ODDience2030 teams met each other this time in Bucharest where we participated in a workshop of four full days led by Andreea Gatman. The Finnish team consisted of two special needs teachers Nina and Hannele and Arts teacher Maija.

In the workshop we did numerous practices where we were getting in contact with ourselves and others. Some of us met the limits of our comfort zones and some went over to the other side with flying colours. And it did us good. We have our personal limits in different places. For some it is a challenge to take off their shoes and stand in the middle of others in just their socks during the workshop, for others sitting on the floor is nearly an impossible task and then it might be absolutely frightening to be quiet and just look the other person in the eye.

The concept of time was contemplated. We asked ourselves why we are in such a hurry all the time. The sense of hastiness prevents us from feeling and thinking, it makes us do silly things, to lose the essential.

button up their coats and put a hat on.  But now we have warm summers and warm Septembers. Soon we will have to find new jokes.

We practiced communication without words through doing and body language. We created some kind of presentation of our thoughts and aims by using pencils and natural materials like sticks, stones, plantes.

And a lot more. We did so much that all will not be remembered by everybody but we all will carry some things with us into the work and our lives. And any way we all forget most the things that happen to us not to mention the things we just see or hear.

Someone might ask themself what do staring, taking positions or building some strange gadget of sticks and stones have to do with teaching or learning. And I could answer “but it does!”

People communicate with their whole body and we know that if the non-verbal message is not coherent with the verbal message the words won’t be believed. The body is worse a liar than our speech. We can tell lies but the body reveals the truth. For the most part we are unaware of the messages our bodylanguage sends. If a teacher doesn’t understand this mechanism and somehow tries to work against their own values or or principles their teaching suffers and so will the learning suffer.

ODDience is looking for sustainable ways to teach and to learn. Sustainability is not just about recycling and protecting the nature it is also about sensible use of human resources. By respecting each other we get permanent results and might even discover something totally new.

Going to a new place to learn new things is a challenge AND very rewarding. The workshop already a thing for itself (das Ding an sich) but then you have all the other things to solve. How to buy tickets for the metro? Wich way should we go? How does the toilet work? How do I go across the street and stay alive? Where’s breakfast? What does the sign say? Do I need to tip the server? How much? Was it too much? Was it too little? Do I greet people by shaking hands, by kisses or hugs? Why is the lift not moving? Why isn’t it stopping? Where do I stamp this ticket? Do I have to negotiate the price for a taxi ride? How much? Is it cold or warm outside?

Boy do I love routines when I’m back home! 

Romania’s history is long and rich. Bucharest used to be called Little Paris for its beautiful parks and houses. Past times have left their marks on buildings and people, equality is still a dream, life is not easy for all in Romania. The experience was interesting, intense and left me with a lot of thoughts. 

Our luggage went missing both on our way to Bucharest and from Bucharest. Having arrived in Bucharest I went looking for a place to report missing luggage. I saw a sign saying something about baggage and luggage, went in and got a question from a lady: 

“What airline?” 

“KLM” 

“Corridor” was the answer. No smiles there. 

Flying back I was looking for a same kind of office in Helsinki and saw familiar words luggage and baggage.

“What airline?” (in Finnish) 

“Air France”

 “Next booth”. No smiles there either. 

What can you do? I had to laugh. 

Based on the 67 registered teachers for the training program, when invited to reflect on what is the future they imagine for students learning with Sustainable Development Goals, most of the teachers prioritized critical thinking and creativity.

This data is reported before there was the strategic partnership decision based on project audit to choose 2 transversal competencies for a more directed outcome.

Here is a word map created by teachers answers before the program started (from January 2024)

After each of the 4 modules, the assessment confirms the intention of prioritizing creativity and critical thinking. 

Based on the toolkit to support each of the 4 modules, when asked “What is one thing that surprised your attention during the module” the majority chose creative tools for the classroom. Here are some of the teachers’ answers.

“I had the the ability to imagine just with the use of words, texture, learning with 5 senses as inward-outward attention”.

