This article systematizes a series of moments built while in the company of a fourth grader from the public school where I worked as a special education teacher in 2013. In the article, I described what I learned from the shared experiences generated from the naturalistic paradigm, the qualitative approach and the action research model, using pedagogical situations planned with the objective of understanding the reality of the student and the educational process for this particular case allowing or limiting success at school. My purpose is to reflect on issues related to the educational practice, from an individual standpoint and from the perspective of the teacher who observes and listens to his/herself in his/her daily actions and who looks for new ways to help students to find the true meaning of learning. From this perspective, the methodological design for this research project is based on the natural observation of the interaction between the teacher and the student. Using this technique allowed identifying one of the participating subjects and choosing research activities (individual or group work sessions) and strategies for data collection (photos, videos, stories and conversation recordings). After this, experiences are systematized in written and illustrated form (conversations and photographs of the participant’s drawings). The article is based on a case study that includes my individual interventions with the student, as well as planned learning moments with his class. To conclude, I interpret and analyze each of the moments meeting with the student, in the light of the scientific and theoretical findings accompanying the research project. In addition, I reflect that my priority as a teacher in action is creating spaces that would allow students to experience sensitivity, empathy, and appreciation for people and their talents.

Action research; teaching work; singularity; significant learning; art