Education and picking the most
\nsuitable tuition alternatives for children are topics of major concern for
\nRomanian society. At global level, the education system tends to be exhausting
\nfor both teachers and parents, pushing children away from schools. The mere
\ntransmission of information does no longer comply with the demands of the new
\ngenerations, while formal education seems to widen the gap between education
\ninstitutions and students.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
\n
<\/p>\n
The Humanitas Cismigiu Library in
\nBucharest recently played host to a debate aimed at providing answers to all
\nthe important questions related to education, addressing both students and
\nparents alike. Lila Vasilescu, the director of the Verita Foundation, told us
\nabout the increasingly visible contrast between formal and informal education.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
\n
<\/p>\n
I’ve tried to observe where
\nthese discrepancies stem from and why, when we talk about formal education. The
\nproblems are there, and the students and teachers are starting to resist this
\nsystem more and more. As a teacher, I have to admit that my focus was initially
\non the children, the teaching itself and the curricula. It didn’t take me long
\nto realize that, in fact, to be able to reach these children, we have to first
\nreach the adults that surround them. <\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
\n
<\/p>\n
Children today more often than not
\nseem not just overwhelmed by the vast curricula, but also trapped in a system
\nthat does not allow them to know their own intellectual abilities. This is
\nsomething both tutors and parents have acknowledged. Lila Vasilescu.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
\n
<\/p>\n
We have to first start
\nworking with the teachers and parents, encourage them to try to simplify
\nthings, return to a simple way of doing education. The starting points should
\nbe basic needs, science and common sense. I too have recently felt trapped in
\nthis whirlpool of information charging at me from everywhere, in my desire to
\nabsorb as much information as possible. All information is useful, of course,
\nbut at one point you realize you are revolving around the same things. It’s
\neasy to get lost in this wealth of information. <\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
\n
<\/p>\n
How do we choose the best education
\noption for our children? Andreea Puiu, a teacher and developer with Pedagogy
\nof happiness explains.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
\n
<\/p>\n
Whenever I choose something,
\nI always focus on personal happiness, because this is what matters most.
\nWhenever we choose something for our family in terms of education, it’s
\nimportant to stand by our children and support them as parents, see how they feels,
\nwhat their needs and interests are. This way we can support them in later life
\nas well. It’s hard to support a kid who is disappointed or angry and feels we
\ndon’t identify with his feelings. As tutors, it’s important to be on a par with
\nour students, observe their gestures and reactions, the way they perceive us.
\nI’ve seen many schools and realized that each class has its own model of
\nhappiness. <\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
\n
<\/p>\n
To what extent is society concerned
\nwith the impact of education? Sabina Strugariu is a psychiatrist who believes a
\nhappy life is based on the integration of future adults in society. <\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
\n
<\/p>\n
Competitiveness is one
\nof the main forms used to compel children to do certain things, by comparing
\nthem to others. It’s always hard to build a better world if you always look out
\nfor your peers. It’s not something material, not even spiritual. To be able to
\nlive a happy life, you need to integrate. Children must know who they are and
\nmind their surroundings. If you teach your child to cherish money or
\nreputation, you won’t have the time to look around and see who you are, what
\nyour talents and aspirations are. This is a major problem, and unfortunately,
\nthe education system is promoting it. Everyone learns the same things at the
\nsame pace. <\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
\n
<\/p>\n
How much is education concerned
\nwith the child’s own abilities? Psychologist Andreea Neagu. <\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
\n
<\/p>\n
Whenever I interact with
\na child I try to ascertain his strengths. Even in parental counseling sessions,
\nin class, when I teach or in my cabinet, I try to help him see the good in him.
\nTo get there, however, they need a long process of self-learning. From where I
\nstand, the global trend is to help children benefit from this process as part
\nof the formal education they get. This is why international education systems
\nhave introduced social or emotional education classes, where children get to
\nlearn about themselves, thus helping them learn about others as well. <\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
\n
<\/p>\n
In recent years the public
\neducation system has introduced personal development classes for the primary
\neducation grades. Children can thus get to know themselves and their peers,
\nstarting from identifying emotions, seen as an important step towards emotional
\nintelligence. <\/p>\n
\n
<\/p>\n
(Translated by V. Palcu)<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
A recent debate tackled some of the problems of formal education<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":133,"featured_media":143225,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[42997],"tags":[43765,43767,43766,43769,43768],"coauthors":[],"class_list":["post-143224","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-society-today","tag-education-and-learning","tag-emotional-intelligence","tag-formal-education","tag-school-curricula","tag-self-learning"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\n