“ An individual’s perspectives towards a thing around them, following small steps that lead to a very thoughtful product, mental imagery and the power of imagination”

Some participants, reported in blog articles or through assessments, the state of confusion, more or less tolerated at some critical points.

Self reflecting, later on, they identified external factors-distractions, as being causes that made their learning harder or stopped it. 

First emotions behind the creative process is the confusion, and tolerating, by which we mean having practices to stay and investigate gather new data (Hayashi, 2021, Kumar, 2021). Engaging pedagogies defined as this state of caring about what we learn and teach in the classroom, hence we teach students to tolerate confusion to unlearn in order to be ready to learn again, one cannot know how to hold confusion, without experiencing on themselves (Lonka, 2018). 

In the process of “getting back” to clarity and coherence “that feel safe zone”.

We learn to offer grace to ourselves, and “trust the process” as preconditions of this work with emerging strategies. Grace is defined by vulnerability in the words of researcher Brene Brown “staying with all that comes at the limits of our comfort zone”, and where the learning zone starts (Vygotsky). 

Facilitation, as the etymologically means “a certain ability to feel at ease  with what otherwise is hard or difficult work” and this speaks about the inner process, of the teacher as part of “teaching with Sustainable Development Goals.”

“In the end what we want from this creative pedagogical prototype of a lesson, is for the students and teachers to have an image of us valuing connection, beyond all tasks, beyond the result, to have this agreement.”

(Marie Alice Moreira, teacher from Bel Orme)

La première originalité du projet Oddience tient de l’apprentissage de la créativité et de l’esprit critique croisé avec le développement des connaissances en matière environnementale. Il s’agit d’une formation à plusieurs entrées de contenus (environnement et « soft skills ») et nécessitant plusieurs approches de formation.

Prises indépendamment,

• Les connaissances en matière environnementale pourraient se développer de manière transmissive – à l’appui de rapports scientifiques, de la fréquentation et de l’imprégnation en milieu naturel, d’apports sur supports variés et progressifs.
• ⇒ La preuve du développement des compétences environnementales pourrait rester interne et individuelle (augmentation des connaissances, du niveau des sujets traités et des questions abordées)

• La créativité et l’esprit critique – que certains pourraient encore penser relevant de l’inné et par conséquent peu chercher à les former – peuvent se développer de manière expérimentale.
• ⇒ La preuve du développement de ces « soft skills », ou compétences psycho-sociales, émotionnelles et comportementales, selon les traductions, tient de l’évolution du comportement ou de la capacité à se comporter.

En reliant les deux types de compétences dans le même projet, en termes de formation, Oddience s’est donné pour but indirect l’exploration d’une modalité de formation mixte et impliquante :

• Mixte, par le va-et-vient entre les apports scientifiques en connaissances sur l’environnement et l’exploration sensorielle et émotionnelle de la créativité et de l’esprit critique.

• Impliquante, par le fait qu’à la suite d’une première phase de découverte, les équipes passent à la mise en pratique d’enseignement et qu’elle ne peut se faire sans mesure parallèle de l’impact sur le comportement des apprenants.

C’est là, la deuxième originalité du projet Oddience. Il s’agit d’amener les partenaires et les enseignants des établissements scolaires à concevoir leur enseignement à l’aide des grilles d’évaluation et d’avancer en crabe en quelque sorte, en faisant évoluer les grilles d’évaluation au fur et à mesure de leur enseignement et vice versa.

En synthèse, l’ingénierie du projet Oddience allie les divers ingrédients nécessaires à la formation des enseignants : des apports scientifiques (sur l’environnement), la mise en pratique, l’expérimentation (séances avec les élèves), la collaboration, l’évaluation – la mesure d’impacts (en termes de créativité et d’esprit critique).

Traditionnellement, ces étapes se déroulent de façon linéaire et l’évaluation vient sanctionner la réussite des objectifs fixés au départ.

