Subject: Games + School Reform

Posted by Cristina Oliva on 10/10/2008
In Reply To:Games + School Reform Posted by Bill Ellis on 10/9/2008

Message:

Dear All,

this mail is in reply to the person that wrote about the book "A Gaian Paradigm". I am the founder of a new school system for Europe, to begin with, and hopefully for the rest of the world in the near future. I would be happy to provide any useful input to the subject discussed below. In Europe, as in the US, there is a great need for public school reform, however, this is an extremely complicated and time consuming process. Private schools are often the answer as most of them offer programs that are valid, however, fees are affordable for a small percentage of the population and their programs do not prepare children to the real world but rather to an elitarian type of world. The website of my school is also in English if you wish to read about the philosophy behind it and the principles it was founded upon. My challenge at this point is to find investors who are not looking to get wealthy with high returns on investments but rather would feel fulfilled with a smaller margin but a great contribution to society. Since a year, HB Int'l has got its foot into a public school and is operating partially within it with a privately managed structure but a public sponsored economical support by the city where this school is located. I agree that change cannot happen suddenly and make a massive impact, but I also believe that there is need for corageous actions that allow for some kind of an educational revolution by unifying together with a common goal. We all complain that the system does not work and there is need for change, but we all work on all kind of different projects, small groups scattered everywhere, and yet regardless of where we are located in this world, we all share the same challenge.
We hear everywhere that children are the future, and because children are wonderful we assume it will be a good and positive future. In Europe this is less and less often the case. Today's young adults who represent the future of the past fifteen years are growing extensively angry and so are newer generations. Their anger comes from ineffective schools systems and lack of cohesiveness with all the other systems in our society, smaller ones like families and bigger ones of the social economic groups.
I am realizing that the little steps I have taken and I am taking now are getting me along the right path, however, I also realize that if I were not alone I could go for a greater distance in less time. I have been in this discussion group for quite a while now and I read all the comments with a profound interest, alas it seems that the good old challenge is still there. Is there a way we could come together is a more efficient and effective way?

Best regards to all of you,

Cristina Oliva-Klos