LOBATIANA PEDAGOGY AND INTERDISCIPLINARITY AT SÍTIO DO PICAPAU AMARELO

Abstract

Monteiro Lobato, a prominent Brazilian author, revolutionized education in Brazil through his children's and young adult literature, using imagination as a pedagogical tool. He broke away from the traditional European model of education, which treated children as small adults and promoted excessively formal instruction. Although literary scholars are divided regarding his relevance, his works captivated generations and conveyed knowledge across various fields. Iconic characters such as Emília, Pedrinho, and Dona Benta became beloved by the public, especially through the book The Yellow Woodpecker Ranch (O Sítio do Picapau Amarelo). This article analyzes playful learning while avoiding contemporary debates about Lobato that often result from anachronistic interpretations. The research aims to understand Lobato’s pedagogy and the interdisciplinarity found in the imaginative elements of his work. Using a bibliographic and qualitative approach, the study examines Lobato’s life and his contributions to children's and young adult literature, as well as their educational applications. This paper includes a summary of Lobato’s life, his educational contributions in the classroom, and examples of interdisciplinarity in the analyzed work.