Political Pedagogical Project for Free Music Courses: Case Study in an Arts School in São Bernardo do Campo – Sp

Arthur Henrique Braga; Luciana Cristina de Souza

DOI: 10.22167/2675-6528-202602688

Article derived from a Course Conclusion Work (TCC), with content based on the student’s original work and adapted to the editorial format of the E&S Magazine with the support of the ResumeAI tool, an artificial intelligence solution developed by Instituto Pecege for textual synthesis and organization.

Summary

The Law of Directives and Bases of National Education (1996) established the mandatory nature of the Political-Pedagogical Project (PPP) for regular schools, but its application is not common in institutions offering free courses. Given this gap, this study developed a PPP for the music course at a private art school in São Bernardo do Campo, SP. The objective was to assist in establishing the institution’s identity and pedagogical organization. The methodology employed was exploratory in nature, applied to a case study with a mixed approach, based on the analysis of documents provided by the school and the observation of the school routine. The results demonstrated the importance of implementing the PPP to unify knowledge among students of different musical instruments. It was found that, after its implementation, it is essential that the results are analyzed and the document revised as necessary. Additionally, the work opened doors for the conception of guiding documents for the other courses offered by the school.

Keywords: Arts Education; Music Education; Pedagogical Planning; Curricular Proposal.

1. Introduction

The Law of Directives and Bases of National Education (LDB), enacted on December 20, 1996 (Brasil, 1996), established new foundations for the Brazilian educational system. Among its innovations, the mandatory nature of the Political-Pedagogical Project (PPP) for educational institutions stood out. The PPP is conceived as a document that unifies the school’s educational proposal, strengthening its identity, clarifying its organization, and defining learning goals for students (MEC, n.d.).

Stauffer (2007) complements that the PPP results from the understanding of the school reality, considering sociopolitical and pedagogical aspects. It is a document of collective elaboration, where the school community contributes to expose its political and epistemological dimensions. Although essential, the requirement of the PPP applies mainly to public and private schools of early childhood, elementary, high school, and higher education, not being common its development for institutions of free courses.

Despite the importance of the PPP to guide an educational institution, its legal requirement does not extend to art schools offering free courses, creating a gap in pedagogical structuring. The absence of a guiding document can result in a lack of institutional identity and consistent pedagogical organization, impacting the quality of teaching. The relevance of a PPP is evidenced, for example, in how it defines the identity and pathways for quality teaching in public network schools (EMEB Regina Rocco Casa II, 2025). The demand for a PPP for art courses, in this context, arises from the prior experience of the institution’s team, who observed how the lack of a document and pedagogical coordination led to unequal experiences among music students with different instruments and teachers.

Art, in its diverse manifestations, plays a crucial role in human development. Reis (2025) highlights the importance of art as a means of exploring subjectivity, both for those who consume it and for those who produce it, allowing for the elaboration of feelings. Ferreira, Batista, and Olive (2020) corroborate this idea, evidencing the relief of mental suffering in adolescents after art workshops.

In the context of music, studies such as those by Schellenberg and Weiss (2013) indicate that musical practice transcends theoretical learning. It promotes the development of essential cognitive functions, such as memory and attention, improves motor coordination, stimulates creative thinking and problem-solving. Regular exposure to music also enhances neuroplasticity and executive functions, with positive impacts on students’ academic performance (Schellenberg and Weiss, 2013).

Given the relevance of music education and the gap in the pedagogical structuring of free courses, it becomes fundamental to develop an instrument that unifies knowledge and organizes practices. The elaboration of a curricular proposal, defined by Sacristán (2013) as the pedagogical delimitation of contents, is essential to guarantee the uniformity and quality of teaching, considering correct musical practice for the motor development of students. Thus, this work aims to develop the Political-Pedagogical Project for the music course of a private free courses art school, located in São Bernardo do Campo, SP.

