Projekt – OFFICE OF IDEAS Morocco

“OFFICE OF IDEAS” IN MOROCCAN SCHOOLS

Concept by Isabel Eddouks – Alumni Denkfabrik, Goethe Institut Rabat

 

What is an OFFICE OF IDEAS?

The “OFFICE OF IDEAS” is a place in a school, where children respectively pupils can go, when

1.)    they have conflicts with peers, to solve the problem.

2.)    they have an idea for a case, that doesn´t work out well in the everyday’s school live.

3.)    they want to start a project, that develops the live in school for all participants (pupils, teachers, parents, administration).

The “OFFICE OF IDEAS” is from children and for children. Adults work only as consultants(!) but they have no power of decision! Often children know much better, how to deal with a conflict or a problem, if they are free in their decisions and they have space to face the challenge and act responsible. The “OFFICE OF IDEAS” is an open space designed by the children of the school (community).

The “OFFICE OF IDEAS” is a space, where children ask for help and develop ideas in an absolute tolerant atmosphere. There is no fear of failure. Children are taken serious by their peers and adults, that only accompany as consultants. Everybody has the right to speak, to be heard and to listen to the others.  It is a place in school, where a pupil can ask for help and he or she can be sure her problem or idea will be solved.

 

Why do schools need an OFFICE OF IDEAS?

1.)    The everyday school live doesn´t give enough space, to develop social skills in pupils. Classes are full, the curriculum is charged and teachers don´t have enough capacity to go into every pupils concerns.

2.)    The “OFFICE OF IDEAS” trains the pupils in terms of:

• Responsibility
• Challenge
•  Creativity
•  Empathy
•  Troubleshooting
•  Communication
• Tolerance
• Social Participation
• Motivation
• Integration
• Democratic live.

3.)    Once the « OFFICE OF IDEAS » is established in the school, the teachers are relieved in many tasks, concerning the schools social live.

4.)    Pupils are trained in Design Thinking, Projectmanagement and communication skills. These competences are the most important in their live after school.

 

How does the “OFFICE OF IDEAS” work?

The “OFFICE OF IDEAS” is an institution, controlled by pupils. Elder pupils work as consultants for younger ones. Adults, such as teachers, parents, social workers or administrators are not the main responsibles in the “OFFICE OF IDEAS”. They have to accompany the pupils, but not to give advices, during sessions. Of course pupils need to be trained in certain subjects, to be able to find solutions for their ideas. But at the very moment, when pupils work together or elder pupils are mediators to solve a conflict between pupils, adults should not interrupt.

1.)    Solve a conflict between pupils:

1. Conflict partners come to the office.
2. Elder pupil (mediator) go through a prepared questionary, to ask about the conflict.
3. Solutions are discussed.
4. Everybody can be heard, there is an atmosphere of tolerance.
5. Solution is found, which everybody serves.

2.)    Work on an case, that doesn´t work well in everyday school live:

1. Problems can be proposed through a post box (written) , contacting the “OFFICE OF IDEA” responsible (oral).
2. Discussion of the problem – Finding solutions

i.      Understand the problem

ii.      Observe the problem

iii.      Define the problem

iv.      Ideas for solution

v.      Prototype of solution

vi.      Testing the solution

(DESIGN THINKING PROCESS)

3.)    Starting a project, that develops school live:

1. Idea and Proposition (Initiation)
2. Creating a project

i.      Planning

ii.      Executing

iii.      Monitoring

iv.      Closing

(Project Management Process)

 

How to implement the “OFFICE OF IDEAS” into a school?

In the school:

• The “OFFICE OF IDEAS” can start as an institution, that is open between the school lessons. So it will be open every break. It needs pupils, that want to “work” as responsibles and mediators, when pupils have conflicts during the breaks on the school court. The responsible pupils are ready to advice the confict parties, through a questionary. They are able to LISTEN and CREATE A TOLERANT ATMOSPHERE . The questionary for a mediation, between pupils can be worked out in an workshop before the “OFFICE OF IDEAS” once start to work.
• Concerning ideas and projects developed by pupils, there must be help from adults or institutions, that can intervene in the following issues:

 

UNDERSTANDING      +      RESOURCES     +     WILL     =     OUTCOME

 

Understanding = What competences do the children have, to understand the problems or ideas?

Resources = What resources are available? How many children – classroom – material – money – adults as consultants – …

Will = What kind of ideas come up? What visions do the children have? What do they want? – Vision of the future, results of successes and failures

Outcome = Quality of the school live, Success of the “OFFICE OF IDEAS”, …

• The “OFFICE OF IDEAS” should be supported by all participants of the school.

 

In Morocco:

• The “OFFICE OF IDEAS” can be organized as an association in Morocco and schools are members of this association.
• The “OFFICE OF IDEAS”  needs partners for special trainings of the children. Coaches, social institutions, companies, public institutions …

Propositions for partners: fikra.ma, Teach4Morocco, cultural institutions (british council, Goethe Institute,…) foundations, JCI, ENACTUS, INJAZ, MCISE, Moroccan Conselours … t.b.c.

 

THE OFFICE OF IDEA IS NOT A “Centre d´ecoute”, WHERE TEACHERS OR SOCIAL WORKERS GIVE ADVICES TO PUPILS AND/OR PARENTS. IT IS A PLACE, WHERE CHILDREN “WORK” FOR OTHER CHILDREN, TO CREATE A BETTER LIVE IN SCHOOL  AND TO DEVELOP THE COMMUNITY!!!

Projekt – ACTIVE LISTENING PLAYGROUND Morocco

„Alumni Denkfabrik Marokko“ developed the idea to organize an ACTIVE LISTENING PLAYGROUND in a public school in Kénitra (Morocco) in September 2013.

Follow the informations on:

https://www.facebook.com/pages/Active-Listening-Playground-Morocco/117334541797454?hc_location=stream

What is an ACTIVE LISTENING PLAYGROUND?

(by Keren Rosenbaum – http://www.listeningrevolution.org/#!__listening-playground)

The Active Listening Playground (ALP) and the workshops that lead to the final event share the goal of creating a unique musical experience and ongoing process in which children as well as adults can interact in a unique way and become part of the playground as performers, as observers, or both.

The playground creates a safe environment and inspires a true listening experience, one that echoes and reflects personal thoughts and self-expression. Each individual experiences their personal contribution to a community while being inspired to contribute more. It’s a process of growth. It can lead to a unique self-satisfaction, greater embodiment, and release of tension. It develops tools of listening, inspires new and other ways to communicate, and opens up different perspectives in understanding others and understanding ones-self.

It is our belief that by being inspired by, and experiencing directly, these ancient and rusty listening tools, we can become infinitely more aware and engaged. We can provoke the chaos and freedom of the mind and spirit and at the same time experience how powerful these are when we form a structure in which they can live fully.

We can create a space full of creative ideas, sounds, images, movements and find a way to listen and observe all of it at the same time, just by finding the right structure, the right composition for it.

Each of us has something we can create which should be added to the whole to make this world a better place. We simply need to know how to give each person the space and means to do this.

Playfulness should be practiced as a goal, not just a tool.

Certain conditions must be created to allow creative growth.

1. Creating a safe environment

2. Practicing listening tools

3. Provoking mistakes and accepting them as gifts

Wherever there is a potential for these elements to exist, we are determined to compose a community and to create a Reflexive Listening Playground. If there is a possibility to build a safe environment where listening tools can be practiced, where mistakes can be provoked and used to expand boundaries, where we can make the process complete by celebrating and playing with everyone in the final playground, there is a chance to inspire change.