have left some children very interested. As well, we were able to sharpen in some children the taste for research on the universe and its elements.”
Outcomes
The major result of the project is certainly to distribute a specialized literature into several schools, focusing on black and indigenous issues. Brazil is a country marked by epistemic racism. In addition, based on the letters sent by the children, it is noted the importance of working, in a positive way, the self-esteem of black and indigenous children, who are disqualified in Brazil, frequently treated as not people. Physics and astronomy became, from their report, a possibility for students formation. One of the undergraduate students in astronomy, participant of the project, decided to develop her honours on the topics discussed in the project. All the teachers involved in the project are unanimous in reporting the positive impact of the project on their teaching practice, since many of the issues of astronomy and ethnic-racial inclusion go unnoticed in daily school practice. The teachers also report, in their testimonies, the key role of the project to encourage children to keep reading and writing; and also about the importance of the project for the training of teachers who will keep working in basic education.