Dr Kalina Jastrzębowska
The theme of the IB Global Conference in Budapest was “Inspiring learners, realizing potential”. Although a lot of lectures and workshops were dedicated to the potential of young learners, our students, many discussions were related to teachers as learners themselves. The worlds of teachers and students are indeed interconnected.
Teacher agency is a crucial aspect of self-development. We love to be free and we really cherish our freedom to explore and follow our curiosity, don’t we? Discovering the work of Brené Brown was a real revelation for me. You may listen to this researcher’s TED talk and check it out yourself: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iCvmsMzlF7o
One can only be a good educator if they are immersed in a culture of courage, but there is no courage without vulnerability. Usually, people try to present themselves as very strong and hide behind masks, which leads to them losing their authenticity. To be curious, creative and ready to grow, and to see life as an adventure, you have to live authentically. Rather than making you weak, exposing your weaknesses can help you be seen by others as a strong person and a strong leader.
Let us keep our eyes open to treat these moments of vulnerability with special care, and let’s co-create our school learning environment, so that everybody is able to discover their own path to their full potential.
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