It Take 2 Types of People

Some people are visionaries. They are always looking toward the future, dreaming of a brighter tomorrow, and envisioning realities not yet seen or imagined. Their feet are not always planted on the ground because their thoughts carry them to places above where they can currently touch.

Others find the visionaries to be a bit flighty and label them as dreamers with their heads in the cloud. They don’t have as much faith as the visionaries. But, the skills of these realists are also valuable. They are the ones that put plans in to action and create outlines, timelines, and long range plans to make the dreams become reality. They are the ones who keep everyone in line and on task.

The world needs a nice balance between the visionaries and the realists. Luckily at PRECE we are blessed to have both types of people and that is making a huge difference. 18 years ago Prof. Manoel Andrade had the dream of revolutionizing public education in Brasil. He had witnessed the public education system fail many of his friends, family members and loved ones because of inadequate buildings and resources, too few teachers, and a lack of interest. In 1994, when 7 students from the small community of Cipó in northeastern Brasil began studying together in an old flour mill they had a vision. Their vision was not only to improve their own reality by entering the Federal University in the capital city of Fortaleza, but also to improve the reality of their community by bringing education back to the people and developing new educational, agricultural, business, etc. programs. They were visionaries. And, they put in a great deal of hard work.

Along the way came other visionaries who believed in their dreams as well as realists who were able to recognize the actual situation and put in place a process to change the situation. Over the past 18 years over 500 students who have studied with PRECE have now entered the university. The Federal University (UFC) has taken an interest in the methodology of PRECE and has developed their own Cooperative Learning program. And, the State Secretary of Education (SEDUC) has also taken an interest and given administrative control of a brand new High School and Professional School in Pentecoste to PRECE and the Cooperative Learning Program leaders at UFC.

The realists and the visionaries are walking hand in hand and

building upon each other’s abilities. Since the beginning of 2012 alone, PRECE leaders, teachers from the Professional School, leaders from SEDUC and UFC Professors have visited many high schools and colleges around Brasil to teach the PRECE Cooperative Learning Methodology. They have been to around Ceará and most recently to the state of Mato Grosso. And, now in all Professional High Schools in the state of Ceará the students will use the PRECE Cooperative Learning Methodology during their “study hall”.

In 1994 Professor Manoel Andrade and 7 students had a vision. Today that vision is a reality.