Here, I would like to share with you two suggestions about getting more people involved in the evolution of education and to encourage a wider dialogue, so that our children and young people get to have a better future. These are personal thoughts that arose after presenting a workshop (with my collaborator, Agapi Liapaki), on “Teaching Self-Leadership Skills” at the European Conference of Democratic Education, in August 2018, held in Crete.
I currently teach in a state Business School in Higher Education in Crete and see how unhappy and stressed young people are, because they have no idea what they want in life and feel there is no hope. From talking with fellow academics across Europe, I see how this may be the case for many young people, irrelevant of country of origin. For this reason, five years ago, I experimented with the introduction of a new elective course on “Self-Leadership” that included many fun, interactive exercises. This course that is now well-established coupled with the initiative of “Iris, art of joy” (www.artofjoy.gr), aims to help young adults find the courage to voice their opinion and follow their dreams. This is important, since today’s young adults will be the next generation of parents and workers.
Over the years, I have realized three things: 1/ that traditional schooling does not help young people get to know themselves and what their talents are. Instead of developing life skills and exploring each child’s unique gift in a fun way, all lessons are focused on the outside world and cognitive skills taught in old-fashioned ways, 2/ with the 4th Industrial Revolution well under way, future jobs will need people that have grit, can communicate well and can solve problems computers cannot. In other words well paid jobs will go to candidates with high levels of life skills, social and emotional intelligence, 3/ that unless society takes a broader view of developing its young, future generations will face increased unemployment, more crime and loneliness.
This is why education reform needs to evolve against the broader backdrop of “Pedia”, a Greek word, which I have found no exact translation for in English and is a much wider notion than “Education”. It encompasses many more besides traditional schooling, such as culture, socialization, human dignity, integrity, social values, the way we conduct business, the way we relate with others. In the link below, you can see a hand drawn mind map of some of the elements that make up “Pedia”.
The European Conference on Democratic Education (EUDEC 2018) was held for the very first time in Greece. It was so encouraging to see all the many bright interventions that took place in primary and secondary education, even in state schools here in Greece! There however, I noticed how careful we need to be in the language we use, when discussing about evolutions.
So, in my view, “Education” is part of “Pedia”. And because “Pedia” is an ideal, a value connected to developing Humans (capital “H” for emphasis) it cannot have an adjective in front of it, as for instance, “Democratic”. At this conference, I heard many variations and contradictions even, on the definition of Democracy. Labels are almost never well defined and often tinted by the filtered glasses we each wear, depending on our beliefs and life experiences. In any case, who can truly say they actively and consciously live daily in a democratic way?
1/ My suggestion here is for us to keep an open dialogue on the evolution of “Pedia”, not just education and for us to keep discussing using simple, organic, humane, language, free from adjectives and politically correct words and “isms”, like adultism and paternalism.
2/ And the second point I want to make as a suggestion, is that a real evolution of “Παιδεία” (Pedia), is only possible if all involved constantly and consciously first take a close look inside themselves. This is not just educators, but parents too. Nothing can change outside of us, without careful introspection, and conscious individual shadow work. Self-development and mindfulness are at this stage of humanity, the yeast of human evolution. We need these to have a crystal clear view of what our each next step needs to be. As Gandhi used to say: “Be the change you wish to see in the world”.
If children and young people are encouraged to explore who they truly are, seek out their unique talents, experiment and learn life skills experientially, then we will have succeeded in producing the exponential disruption needed for a brighter future!
#selfleadership #leadership #EUDEC #education #reform #4ir #industrialrevolution #joy #artofhappiness #youngadults #youth #derryhannam
Alexia Mary Tzortzaki, Ph.D., is a professor who teaches Management and Personal Leadership to young people at the Technological Educational Institute of Crete and her vision “Sparkles in Young People’s Eyes” can be found at her website https://www.artofjoy.gr/?lang=en
Email: amtzortzaki [at] yahoo [dot] gr
Photo: Alexia’s original mind map of what ‘Pedia’ encompasses, as this was formulated in 2009.