Coffee Shop Chats

In autumn 2023 IFFE decided to organised online get-togethers and thematic chats every last Monday of the month from 19:00 – 20:30; these chats are advertised in the Pestalozzi Community of Practice and use Zoom as a platform.

Currently we are in the summer break and the chats will resume in autumn (end of September). We are also looking into the outcomes of the chats and will publish some more information soon to inform and to stimulate further reflection and debate.

Here is a brief summary of the chats from December 2023 to June 2024.

December 23

First get-together with lots of sharing of recent personal and professional news. Several topic came out very strongly among which

The effects of AI in its various forms and shapes on life in general and on education in particular
The role(s) of beliefs, spirituality and religions in people’s lives and whether school should react

January 24

We had a look around at what is happening in the world and wondering what needs to be done to change it for the better – or to prevent things like wars happening. Somehow, education, peace education, citizenship education, democracy education, etc. have not delivered their promises.

One of the major questions was/ What does education need to look like if we want to avoid people falling into -isms and beliefs that make killing and destroying a necessary thing to do?

February 24

We touched upon a whole range of topics. Among others the following

AI in the classroom
Psychological problems of teachers and learnersStudents believe everything written in the internet (adults too) and whether smartphone addiction is real or just a reaction of the parent generation
What is intelligence anyway
Critical thinking as a crucial skill
Coaching of students and teachers
Violence
Smartphone addiction – and no worry because the young people can manage it
From disrespect to respect

And many more…

We decided to focus future chats on a particular topic so that we can go deeper into the subject project possible improvements and solutions. We also decided to launch a poll for the next topic to discuss.

March 24

The chat focussed on Wellbeing in education. It is a vast subject and we touched upon many different things. Whose job is it to care for the wellbeing of learners and teachers? Is it the parents’ job to provide a surrounding that fosters wellbeing, is it the school’s job? In some countries the roles are separate – school providing instruction and parents providing education – in others schools and teachers also have a role to play in education and thus in wellbeing.

Another point is certainly that the relationships we have amongst colleagues, with administration, with parents and with the learners will determine to a big part whether we can contribute to more wellbeing or not.

One other thing is a also for certain: school and teachers cannot deliver everything and anything at all times in the context in which they vexerce their profession. The discussion is by far not finished.