Working with groups of people at local community level, I can see that transformative competences are needed to shape a better future for all. In a participatory way
People with less opportunities often feel them-self not able to give a contribution or feel to be not interested to the common goods issues
Having a low educational level or bad experiences in education they are not interested to be again in a classroom and learn as students.
But they could be interested to contribute to create values, coexistence, to take responsibility
Educators are often still used to teach formally in not learner centered way
The learners could be otherwise interested to participate in informal setting activities using languages based on the pleasure to do.
And the artistic/ creative languages are based on the pleasure to do, overcoming borders of languages, cultures, religions, gender, socio-economic status, health conditions, etc.
As facilitator of an informal learning setting, I am used to:
Ask to the participants to formulate an intention, a result they would like to achieve at the end of the learning session, very realistic, based on their body language, or better, coming from what they feel in their body just here and now.
Then I propose to the group some practices that are metaphors of the topics coming from the intentions expressed, paying attention not to leave one behind
The experiences are based on mind-boby languages, as listening music, practicing movements or sounds, using colors or clay, gardening, qigong, meditation, etc.
After each experience I ask what they discovered (if so) or let them reflect and listen them self in silence
At the end of the learning session, I ask them to say, one by one, what they have appreciate more, when they felt pleasure, what they bring home.
By Paola Conti – Sintagmi Italy