2. Material and Methods

The research conducted was characterized by its exploratory bias, seeking to deepen familiarity with the concept and application of the Political-Pedagogical Project (PPP), as well as to develop, clarify, and refine ideas related to this instrument, according to the approaches of Turrioni and Mello (2012) and Prodanov and Freitas (2013). A mixed methodological approach was adopted, integrating quantitative and qualitative elements, through the collection and observation of data provided by the studied institution. The treatment of the collected data was conducted with the purpose of understanding the events and information relevant to the subsequent elaboration of the PPP, following the guidelines of Creswell and Clark (2018) and Creswell (2016).

The research design was configured as a case study, focused on data collection directly at the arts school, followed by analysis, processing, and interpretation by the researcher. The empirical object of the study was a small arts school, located in the city of São Bernardo do Campo, in the state of São Paulo. The institution began its operations in June 2025 and has a physical structure composed of a reception area and two classrooms, one of which is a professional studio dedicated to music.

The school’s team is composed of 9 teachers and serves 12 students, operating under the Simples Nacional tax regime. Its activities include music education, as well as other artistic expressions such as crochet, cinema, photography, and design. The selection of the institution as the object of study was strategic to understand the dynamics of a free course environment that seeks to structure its pedagogical proposal, aligning with the central objective of developing a PPP for its music course.

To obtain information and data, the research employed the technique of documentary survey. The data sources included written documents provided by the school of arts, such as administrative reports, internal memorandums, and various institutional records. Furthermore, personal records of previous supervised activities, which had been organized and maintained by members of the institution’s staff, were analyzed, offering a perspective on pedagogical practices and history.

Complementary to the written documents, non-written materials were examined, specifically audiovisual records. These were kindly provided by the institution itself as well as by its staff members. Such records included recordings of musical rehearsals, live performances by students and teachers, and moments of camaraderie between staff and students, providing a comprehensive view of the school’s environment and interactions.

Simultaneously with the documentary analysis, a structured, disguised, and natural personal observation of the school’s daily life was carried out. This stage aimed to compare the data obtained through the analyzed documents with the pedagogical practices effectively in operation at the institution. The methodologies applied in the classroom, the integration among students, the experience with art, and the promotion of a multidimensional education for the students were observed.

The observation allowed the researcher to gain greater familiarity with the school’s context and needs, a crucial element for the development of the Political-Pedagogical Project. The analysis and interpretation of the collected data, both documentary and observational, were systematically processed to support the elaboration of the PPP, which constituted the final product of this study, aiming to unify knowledge and organize the pedagogical practices of the music course.

3. Results and Discussion

The small-scale arts school, located in São Bernardo do Campo, began its activities in June 2025, initially offering free music courses, such as singing, guitar, electric guitar, bass, ukulele, drums, piano, keyboard, music production and recording, in addition to crochet. Subsequently, in September 2025, a design course with image editing was introduced, and in 2026, a photography course. The institution operates with a team of nine teachers and serves twelve students, adopting the Simples Nacional tax regime, which reflects its small-scale structure and focus on diversified artistic teaching activities.

The need to develop a Political-Pedagogical Project (PPP) for the school’s arts courses emerged from the observation of the team’s previous experiences in other institutions. The absence of a guiding document and pedagogical coordination resulted in significant disparities in the learning experience among students of different musical instruments and with different teachers. This lack of uniformity generated difficulties in interaction and knowledge exchange among students, compromising the cohesion of the learning environment.

Art, in its multiple forms, is recognized for its importance in the social and psychological spheres of individuals, according to studies by Schellenberg and Weiss (2013), Ferreira, Batista, and Olive (2020), and Reis (2025). Musical practice, in particular, goes beyond theoretical development, promoting cognitive functions, motor coordination, creativity, and problem-solving. Therefore, the elaboration of the PPP became essential to structure an educational proposal that aligned pedagogical practice with the intrinsic relevance of the study of music.

The pedagogical and methodological pillars that underpinned the development of the PPP for music education were the works of Suzuki (1983) and Willems (2011). The Suzuki method emphasizes encouragement, positive reinforcement, and the creation of a musical environment conducive to student development. The institution was observed to take care in creating a welcoming space, with well-equipped rooms and quality instruments, in addition to tools for recording student progress in audio and video, promoting a stimulating artistic environment.