Dans le projet Oddience, les étapes sont habilement coordonnées. Elles s’interpellent pour se nourrir et s’enrichir. Il ne s’agit pas non plus d’une démarche circulaire à la manière d’une recherche action. Il s’agit plutôt d’un éco-système apprenant qui devrait arriver à faire aboutir en dernière année à la fois les compétences environnementales, les comportements créatifs et les esprits critiques et des grilles de compétences.

In our journey towards achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), education stands as a powerful driver of change.

At Universal School, we recognize the critical role of educators in shaping a sustainable future. Recently, our teachers embarked on an enlightening online learning journey led by Andreea Gatman, exploring the transformative potential of online training for SDGs.

Guiding us through this endeavor are luminaries such as Dr. Carol Williams from the University of Wisconsin and Professor Karen O’Brien from Oslo University, Nobel Prize Winner for her contributions to understanding climate change. Their pioneering work underscores the vital connection between education and sustainable development. Dr. Williams’ modules, rooted in neuroscience and the science of well-being, foster empathy and reflection essential for driving sustainable action. Meanwhile, Professor O’Brien’s insights highlight the interconnectedness of environmental and social systems, urging us to adopt a holistic approach to sustainability.

The power of online training for SDGs lies in its accessibility and inclusivity.

Regardless of background or location, individuals can access resources tailored to SDG priorities, democratizing education and amplifying diverse voices in the pursuit of sustainable development. Through interactive resources and virtual collaboration tools, they can inspire students to become active agents of change, equipped with the knowledge and skills needed to address pressing global challenges.

As we conclude this journey, Universal School stands poised to embrace the transformative potential of online learning in advancing SDGs.

By empowering educators with the tools and knowledge to integrate sustainability into their teaching practices, we are nurturing a generation of global citizens committed to creating a more just, equitable, and sustainable world for present and future generations.
In collaboration with visionary leaders, we are paving the way towards a brighter, more sustainable future, where education serves as a catalyst for positive change on a global scale.

Together, let us continue to harness the power of education to build a world where no one is left behind, and every individual can thrive in harmony with the planet.

Once upon a time a group of teachers decided to do something different. So they talked to a trainer and she agreed to take them across a land they had never seen before, but only heard about.

The first stop was in a cave. Inside, it was very dark, and they could see nothing, not even their trainer. But they could hear her voice: “Look at the mirrors!”, she said.

The group of teachers was surprised with this demand. How could they look at the mirrors? Where were they? They were so confused and didn’t know what to do.

So they started looking at themselves and realised that this was what the trainer meant. For what they had to do was to close their eyes and listen to their own breath, hear the echoes in their minds and look at the images passing through their heads. In this land, they learnt a bit more about themselves, and they learnt how to be aware of their inner thoughts.

After this precious lesson, their travel continued.

The next stop took them to a beautiful land, full of colours. And beautiful trees and flowers. And huge gardens and lakes. They started looking at the landscapes and said “Wow! This is really beautiful!” And suddenly they felt an urge to share with their partners what they saw, what they smelled. Share the joy they felt, their happiness. And so they started to talk to each other. They shared their views and feelings. They shared their experiences and felt happy about it.

They realised that happiness is not about experiencing something wonderful, but sharing it with the others. As they started to share, to communicate, they listened to their partners. And they realised this is what communication is about. This is what sharing is about. Talking, listening, asking, understanding the other’s feelings and experiences. And they felt a happiness they had never sensed before.

The third stop led them to a land that looked similar to their own.

There was nothing different in it. The same things around them. Their everyday life presented in front of them. And the teachers were surprised, even disappointed. What was special about this new stop? Why had she taken them to this land? And, as if guessing what they were going through, looking at their confused faces, the trainer told them: “Look at all the things around you. But don’t look at them as before. Look at them in a special way. Find something new in them. Look at them in a different perspective!”

So they started looking at the things in a different way. And, all of a sudden, it all made sense. Their old world was transformed into a new one.

The same table, where they sat for hours, working, was now a witness to their hard work. The same vase, a vase for decoration, became a remembrance of a special moment. Everything gained a new meaning. And they started to feel thankful for what they had. Their lives took on a new dynamic.

