Initiative:

During the 2010 annual global JKF meeting from the Global Teenager Project in Accra, Ghana the Country Coordinators reflected on how education was evolving in the world. ‘Do we really offer in education what children need to grow up wholeheartedly in a rapidly changing world?’ We focus so much on ‘learning to become’ and so little on ‘ learning to be’…. how can you become someone if you do not even know who you are? Over following the 5 years we felt a growing need to create a platform to connect people and initiatives and co-create meaningful education in the ‘Mindful teaching and learning’ initiative.

The ‘Mindful Teaching and Learning’ project will focus on:

• building SUPPORT for teachers, principals, students and their parents on personal development and fulfillment of individuals and  communities (class, school, city, country, world).
• building HEALTHY environment for teaching and learning with less stress and unhealthy frustrations connected to achievements and goals.
• developing DIALOG within the important members of education:  students – teachers – parents – partners in different institutions dealing with mindful teaching, learning and living – public- government.
• preparing WORKSHOPS and EXAMPLES of good practices in teaching and learning for higher quality of educational system.

The five pillars would be, under the umbrella of “Mindful Teaching and Learning”

• Learning Circles as methodology for collaborative learning
• peerScholar as tool for peer learning and peer assessment
• Mindfulness practices  for all age levels, also adults
• Trnovo methodology via Art and Dance as a method for developing social skills,effective learning and building multicultural awareness
• Design Thinking as a way of creating ownership of learning in schools