Willems’ (2011) approach, also focused on early childhood music education, highlights the democratization of access to music education, arguing that learning should be accessible to everyone, regardless of age or initial abilities. This perspective aligns with the school’s vision that music should be an inclusive experience, allowing each student to explore the instrument of their choice at their own pace and level of difficulty, without judgment.

Both authors, Suzuki (1983) and Willems (2011), emphasize the importance of the social environment in the learning process. This premise directly dialogues with the ideas of Vygotsky, Luria, and Leontiev (2010), who underline the need to establish a solid bond between teacher and student, and to foster interaction among students. The research in the school revealed practices that actively promote integration between teachers and students, encouraging the exchange of experiences and knowledge, with a focus on music as a common link.

To ensure uniformity in music education, a detailed curricular proposal was developed in the PPP. Sacristán (2013) defines curriculum as the pedagogical delimitation of the content to be worked on, and, in this context, curricular planning aims to ensure that all students have access to the same knowledge and correct practices for each instrument. The elaboration of the PPP, therefore, was a process that integrated the records provided by the school and observations of routine, reflecting the reality and experience of the team, according to Stauffer’s (2007) argument about the importance of the school community’s participation in the development of the document.

Team Charter

The analysis of the team structure revealed that the school operates with a multidisciplinary staff, composed of nine teachers and two directors. It was observed that, due to the size of the institution, one of the directors combines the roles of pedagogical coordinator and music teacher, working from Monday to Friday, from 10 am to 9 pm, and on Saturdays, from 9 am to 4 pm. The other director also acts as a crochet teacher, with hours from Tuesday to Friday, from 5 pm to 9 pm, and on Saturdays, from 9 am to 4 pm.

The other professors cover diverse areas: a singing professor (Wednesday, 4 PM to 9 PM), two professors of guitar, acoustic guitar, and bass (one on Monday, 2 PM to 9 PM and Saturday, 9 AM to 4 PM; another on Monday and Tuesday, 10 AM to 5 PM, and Tuesday, 3 PM to 9 PM, also with music production). There is also an audiovisual professor (Wednesday, 5 PM to 9 PM), a photography professor (Monday, Wednesday, and Friday, 4 PM to 9 PM), and a design professor (Monday, Wednesday, and Friday, 1 PM to 6 PM, and Tuesday and Thursday, 5 PM to 9 PM). This organization demonstrates the team’s flexibility and multifunctionality to meet the diversity of courses offered.

Pedagogical Conception

The pedagogical conception of the institution is based on the principles of National Education, based on the Law of Directives and Bases of Education (LDB) and the National Common Curricular Base (BNCC). These documents emphasize the importance of ensuring the student’s learning and integral development, using methodological resources that consider the social and historical context of each individual. The educator, in this sense, has the role of identifying the aspects to be worked on, understanding the facilities and difficulties of each student.

Contact with music is seen as essential for the student to become familiar with the properties of sound. According to Suzuki (1983) and Willems (2011), this relationship should be conscious and welcoming, allowing the student, through listening and instrumental practice, to explore a new language, developing auditory, cognitive, and motor skills. The practice of an instrument, therefore, not only develops the student’s relationship with themselves but also with other music practitioners, in groups and choirs.

For this practice to be effective, intention and interaction are fundamental, starting with the environment. The institution understands the need for a welcoming, aesthetically attractive, and purposeful space that stimulates the senses, fosters creativity, and broadens students’ experiences. Suzuki (1983) highlights encouragement and positive reinforcement as central axes of music education, in addition to the importance of the physical and social environment for student development, promoting knowledge construction through interactions with other students of different levels.

Willems (2011) reinforces the appreciation of practice, encouraging the student’s active participation in classes and expanding their contact with the multiple dimensions of musical creation. Although the Suzuki and Willems methods are often associated with early childhood education, the institution argues that musical learning should have no age limit, allowing any individual to experience music in an exploratory and light way, but with the necessary seriousness. Learning and development objectives are adapted to the knowledge levels and learning styles of each student, aiming to form autonomous musicians who are aware of their role in society.

