Insights at the Integrated Forum for Educators “Insight”

«Take Insight from other side» – that was the motto of the Integrated Forum for Educators which took place on December 7 in Kyiv.

Educational Center gathered more than 100 participants from all over Ukraine and 15 speakers. The guests participated in 7 hours of workshops, lectures and interactive studies.

We didn’t speak about class registers, EIT or grades. Instead, we discussed neuro-science, augmented reality technologies, explored the peculiarities of a human brain and the UN objectives of sustainable development; we learned about  the effective means that we can apply to save this planet and studied the art of time management.

Here are some of the insights:

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• Our world is mental, not physical
• Our thoughts are not objective
• Ideas change the brain

The key function of the brain is self-preservation. Every 5 seconds the brain scans everything that is happening to us in order to  determine the «Threats» and the «Gains». But if our goal is not only survival, but also the development and clear thinking througout the whole life, the brain must be properly fed. Oxygen and carbohydrates will help, of course, but there is other food for the brain:
1. Education
2. New habits
3. New people
4. Travelling
5. Foreign languages
6. Physical activity

We heard a lecture on the neuro-science in modern life by Ms Oksana Semeniuk, expert with 25 years of experience in the field of Human Resources and transformation management.

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Not knowing something is absolutely normal. Knowing everything is impossible; that’s why the idea upon which the process of studying is based: «now we will study a little bit and minimize the aspects we are ignorant in» – gets us only further from a real opportunity of actual learning. With such approach a teacher turns into a person who is supposedly all-knowing, but finds it hard to face the ignorance of the students and colleagues.

Together with Volodymyr Chuprin we created a psychological alphabet to be applied in the educational process. Volodymyr is a counsellor and teacher of «Relationship psychology» course at «Ukrainian Leadership Academy».

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93% of buyers in the world wish to see more responsible brands – such that would support or tackle social problems or environmental issues. And 3/4 of teenagers choose more steadfast products. That’s why a conscious consumption is not somewhere in the future, it’s happening today.

We must learn to use the resources that nature gave us responsibly. The main challenge that humankind is facing today is how to stop the climate change.

Together with Klavdia Sheveliuk, Founder of Change Agency Responsible Future, we discussed sustainable development education and examined the global sustainable development goals approved at the UN summit.  One of the priority ideas is coping with poverty and hunger and applying all necessary measures to fight the climate change and its consequences.

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A future of successful communication is built on sincere emotions. When you interact with an audience, whether it’s at a lesson or a workshop, the following aspects are essential: speaker’s openness;ability to analyze the needs of the audience, to be useful for them; ability to hold the attention of the audience members and to develop a connection with them. You needn’t be afraid to speak with the audience, you must engage the members of the audience and help them reveal themselves.

Even the youngest school student has a certain formed experience. That’s why, when a child is telling something, there are certain emotions related to that story, and you can use it in order for the child to obtain more knowledge from such experience and emotions.

Ivan Omelian, public speech coach, conducted an intensive practical study «Speak unique» on development of communicational skills and emotional public speeches.

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You must dream. And dream globally. You must peek over the horizon, not being afraid to set great goals and make exact plans for their achievement.

Planning is necessary in all spheres of life, and there are six of them: physical key sphere related to health; family; business sphere related to our career growth; personal; spiritual, related to our beliefs; social sphere that is related to what we can do for the society.

Time management is a very wide notion; it is about mastering the changes and organizing one’s life, about living fully and finding the power and resources to become more energetic and motivate oneself for greater achievements.

We discussed the art of time management with Veronika Melnyk, speaker of BogushTime, expert in project management.

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We can be interested in various processes – electronics, magnetism, architecture, search the answer to the question what this or that object is made from. Cognitive processes in our heads are infinite. But if we start thinking on the question what cognition really is, we start to know and understand ourselves better.

It is vitally essential to have philosophical discussions with children during the lessons. This way, we can develop their logical thinking and argumentation skills, and the ability to express own opinion.

Nadia Adamenko, Candidate of philosophical sciences, covered an important matter – how to help the students learn to think about thinking.

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You think that augmented reality technologies are in the distant future? It’s not so. Uliana Avtonomova, expert in development of augmented and virtual reality, busted such myths and inspired the educators to keep in pase with the world of modern technologies.

It turns out that you can study the structure of a human heart not only on a page of a book, but by using a special application that helps us view it in 3D. The same concerns math – you can study geometrical objects in three dimensions.

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That’s why each and every one of us, especially the teachers, must observe the balance of all four life spheres: body, activity, contacts and the inner world.

We became sure that Mental Health – is the basis for any success and achievement. We thank Aliona Mykhajliuk, expert in mental health and well-being within organizations, for the wonderful workshop.

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Andrij Sydorenko, Co-founder of «Open Space» Non-governmental organization, is confident that modern youth must be engaged into social initiatives.

In order for the students to be able to manage the changes and the situations in the future, we must give them not only the knowledge but develop the soft skills as well.  We simply can’t do without it.

We discussed the 10 skills necessary in the XXI century, which were approved at the World Economic Forum in Davos: complex problem solving; critical thinking; creativity; leadership skills; human relation skills; emotional intellect; ability to formulate own opinion and make decisions; client orientation; negotiation skills; flexibility of thinking.

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We can’t know what will happen in the future, but we must remain creative and try to forecast and understand long-term consequences.

We have to raise pepole able for innovation. That’s why we must develop the children’s critical and analytical thinking. The teachers have an immense effect upon the future decision-makers. Thus, beside giving knowledge, the school must raise personalities.

The guests of the Forum had an interesting panel discussion with three speakers simultaneously – social  psychologist Alisa Gnydiuk, candidate of physical and mathematical sciences Iulia Bezvershenko and Roman Nazarenko, doctoral candidate of Tilburg University (the Netherlands). We discussed the art of managing the future.

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Iryna Vivchar, digital manager of «Chesno» (Honestly) Movement, told us why a teacher needs the Instagram. It turns out that this platform can be used to the maximum extent in the sphere of education.

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You can solve the problems, reflect, search for creative solutions via… theater. Thenks to Iryna Vivchar, the participants of the Forum had a 100% immersion into «Forum theater». We are greateful for such an effective reflection.

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We thank for the inspirational speech on sharing the experience Demyd Maiornikov, speaker of TEDxTalks, Youth delegate in the Congress of local and regional authorities at the Council of Europe, a person who knows 8 languages and has a very interesting personality.

Experiences may be different, but they matter!

We thank the speakers, the guests and the whole team. See you next time with new insights!

On December 14 this Forum will be held in Lviv. You can register here.