CONCEPTS AND 3 DEFINITIONS Authors: F. Gillet (Haute Ecole Bruxelles Brabant) and G. Picone (La Salle Foundation, Argentina), G. Baldin (Apprentis d‘Auteuil) Editors: A. Solander-Gross (CJD, Germany), A. Moukarzel (St Joseph University, Lebanon) 34
Educators An educator will be We can define the educational link as an articu- for the subject the lation of generations, since it weaves very fine one who put him in threads of trust between them. Everyone will contact with the use them in the adventure of their own life. An world and did not educator will be a mentor for the subject; the one try to spare it the who put him in contact with the world and did vicissitudes, on the not try to spare him the vicissitudes, on the cont- contrary, provided rary, provided him with the tools to face it. On the him with the tools to first contact, the titles, the education, or the roles face it. don’t make someone an educator. What is funda- mental is the educational link. CONCEPTS AND DEFINITIONS 35
Popular education An education that When we talk about popular education, we do understands young it thinking of an education that welcomes the people as subjects of conflicting reality of life since it feeds on it; who rights and believes embraces diversity and challenges inequality. that knowledge is An education that understands young people as built collectively. subjects of rights and believes that knowledge is built collectively. We think of an education that seeks social justice and, for that, looks at reality from the point of view of subordinate groups, the impoverished, the disadvantaged. We discuss predetermined destinies and we understand that all education is political, not neutral, and that its intentionality must clearly express the decision to transform the world for the construction of more dignified lives. 36 CONCEPTS AND DEFINITIONS
The pedagogy of presence The pedagogy of Today, young people are asking for effective help presence, as a theory to overcome obstacles that prevent their full de- that engages with velopment. To this end, we propose some actions goals and means, to continue, starting from the reconciliation of the offers a path through young person with oneself and with others, by the articulation of its offering him the possibility of socialization which theoretical tools with will allow him to concretize a more dignified and concrete proposals human path for life. for the organization of practical activities. The pedagogy of presence, as a theory that en- gages with the aims and means of this modality of educational action, offers a path for this eman- cipatory paradigm, through a correct articulation of its theoretical tools with concrete proposals organization of practical activities. Its basic orien- tation consists in buying back what is positive in the conduct of young people in difficulty, without labeling them or classifying them in categories based solely on their deficits. No law, no method or technique, no logistical resource, no institu- tional political device can replace the freshness and the immediate presence of solidarity, open and constructive presence of the educator be- fore the learner. CONCEPTS AND DEFINITIONS 37
Intercultural Could we not think Humans have always felt challenged or inconve- of interculturality as nienced by other cultures. Our responses have a mutual challenge toppled between two extremes: on the one hand, which is for each the elimination of any cultural difference (religious, dimension of life to linguistic, moral, etc.) and, on the other, a relativ- find out what is the ism which maintains that there are no possibilities possibility that allows to judge, value or prefer a cultural model or a cus- a freer life, with tom more than another. But when we see concrete satisfied cases, we realize that the two extremes involve a needs and full certain type of violence, either by imposition or by development? relativism which conservatively maintains una cept- able patterns of behavior. Various examples can be thought of for the two extremes. Starting from the Human Rights paradigm, we tried to find a common threshold from which we could approach the dif- ferences and put them in communication, but this threshold is crossed to a large extent by Western institutions and concepts. Is this the only possibility of relationship? Could we not think of intercultural- ity as a mutual challenge shared by all the people and communities? We are crossed by our customs, our beliefs and our traditions and, then, what it is a question for each dimension of life (health, politics, economy, sexuality, food, etc.) is to know what is the possibility that allows a freer life, with satisfied needs and a full development. 38 CONCEPTS AND DEFINITIONS
Interspiritual All spirituality is An essential aspect of the spiritual experience is situated in a context freedom of belief and expression. But all spiri- and, therefore, has tuality is placed in a context and, therefore, has the possibilities and the possibilities and the limits of its own history. the limits of its own The relation with other spiritualities and the own- history. relation with the multiplicity present in the own tradition of each person, would allow to consider the different aspects in relation to spirituality in a fuller way, aware of his own choices, responsibil- ities. and limits that are involved. Thus, the com- municative, aesthetic, psychological and ethical aspects in relation to the various spiritualities can serve as a starting point to return to the own tra- dition in a more reflexive, critical and free and, therefore, more responsible manner. At the same time, this communication and this reflexive turn would also make it possible to identify common traits in the various traditions. The current awareness of the problems which af- fect human beings as a whole, such as violence, inequality, the destruction of ecosystems have, in cultural and spiritual traditions, various respons- es. It is from there that one‘s own spiritual and cultural traditions provide critical and self-critical potential for considering the origins of these un- wanted situations and proposing and justifying alternative responses. CONCEPTS AND DEFINITIONS 39
