The Roulette Table - combining causes and
consequences in a Rio classroom.





Staff:
Laura Van der Haegen Siuffo
laurasiuffo@gmail.com
Victoria Casoni Yamagata
victoriayamagata@gmail.com

Social Group:
Mariza Leonora Martins Rodrigues Gama
emgarret@rioeduca.net

Escola Municipal Almeida Garret
Avenida General Guedes de Fontoura 470, Barra da Tijuca, Rio de Janeiro, RJ.

Summary:

Our Project was held at the Almeida Garret City School located at Barra da Tijuca. Mrs. Mariza Leonora was our intercessor that lectured on a daily base, every school day during the morning at the fourth grade of the elementary school. She teaches Portuguese, mathematics, history, science and geography. Her duty as a teacher is to transmit the issues the most clearly possible whereas her students might apply their leaning during their whole lifetime. During one of the classes, the teacher and her students followed closer by the lyrics of a song. After that, Mariza gave a signification to each line to make the children understand better: “Life is our friend.” “Life gives us everything to live.” “Life makes us dream with what makes us happy.” From this conjunction of words that composes Mariza’s vast vocabulary, we found the theme of our project: “A happy dream is seeing the Rio Janeiro clean.” After many expiriments tested together with the teacher, we finally got to “The Roulette Table - combining causes and consequences in a Rio classroom.” We made a roulette of three sizes of circles build of cardboard involved by three different colors of carpet. Cards with images of Rio and blank spaces were added so that the teacher and students could write on them. These could be inserted in vinyl pockets with velcro on the back and be sticked onto the roulette. The three-leveled layers of circles could be slide to all sides, causing a motion to its content, defining the order to preference, giving the choice to work or by luck or by issue or with the images combining.

Laura Siuffo's Conclusion

When I heard the preceptors Ana and Vicente would let the project, I did not have any doubts about joining the class, especially for great reputation with their working method and how this increased to the life of many whom learned with them. During six moths I grew together with the project and was surprised to see it brought so many great things to me. Therefor I am sure it will have an influence on my future. The project not only involved an opportunity to be in contact with the huge cultural diversity that our country has in public schools, but it also opened my eyes to simple things in every day life. Especially through the phrases of gratitude we were to say as they were as small prayers. Each gratitude was an opportunity to reflect and embrace good causes in my life, which opened my eyes to my surroundings, turning negative things into positive. I want to thank our great professors Ana and Vincent whom conducted us to the final result by only opening our eyes to what before we were not able to see by ourselves, mirroring the fruit of our effort. Many thanks. I thank Victoria that gave me the privilege of working with a partner that could taught me a lot and share the same interests as me. During the whole process that took six months, the complicity with my partner was extremely gratifying. I thank Mariza for the amazing partnership that was essential to our project due to the many learning facts. Her decision, effort and patience that transmitted knowledge towards her students, fulfilled me of inspiration and strength to persist, through positive thinking in relation to the project.

Victoria Yamagata's Conclusion

After listening to everybody in PUC saying: "Don't take Ana Branco and Vicente's classes!" In DSG1002, I got courage to dove in, in this same place. Since the beggining, I faced it as a challenge, a life goal. I've seen that nothing's easy. I've been through boring moments that made me figure out how planning is important to complete a project. No doubts that it was the best I could've choose. I donated myself, gave my best, and came out another person, with a new vision of life. With my heart wide open and the head that couldn't stop sending me gratitudes. I'm thankful for every moment I've lived in that class, thankful to every person I came to met, that followed me and that I've followed through this months. Ana Branco is a sweet person that helped me in every step of the project, being direct and showing us that working with people is important. Showing us that the creativity comes from silly things that we can't see. I chose the word "gratitude" cause there's no word that can express how many good things i've achieved after all this time. Thanks.

Full evaluation of the Intercessor

“wonderful partners, creative, polite, and besides all, collaborators!!! Grade : 10”

Subject: DSG 1002
Class: 1AC/1AD
Teachers: Ana Branco, Luis Vicente Barros, Luciana Grether, Maria do Socorro Calhau

e-mail: anabranc@puc-rio.br

Versão em Português