To ensure meaningful experiences, the educator must act as a mediator, perceiving students’ needs and organizing learning. Vigotskii, Luria, and Leontiev (2010) emphasize the importance of the bond between teacher and student, and the student’s connection with other students and music professionals. Consistent planning and a keen eye to analyze and replan the process are indispensable, ensuring the teacher’s protagonism in the student’s development and the commitment of the entire team to the students’ well-being.

Conception of the music student

The conception of the music student in the institution aligns with the ideas of Vygotsky, Luria, and Leontiev (2010), who postulate that human behavior and learning are results of social processes and continuous interactions. It is recognized that, from musical initiation, the student demonstrates curiosity and observational capacity, making it fundamental to offer opportunities to explore different possibilities that favor their integral development. This includes respecting their uniqueness, thoughts, desires, and preferences, as well as their creativity and innate curiosity.

The student is seen as an integral, functional individual endowed with potential, in constant motion, building and solidifying their understanding of music through individual practice and interaction with teachers and peers. Each student’s uniqueness is respected and fully addressed, with the educator considering each one’s history and life context. This initial perception allows for flexible and continuous planning, which contemplates individual interests and enables the application of diverse processes and methods in the construction of knowledge.

Profile of the student to be trained

The school’s music course primarily aims to prepare beginner students, with no prior knowledge, to become qualified to enter professional technical courses or higher education music courses. Furthermore, it seeks to qualify them as professionals in three main areas. The first is Interpretation, which involves performing as an instrumentalist or singer in professional musical groups, developing the ability to express and communicate through performance.

The second area is Composition and Arrangement, focused on the creation of original music and the elaboration of arrangements for existing compositions. This requires an understanding of musical language and the ability to relate music to other art forms, promoting originality and artistic expression. Finally, the third area is Music Production, which covers the capture and organization of information from various sound sources for the creation of one’s own music or that of others, preparing the student to work behind the scenes of music production.

Curricular organization

The institution’s curricular proposal was developed to fully meet the requirements for approval in specific music exams for admission to higher education courses, both in public and private institutions, and to prepare students for the job market. The training process has a minimum duration of two years and is divided into four cycles, which, in turn, are subdivided into three areas of knowledge: Music Theory, Perception, and Practice. Each academic semester, with approximately 22 weeks, follows a suggested schedule for curriculum development.

The first learning cycle is intended for students with little or no prior contact with musical instruments or music in general. This cycle focuses on repertoire practice and constant contact with auditory perception. Basic content such as Properties of Sound (Theory), Musical Figures and Notes, Clefs, Time Signature and Time Signatures are quickly, but not superficially, introduced in the first classes. Subsequently, the content is interleaved to allow assimilation. Ancient Music History, Appreciation, Rhythmic Perception I, Pitch Perception, Instrument Presentation, Writing and Reading Formats, and Repertoire I are also covered. At the end of this cycle, the professor will have a clearer understanding of the time needed for the application of the cycles, considering the learning facilities and barriers of each student and their study routine.

The second cycle is aimed at students who already have some practice with the instrument and a certain level of autonomy, being able to learn simpler songs independently, using sheet music. However, these students do not yet understand fundamental concepts about how music works, such as scales, sharps, and flats. The proposal of this cycle, besides maintaining constant instrumental and auditory practice, is to build a solid foundation of these essential knowledge for understanding more complex subjects in subsequent cycles.

In this cycle, the topics covered include Major Scale (Theory and Practice), Intervals (Theory and Practice), Chord Formation (Theory and Practice), Properties of the Major Scale, History of Classical Music, Order of Sharps and Flats, Voice Usage, Rhythmic Perception II, Melodic Perception I, and Repertoire II. The progression of these topics aims to consolidate the understanding of musical fundamentals, preparing the student for more advanced challenges, while simultaneously developing their autonomy and musical analysis skills.

