The Art of Becoming Who You Once Needed

How Playmaker Lenira Dos Reis connects with kids through art. 

Lenira DosReis is a Visual Arts teacher in Boston who felt the life-changing impact of her own Playmakers after immigrating to the U.S. as a child. 

“When I moved here at age 12, adapting was challenging but I had a journalism teacher who taught me poetry as an English language learner and created opportunities that students like me wouldn’t normally have access to. An art teacher once said to me, ‘‘You remind me of Rembrandt; you have something special.’ She sparked something inside me. With my own students, I want to spark the same curiosity, confidence and artistic expression that my teachers inspired in me. I want them to know they’re good at something. Whatever they create, I treat it like Christmas.” 

Most importantly, Lenira wants her students to know they are seen, valued, and empowered with voice and choice. When asked why she chose this profession years ago, Lenira responds, “I wanted to be the person I needed when I was a young student. I wanted to play it forward."

Many of Lenira’s students face challenges similar to those she encountered as a young girl. All of them need a caring, optimistic adult in their corner, regardless of their cultural or socio-economic background. Lenira fosters their creativity, using artistic expression to create a safe and inclusive environment for her kids to process their feelings and develop their own unique gifts.

"I have a third-grade student who struggles with intense mood swings. In class last week while the other children painted, Denny sat in the corner crying by himself. I got down on his level and calmly told him that his emotions were okay. I let him know that if he wanted, we could talk about what was bothering him or we could just try to move through whatever he was feeling. By connecting with Denny and validating his feelings, his mood changed completely. By the end of class, he was painting! When he got watercolor all over the face of the portrait he was painting and told me he had “made a mistake,” I reminded him that those “mistakes” are part of the creative process. He asked to borrow my oil pastels and used them to make the portrait laugh. His interpretation was amazing. That was enough to lift his spirit for the rest of the week."

As a recent graduate of Playmaker University, Lenira’s sense of positivity and purpose has been reignited. “For the first time in 15 years, I am showing up again like the teacher I’ve always wanted to be.”

Lenira prioritizes play in her classroom through movement and music. She introduces her students to meditation, teaching them to “sit like the Mona Lisa” as they wait for their turn with the rainbow xylophone.

Through the Playmaker approach, Lenira is reminded of her goal to become the kind of teacher she once needed as a child. She laughs, explaining: “Remember the journalism teacher I told you about? Her grandchildren are my students now. They’re second graders and little artists!”

Lenira DosReis is certainly fulfilling her dream of playing it forward!