School Cooperative: Students write ..

AUEB Teacher Education Program-Innovative Action-Freinet Pedagogy of the academic year 2020-2021: The School Cooperative Ο σχολικός συνεταιρισμός in collaboration with Scasiarchio, from theory to practice.

The students of the Program write on their experience…

"Since the beginning of the academic year 2020-2021, the team of "Skasiarchio" has helped a lot in our effort to get trained through modern educational and methods that ensure more effective communication with students and a positive atmosphere in the classroom. By passing on our knowledge and experiences, the team of Skasiarchio helped us understand in depth the fundamental principles and values ​​of Freinet Pedagogy and realize its importance and usefulness in the classroom. Each meeting with the teachers of Skasiarchio was an additional step in our deepening in Freinet pedagogy.

The culmination of these meetings throughout the year was the action, in collaboration with Mr. Baltas and Mr. Katsaros, to simulate the teaching of economics and computer science with the object of creating a School Cooperative, using Freinet pedagogical tools such as the class council and "What's new?". The triptych of this action is the "classroom-yard-community", that is, on the occasion of the subject how the teacher creates the necessary conditions for students to reflect on social issues and actively participate in implementing their idea with real data in the school.

Although the special conditions we are experiencing, due to the pandemic, create communication barriers and have caused fatigue, with the valuable contribution of the experienced teachers of Skasiarchio we overcame the difficulties and effectively completed the experiential workshops. Inspired by the Freinet Pedagogicy and in collaboration with the pedagogical team of Skasiarchio, we envisioned a School Cooperative, in which students followed the principles of the collaborative class and the values ​​of solidarity and self-management. In particular, the nine groups formed under the scientific responsibility of Dr. V. Brinia, worked systematically with Mr. Baltas and Mr. Katsaros with a critical view of the social problems facing our society today, from poverty and unemployment to all forms of violence, the adolescent's daily life and sustainable development in the community. Thus, lesson plans were developed, with the students’ ultimate goal to create their own cooperative and contribute to the elimination of negative phenomena and the protection of human rights.

Such cooperatives are, the self-managed printing house, for the publication of a newspaper inside school, which will deal with issues related to teenagers’ interests. The publication and distribution of a school newspaper by students, the proceeds of which will be used for the financial support of the social kitchen. The establishment of a social grocery store within the school unit to offer goods to those who need them.

At the same time, ideas were formulated that focus on raising community awareness on issues of violence, such as the creation of a school cooperative with the drafting of internal school regulations and posters, to self-managed school cinema and student radio, students give their own messages against violence. Through informing students and experiential through art, a better understanding of the concept of sustainable development, establishing a cooperative that will organize actions and workshops on the value and exploitation of recyclable materials can be achieved.

Furthermore, informing students about the traditional professions that are on the verge of extinction and the creation of a basket weaving workshop, can connect the conditions of the economy with the social development. Finally, training students in new technologies and digital platforms, such as the cloud, to digitize the school library and provide students with the opportunity to borrow even original material, such as newspapers and books.

In conclusion, the simulation of teaching, through the laboratory for the creation of a school cooperative, led us to the conclusion that the main principle for every teacher is experiential learning, ie the connection of the school with the environment "outside school", so that students and teachers realize that the educational unit is an integral part of society and not a glass sphere, cut off from real life. Thus, school as a whole, in addition to "sterile" perceptions and sterile knowledge, transmits values ​​and ideals, necessary for the cultivation of active citizens.

Learning is not just a lecture, it is reflection, exchange of ideas, expansion of thought, cultivation of spirit. Even through economics’ lessons, using the right methods, the teacher can find a glimmer of hope and optimism for the future of education and student social awareness.

We would like to thank the Skasiarchio team for the valuable help they offered…"

You can refer here for the corresponding publication on the website of Skasiarchio