The present study, in the form of an essay, argues, from a philosophical point of view, about the meaning of gestures in general and in teaching practice. The analysis proceeds from the differentiation of the meaning of the gesture from a mere motor gesture to symbolic or expressive gestures from which one perceives the proper meaning of gesture for this investigation. It is inferred that the performative, and therefore expressive, dimension of the gesture allows for the creation of a space for experimentation and construction of knowledge that is qualitatively distinct from the ordinary and not regulated by merely biological, cognitive or instrumental purposes. This perspective comprehends gesture from its performative dimension as an aesthetic act. The study describes and analyzes the contents, the objects, the conditions and the effects of the aesthetic element with regard to a performative teaching practice. The investigation is supported by the intuitions of Osman Lins, Walter Benjamin, Hans Ulrich Gumbrecht, Jean Galard, Baldine Saint Girons, among others.
aesthetic education; communication; teaching practice; gesture; performance