The third cycle of music education is for students who already demonstrate a considerable level of autonomy, being able to seek practice groups without the need for a tutor. They possess an intermediate knowledge of how music works, but still need to deepen their understanding of what they read and try to play. This cycle aims to work on these points, in addition to introducing concepts related to music production, such as composition, arrangement, and the aural identification of common sound effects.

The topics include Major Harmonic Field (Theory and Practice), Minor Scales (Theory and Practice), Pentatonic Scale (Theory and Practice), Greek Modes, History of Contemporary Music, Fundamentals of Audio Production, Fundamentals of Composition and Arrangement, Melodic Perception II, Harmonic Perception, Sound Effects, and Repertoire III. At the end of the third cycle, the student will be able to undergo selection processes for admission to higher education music courses, demonstrating a more in-depth and practical understanding of music theory.

Finally, the fourth and last cycle of music education is designed for students who already possess a high level of autonomy and a consolidated understanding of musical concepts. The main focus of this stage is the student’s professionalization, refining the already established concepts and opening new possibilities for them to act not only as instrumentalists but also as composers, arrangers, and music producers. This cycle aims to expand the student’s competencies beyond performance, encompassing creative and technical aspects of music production.

The contents of this cycle cover Fundamentals of Improvisation (Theory and Practice), Minor Harmonic Fields (Theory and Practice), Other Scales, History of Brazilian Music, Technology in Music, Music Production, Perception, Composition and Arrangement, and Repertoire IV. The curricular proposal is indicated for young people from 14 years of age, but requires continuous attention from the pedagogical team to identify learning opportunities and barriers. The educator has the autonomy to extend, reduce, or alter the sequence of subjects, as long as the prerequisites are maintained and the content of one cycle is fulfilled for the subsequent ones. This curriculum can be adapted for children, for those seeking music as a recreational occupation, or for individuals with learning difficulties, with an indeterminate amount of time to meet the needs of each student.

The new curricular proposal will come into effect starting from the second semester of 2026. This structuring does not aim to eliminate any content, but rather to organize the subjects to be taught more effectively. The new curricular model will be implemented for both new students and those already enrolled in the institution. Professionals involved will be responsible for planning the adaptation and introduction of topics that may be absent for students who started before the implementation of the new curriculum, ensuring a smooth transition and continuity of learning.

The elaboration of the Political-Pedagogical Project demonstrated its importance as a guiding document for the school’s pedagogical practices, establishing a schedule that ensures all future students access to correct practices and unified knowledge, considering the interdependencies between contents. This study, by developing a PPP for a small and newly created arts school, highlighted the relevance of such a document for unifying knowledge among students of different musical instruments, and suggests that, after its implementation, continuous analysis of results and periodic review of the document are fundamental for its evolution and for it to encompass the other courses offered by the institution.

4. Conclusion

The present study was dedicated to developing the Political-Pedagogical Project for the music course of a private free courses art school, located in São Bernardo do Campo, SP. It was found that the absence of a guiding document and prior pedagogical coordination resulted in unequal learning experiences among students, hindering interaction and knowledge unification. The elaboration of the PPP, based on the methods of Suzuki (1983) and Willems (2011), and on the sociocultural theories of Vigotskii, Luria, and Leontiev (2010), allowed for the structuring of an educational proposal that aligns pedagogical practice with the intrinsic relevance of music study. The importance of a welcoming environment and social interaction for student development was identified, culminating in the creation of a detailed curricular proposal, divided into four cycles and three areas of knowledge, which aims to prepare students for entry into technical or higher education courses and for professional practice in musical performance, composition, and production.

The main contribution of this work lies in offering a comprehensive PPP and a structured curricular proposal for a small arts school, filling a gap in the pedagogical organization of free course institutions and promoting the unification of knowledge among students of different instruments. However, it is recognized as a limitation that the proposed PPP has not yet been fully implemented. It is therefore suggested that after its implementation, the document be continuously analyzed and revised, incorporating the participation of the school community and expanding its application to other courses offered by the institution, ensuring its continuous evolution and adequacy.

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Article originating from the Course Conclusion Work of the Specialization in School Management of the MBA USP/Esalq

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