Social Justice with Francene Watson

I really enjoyed the session on social justice, sustainability and teaching symposium on Friday afternoon. To focus on the importance of self-development and the need to connect our heart with our mind is what I believe, before coming, most essential, not only in education but in life in general. So hearing such statement was more than I expected and it thrilled me. So far, we had spent so much time discussing, analyzing and criticizing theories that we forgot to explore feelings. Yet that is definitely the language that works the more effectively with children.

If we teach them one idea with words but express something different with our body language, no wonder they are lost. Then, Francene Watson asked: ‘What is wrong with telling children the truth about how we feel?’ ‘What is wrong with telling them we care?’ We all looked at each other not knowing if it was the greatest or the more frightening idea we heard since we arrived. It was difficult to reflect on our own power, our own stories, to share our personal lives and real beliefs. I think I hated it as much as I loved it because it was hard and necessary at the same time.

I don’t want my children to be uncomfortable because I don’t dare to show them who I am and since I wish them to feel free to say everything, I guess, it has to start with me. Children know who they have in front of them. They understand, intuitively. What they simply won’t understand is why we try to be someone else. We talked a lot about authenticity in theory in class so it was good to work on it in practice.

I also loved to hear that we all agreed with our vision of what we want for our classroom, even though it is for the moment only words. We wish our children to feel free to make mistakes, to be passionate, to laugh from the bottom of their heart, to explore and to create, to engage, to realize the importance of the other, to be aware…and become their own heroe.

I heard some say that the videos we watched were idealistic but, in the end, no matter how hard we try to remain down to earth, we are all dreamers. We, though citizens of different countries, are all driven by the same goals and ’unrealistic’ aspirations. We want to shoot the stars and I think that’s what connect us somehow. Maybe it is crazy, but at least we look in the same direction, and it is not the ground.

This course reminded me I do need the others, because their goals are not different than mine and that 15 is better than 1 to achieve them.

It reminded me of what I often forget and should try to keep in mind:

« I am because you are… ».