S.O.S
SCHOOL OF THE
(IM)POSSIBLE
What if S.O.S, a secret organization from the future, found a way to
communicate with our time? What if they invited children to embark on
an impossible mission and help rewrite our future?
The ‘School of the (Im)Possible’ is an immersive educational experience about Climate Change for 8-10 year olds kids from primary schools.
The experience is facilitated by teaching artists in collaboration with the classroom teacher and with the support from a digital platform. A time travelling bookshelf appears in classrooms around the world filled with mysterious still-to-be-written books from the future. Over two months, the interactive books engage the students in different embodied and sensorial challenges; from the school surroundings to a nature trail to visit the “portal to the future” (a green space in their local community). The participants are challenged to protect the “portal” whilst they learn about climate change. Their final challenge is to lead the ‘School of the (Im)Possible’: a day in which the children are the teachers, and the adults take the role of ‘students’, learning about the children’s vision is for a sustainable future.
Piloted in Brazil in 2021, commissioned by ITAC (International Teaching Artists Collaborative), the initiative has begun its journey to becoming a global phenomenon. Winning a British Council International Collaboration Grant and joining forces with Simon Sharkey and The Necessary Space (UK), it has implemented the project in Scotland and expanded in Brazil, as well as developed an online interactive platform. Discussions with other countries are taking place with a view to building a global community, opening more portals and empowering more children to become agents for change.
In practical terms
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The project is interdisciplinary, exploring transversal skills and competencies in the curriculum, and anchored in the UN's sustainable development goals.
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It is aligned with the national curriculum, delivering literacy, numeracy, science,, geography, citizenship, digital literacy, and a plethora of other curriculum outcomes, having been adopted as an exemplar in how to embed blended arts based learning in the curriculum.
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It happens once a week during school normal hours. Each episode lasts approximately 90 minutes.
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The school receives the facilitation guides for each episode in advance. On each guide, teachers have access to the episode structure, objectives and learning outcomes, as well as extra resources and activities.
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The digital environment provides opportunities for the classroom teacher to continue working on the project whilst delivering their classes.
How is the project in practice?
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It takes place during the official shift of the classes, both in the classes of the teacher and in other curricular components.
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Each class receives the project once a week: two art educators from Platô Cultural go to the school at the scheduled time and facilitate the episode, which has the script already agreed with the school.
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All scripts are shared with the school in advance.
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Each script has themes, objectives, a pedagogical plan aligned with the BNCC and optional support activities.
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Each episode lasts 90 minutes.
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The digital environment offers resources for the class teachers to continue the project in their classes.