Faced with so much alarming news about how teenagers have been dealing with each other using the technology at their disposal, we have been alerted to educating the new generation on values and principles.

Daniel Becker, a reference in pediatrics in the country, writes warning families and educators that it is necessary to have civility as a principle. In his words, “children are not born violent, they reflect the systemic illness of our society”. Respect, limits and empathy refer to our ability to coexist and, when it comes to teaching civilizing values to children, two actors stand out: the family and the school.

After all, what does civility mean? The concept of civility comes from the Roman term civitas, which is, at the same time, the grouping of citizens, the city as a physical body, and the set of rules for living in a group. It characterizes a non-aggression pact. That’s what we’re dealing with. A pact of respect and empathy for others – whether in real or virtual life.

Children learn values by observing what they perceive in their closest educators. As parents, what can we offer our children to grow up and become good people?

As an institution, every day we think about moments that put children in touch with what makes them different. It is important, from a young age, in their first spaces of socialization and exchange, to learn the rules and norms of good coexistence, and a culture of peace and civility.

From the moment that the school fully considers the subjects that inhabit it, community life becomes content

Our architecture reveals this a little: everyone sees and knows each other. Everyone at school knows the names, the classes… They play, learn and respect each other, regardless of whether they are older or younger. There is love between the groups. Is there more fraternal learning than this?

It is in the relationship with others that power, autonomy, submission, emancipation are established, in short, objective and concrete learning, and also subjective learning and the formation of emotions, sensibilities, refinement of modes and networks of relationships . In this pact of respect for others we also see the concreteness of citizenship being exercised.

Being a citizen means having the right to life, liberty, property, equality before the law: having civil rights. It is also about participating in the destiny of society, voting, being voted for, having political rights. Even when they are young, children at Infanzia know that they can give their opinion, argue, create, claim. Our proposal guarantees spaces and instruments for exercising democracy inside and outside the school.

Our 3rd, 4th and 5th year elementary students experienced a unique moment. They learned in a democratic way how we can demand and demand solutions from the public representative for our neighborhood and school. They met the Niterói City Council – its councilors and advisors – and were invited to open the Plenary with a letter requesting improvements to the school’s surroundings and the installation of a pedestrian crossing and adequate traffic signage.

Taking care of others and the city, principles of citizenship and civility that are so necessary today.