The fourth and final stop was a beautiful garden full of flowers.

Needless to say, the trainer asked them to pick a flower. They looked so nice, so full of indescribable and mysterious colours and perfume.

As they stretched their arms, they realised that as soon as they picked a flower, its smell would disappear and its colour would fade. So they had to think of some way to pick the flower so that it would continue to be as perfumed and beautiful as before. So they thought of pick it and putting it in a jar full of water. But there was a problem – when stretching the arm to pick the flower, the jar could break and, consequently, the water would spill and the flower would lose its colour and perfume.

Now their journey had come to an end. So the trainer said: “This is as far as I can go with you. In your lives, you will find lots of flowers like these. You will make plans to achieve your objectives. But there will be weaknesses in your plans. You should take advantage of the opportunities, but beware the threats! And always remember the teacher’s tools!”

And thus their journey came to an end. They all felt they wanted to learn more with this trainer. But she had to go. They felt happy and sad at the same time – happy to have had this marvellous experience, but sad because the journey had ended.

Le projet ODDience est lancé. Nos cerveaux en ébullition à la sortie de la semaine de lancement, n’attendent plus qu’une chose : en apprendre plus sur les compétences du 21ème siècle !!!!

Mais que sont ces compétences ? Comment les intégrer dans nos enseignements ? Comment peut-on développer notre propre pensée critique ?  Tant de questions restent encore en suspens.

Un premier questionnaire arrive. Mais de quoi s’agit-il ? Comment répondre à des questions si différentes de celle abordées habituellement ?  C’est parti ! Nous commençons à nous questionner sur nos modes de pensée.

La formation commence enfin. Nous voilà installés face à nos écrans. Prêts à se connecter. L’inconnu nous attend.

Le lâcher prise sera le maitre mot de ce début de formation. La relaxation, la prise en compte de notre environnement, libérer notre esprit des contraintes environnementales, voilà les premiers jalons de la formation.

Au début décontenancée, ne sachant vers où je m’engouffrais, je réussis au fur et à mesure des séances à me laisser aller et à me projeter vers un autre mode de pensée.

Ce lâché prise, surprenant au départ, m’a finalement inspirée. Je me suis laissée transportée vers d’autres approches.

Ce mode de travail et de pensée, tourné vers la nature, vers l’autre, est une opportunité, nous amenant vers d’autres méthodes de travail. Le changement climatique, les enjeux des 17 ODD  pour transformer notre monde, sont un tremplin, un prétexte aux nouvelles méthodes d’enseignement.

Réimaginer l’enseignement, prendre du recul, il s’agit de déterminer  “Qu’est-ce qu’est la pensée critique, la pensée scientifique ? En quoi les compétences du 21ème siècle, nous permettrons d’être interconnectés au monde ?”

Ces formations tournées vers l’autre, se sont organisées en groupes de travail interdisciplinaires et internationaux. Une forte représentation de l’Inde dans chaque groupe, apporte une approche et angle différents concernant nos attitudes, nos croyances, hypothèses. Cette richesse nous amène à voir notre monde de manière interconnectée, à ouvrir nos champs de vision sur le monde et nos salles de classe.

Nos angles morts sont le centre du problème, de nos réflexions.

– Comment ouvrir nos perspectives ?

– Comment connecter les savoirs au monde qui nous entoure ?

– Comment se reconnecter à la nature ?

Ces formations nous ont tout d’abord bousculé. Changer sa façon d’aborder un sujet, n’est pas si facile. Mais comment faire évoluer l’enseignement si nous ne passons pas par cette étape ?

Nous nous tournons à présent vers un coapprentissage. Etudiant et enseignant œuvrent ensemble pour se décentrer vers une pensée critique, tournée vers les objectifs du développement durable. Connaissances et compétences demeurent interconnectées pour donner un sens au monde, former les jeunes à être des acteurs citoyens de demain.

Nous voilà engagés vers un nouvel apprentissage qui deviendra possible pour les élèves et les enseignants dans le cadre de l’éducation durable.