Literature, satire, and ceramics: understanding the language through the lens of our artists
It is always a pleasure to engage with our students, in loco, sharing the cultural, historical, and social elements that shape the soul of the language they are learning. This term, Year 9 visited the Casa Museu Fernando Pessoa on the 8th, while Years 7 and 8 explored Bordallo Pinheiro’s Gardens and Museum on the 19th.
Year 9 visit to Casa Museu Fernando Pessoa: “Tenho em mim todos os sonhos do Mundo”
Year 9 students had the chance to delve into the life and the literary work of one of the greatest Portuguese poets of all time, Fernando Pessoa.
Group 1 and part of group 2 students gathered facts about Fernando Pessoa’s biography; they were given access to replicas of the author’s personal belongings, and speculated about his timeline and relevant features of his life. Students showed interest and participated actively in the workshop facilitated by the Museum. In fact, their positive attitude made us, teachers, very proud.
Simultaneously, group 3 and part of group 2 students participated in a guided visit to the Museum, the house where the author spent the last 15 years of his life, allowing them to look into his remarkable mind. Our students were captivated by the extensive number of languages into which Pessoa’s work has been translated and by the vast studies around his enigmatic work.
Depending on their skill levels, the students have been and will continue to engage in various activities in class, such as expressive reading of poems, writing their own poems, and embodying heteronyms.
Years 7 and 8 visit to Bordallo Pinheiro Gardens and Museum: nature and satire
Years 7 and 8 were immersed in the Universe of the artist Bordallo Pinheiro, renowned for his politically charged caricatures, ceramic sculptures, and illustrations.
Some students were captivated by the Gardens, searching for various animal figures in ceramics, while others were amazed by the size and intricacies of the pottery artworks displayed in the Museum. With Critical Thinking at the core of our learning goals, we were delighted to see students asking insightful questions to our guide, regarding the social and political context surrounding Zé Povinho, an emblematic caricature symbolising the Portuguese working class, created by Bordallo Pinheiro.
The field trip inspired our students to not only write a biography of the artist and a report on the trip, but also to explore and create their own illustrations and satirical comics.
Both visits have provided our students with great learning experiences, reinforcing the cultural and artistic heritage of our language. They have sparked curiosity and a sense of community among our learners. To be repeated!