Escola Concept: São Paulo, Brazil
My second consultation at Escola Concept in São Paulo, Brazil was filled with meaningful sessions with parents, middle and upper school students, administration, and faculty and staff.
I began by singing "Lift Every Voice and Sing," accompanied by physical education teacher and pianist, Marcelo Silveira de Almeida. The collaboration set a powerful tone of belonging and unity that resonated throughout the day. I was so honored to introduce Marcelo and the community to the song, and I was equally impressed that he memorized the song and played without music.
During our parent education session, we delved into the latest data surrounding belonging in Brazilian schools and brainstormed strategies to mitigate stereotypes. The session culminated in an evidence-based case study, equipping parents with concrete strategies to address common belonging issues leveraging a reflection and action protocol that I have designed.
Next, I facilitated a conversation with middle and upper school students from the São Paulo and Ribeirão Preto campuses. I engaged the group in inclusive leadership activities, learned more about their perceptions around belonging- both positive and growth areas- and ended the session leveraging the same reflection and action protocol to address a common belonging case study, encouraging critical thinking and problem-solving. The students were incredible!
Afterward, I convened the Leadership Team to review data from the previous consultation, and to share themes from the parent and student workshops to inform Escola Concept’s Intercultural Competency and Belonging Model.
Our day concluded with educators from all three campuses - São Paulo (onsite), and Ribeirão Preto, and Salvador da Bahia via Zoom. Similar to the parent session, we delved into the latest research on stereotypes and processed the same case study as the students, which allowed educators to gain a deeper understanding of how students navigate these issues, while also building educator capacity to discuss and intervene during incidences of bullying and relational aggressing.
One of the most heartwarming moments from the day was the warm welcome from the students throughout the day who remembered me from my previous visit last May. Upon entering the school, I was immediately greeted with a friendly, "Hi, Dr. Derrick! Welcome back." Another student was very curious about which soccer team I root for. My response: "All of them!" This sense of community that permeates the entire campus is truly remarkable.
I look forward to my next visit to Escola Concept. Thank you for opportunity to be part of your inspiring journey.