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RETHINKING SCHOOL OR SEE THE SCHOOL UNABLE TO ADAPT ?

Article · April 2021

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Dominique Geimer
GEIMER CONSULTING
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 RETHINKING SCHOOL OR SEE THE
SCHOOL UNABLE TO ADAPT ?
9 DÉCEMBRE 2019
Rédigé par Dominique Geimer et publié depuis Overblog

At the risk of repeating many ideas sometimes perceived as clichés, I allow myself to highlight some
unavoidable aspects of the necessary evolution of the school for the next 5 years. In fact, I think that
the increasing difficulties encountered by the education system and more specifically by the teachers
encourage us to look into these new roles. Among these new roles I will mention five that seem to me
fundamental :
• The first of them concerns the adaptation of the school (and even its adaptability) in
terms of program to the evolution of skills needed by today's business. Indeed soft
skills are developing and are increasingly recognized within the companies as well as
in recruitment systems. More than ever, these soft skills are part of the more global
concept of « Know how to become » that I have previously explored in different
articles. Among the skills that seem essential to me I will name adaptability,
accountability, autonomy, sense of initiative or respect as basic skills that the school
must necessarily train. The introduction of new curricula, as well as the revisiting of
knowledge (otherwise accessible to all and everywhere) around the preservation of
the environment and nature, ecology or even solidarity and knowledge of the
professional world (and its recognition), must become a priority for those responsible
for school systems.
 • Among the other roles we can also emphasize the importance of critical thinking in
this world invaded by social networks and more broadly the digital media. This critical
sense is related to the development of awareness, one of the basis of the know how
to become concept.
• The third role that the school must explore concerns the upgrading and recognition of
the teaching profession, which in turn must constantly adapt to the fluctuations of
education disrupted by the growing influence of these social networks, all these
screens, and for which many parents today feel deprived.
• In connection with this necessary upgrading of the profession of teacher / trainer,
there is the question of training and support for change. All the money invested into
the education system (French but not only) unfortunately show their inefficiency:
results are still declining in terms of fundamental learning, school violence is increasing
in number, discouragement, orientation by failure, number of school leavers rising , a
gap between school and business, everything suggests that it is urgent to act and go
beyond the "reforms". We must invest in education, of course, but by giving back the
passion to teach to all teachers, and giving them all the tools they need for today's
education and training. As for example the knowledge of the tools to train to the
project based learning, the collective intelligence, the education to the media (and
thus to the development of the critical sense), to the knowledge of the stakes and the
risks of the artificial intelligence , the importance of emotional intelligence ...
• Finally, to close this article, I would like to point out, inspired by Monique Castillo who
recently died, three related aspects in connection with the societal culture, and
therefore the postures to educate:
o The need to move from the transmission of knowledge to the
verification of the understanding of the same knowledge by the other
(one of the fundamentals of pedagogy, you say) This is how
knowledge becomes knowledge
o For this need of understanding and therefore of access to meaning, it
is essential to find the facilitating language elements. Pedagogy is also
saying many times and in a different way with understandable words
carrying meaning of complex things.
o Lastly, the uncertainties related to the future (what I call the difficulty
of knowing how to become) compel everyone to reinforce at the same
time their ability to project themselves (out of immediacy and
consumerism) and to reflect and consider several scenarios. in its
existence, and so ultimately always and still work and strengthen its
adaptability.
Rethinking the school, an urgent challenge to achieve, far beyond budgetary and technological issues,
which puts the meaning of life at the heart of educational, territorial and political issues. Giving
everyone the power to create their way of life, with and by others.
Dominique GEIMER
savoirdevenir.over-blog.com - Education universelle, formation, innovation, recherche en éducation,
connaissance, savoir devenir, compétences douces (soft skills) (over-blog.com)

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