Group cohesion A dynamic process which is reflected in the group‘s tendency to maintain and remain united, in the search for certain goals and / or for the sat- isfaction of the emotional needs of the members who, thanks to this, do not forget that supporting the group is also a task to develop. 40 CONCEPTS AND DEFINITIONS
The experience of the conflict The purpose of the relationship is the transforma- tion of people for social transformation. People will be transformed by the resolution of the mul- tiple conflicts that weave this relationship: cogni- tive conflicts, relational conflicts, religious and/ or spiritual conflicts, social conflicts, emotional conflicts ... Thinking of the relationship as a tis- sue of conflicts implies thinking of it as a space of self-transformation and self-consciousness, of in- ter-transformation and inter-consciousness, from which all the actors emerge transformed by the methodical and conscious resolution of conflicts. Thinking of the rela- tionship as a tissue of conflicts implies think- ing of it as a space of self-transformation and self-consciousness, of inter-transformation and inter-consciousness, from which all the actors emerge transformed. CONCEPTS AND DEFINITIONS 41
The Community of Practice and Knowledge (CPK) Professionals from all A community of practice and knowledge is a over the world share democratic, inclusive, transformative, partici- and capitalize on pative, dialogical community, which constantly practices, approaches challenges itself, which transforms pedagogical and postures in in- teaching and learning for collective self-training tercultural and inter- with peers. spiritual educational work. Professionals from all over the world share and capitalize on practices, approaches and postures in intercultural and interspiritual educational work. The associations that make up this community of practice are convinced that this work at an in- ternational level will, for the years to come, be a path of enrichment and excellence regarding the support we offer to the most vulnerable children and young people. In the medium and long term, CPK’s challenge is to identify or produce new knowledge (theoret- ical and practical) about relationship education, to value it and disseminate it in different contexts across borders. 42 CONCEPTS AND DEFINITIONS
This is how the community of practices defined the educator To educate is to An educator believes in youth and offers avenues transform, it is and values for a better quality of life, changes his a political act of mentality from “I” to “we”. societal change. An educator is aware of the why and how of each of his actions, is at the service of those in need, accom- panies with humility and ambition. An educator listens and avoids judgment, lets the young person decide for himself, accompanies him to where he / she needs to go or to what he / she needs to be. An educator believes in youth and offers young people the opportunity to choose and position themselves, offers avenues and values for a better quality of life, changes their mentality from „I“ to „US“. CONCEPTS AND DEFINITIONS 43
Nomad Pedagogy (see “nomadic pedagogy experience in Limerlé” - Belgium 2008) In a nomadic school, no one is considered unsuitable for school; it is assumed that everyone must participate in building their school so that they feel comfortable with it. For pupils struggling with the traditional school, the nomadic school presents an alternative be- cause school functioning is constantly under review. Nothing is for granted: everything has to be built, deconstructed, reconstructed. This Nomad Pedagogy project is based on three essential axes: an effective principle of radical and scrupulous equality: teachers and pupils, equally in the exercise of power, decide on the orientation and organization of the school. participation of all members of the establishment in the daily management of the school, which makes it possible to extend, multiply and differentiate the traditional „courses“ by putting them into practice. the implementation of various educational options that trans- form the relationship of students and teachers to knowledge. Which leads to learning democracy in every corner. In this school laboratory, the power is distributed between the teachers and the students. No director, disciplinary prefect or maintenance women. Everyone is called upon to manage the school: administration, cleaning, cooking, etc. Institutional coun- cil, public meetings, grassroots groups: democracy is at the heart of the project. Care is taken to respect the student‘s pace, skills and needs. Nothing is established in advance. “Ex cathedra” courses, workshops, activities, traditional content (math, science, geo), everything is mixed. 44 CONCEPTS AND DEFINITIONS
This \"Deal with the Con ict\" booklet is for social workers, educators and leaders of multicultural groups. It is the fruit of collective work, between thirty professionals and young people, who have crossed their eld experiences and their academic knowledge. In order to promote intercultural and interreligious dialogue, they came together in a \"Community of Practices and Intercultural Knowledge\", represen- tatives of three child protection operators, as well as two training orga- nizations for social workers: Apprentices d'Auteuil in France, CJD in Germany, La Salle Foundation in Argentina, Haute Ecole Bruxelles Brabant in Belgium and St Joseph University in Lebanon. In the three chapters of the booklet, you will discover activities which have already facilitated cohesion and re-established dialogue within a multicultural group of young people or adults, but you will also nd practical advice and re ection on the fundamentals. With the support of:
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