Silly Shaped Brick

During my primary school years, I was what Pink Floyd would call "another brick in the wall." Despite being surrounded by activists who achieved success through environmental battles with passion and commitment, the traditional school system put a set of blinders over my eyes. I believed that there was only one path to success- academic excellence. Orchestrating my way into my dream university became a guilty pleasure, yet I wrestled between ambition and anxiety as I laid in bed. Concerned about my obsessive pursuit of excellence, my parents intervened and removed me from the traditional school system. Reluctantly, I found myself enrolled in Lumiar, a school that would forever alter my views on education and success. Lumiar had just been nominated by UNESCO and Stanford as one of the 12 most innovative schools in the world. There were no exams, no grades, and no homework. As an overachiever, it was my worst nightmare. How was I going to stand out?

Looking back I wish I could tell my 12 year old self that Lumiar would highlight my identity and nurture every passion that traditional school systems had covered with academic pressure. In my first week, I was astonished to be asked, "What do you want to learn about?" At the beginning of each term, teachers embraced democracy in the classroom by blending our interests with the national curriculum's requirements to create class project proposals. We could study the French Revolution by crafting plays or delve into proportions by designing a clothing line. The key to success in the Lumiar Methodology was to embrace our passions. Love permeated the air at Lumiar with faculty members passionate about innovating education and students fervent about their studies.

Alongside passion, a refreshing curiosity wafted through the hallways. My educators and peers opened my mind, teaching me that real knowledge does not limit itself to textbooks or memorization; it flourishes by asking countless questions. I realized that the greatest achievement in education is not a grade but taking knowledge beyond the classroom and utilizing it’s impact. In a multiage class, the learning process grew in mutual relationships between students, built on respect and admiration. I realized that age doesn't play a significant role in learning; rather, each student's background and experience. Each one’s individuality brings to the table a variety of lessons. I understood that being a “know all” is pointless if you don’t have someone to give it back to. In order to succeed you must be supported by a curious community and - one that gives you purpose.

Six years after leaving the Brazilian traditional school system, I am on a completely new track. Education definitely leads society into development and success, however not solely through academic excellence. The invaluable takeaway from my schooling lies in the values attributed to education. I now understand that success is unattainable without curiosity- a human trait fueled by passion. In addition, one’s true success is a collective achievement, with a community supporting and being impacted by each individual. Community isn't a competitive environment, but a constant exchange where identity is cherished. Now I understand that society is not composed of bricks, we look more like puzzle pieces. In our unique shapes and colors, individuals contribute to a bigger picture around the world. Each puzzle piece forms a different landscape, showing a different world reality. Looking ahead, I aspire to broaden my background and pursue passions that will teach and guide me to success—a success meant to be shared with the diverse and interconnected global community, where I hope to fit my uniquely colorful and silly-shaped puzzle piece.

Thoughts...?