OFpassiON 10 rules

1 – Nothing is impossible!

It is forbidden to say “I can’t do it”. This is only a mental block to get convinced to give up. When a child tells us “I can’t do it”, we teach him to say “I have to learn, yet!”.

Nothing is impossible and thanks to determination, commitment, labour and hard work we can arrive where we want.

 

2 – Dreamer (children and teens) at the center

No frontal lesson. We always are in circle and equal, Mentor and Dreamers, to always highlight that we are doing a team working and not a lesson.

A circle allows everyone to express oneself and to find space, also to the shiest ones: we don’t have the geek in the first row and the disturber in the last one.

 

3 – Not only tech

Mixing robotics, creativity and design. Tech and Digital are not the aim, they are only instruments that we use as means to help every Dreamer finding and chasing one’s own passions.

Noise and mess don’t bother us. We always help the brain storming through blackboards and felt tip pens always available that Dreamers can use free any moment. At the end of the lesson we all together tidy up the room.

 

4 – Learn by having fun

Game is essential, narration is important and creativity is a must, above all with the little ones. We shape narration according to the age, often through disguises.

Decorations are not an optional. Children are creative and we only give them the instruments to express themselves. Cardboards and felt tip pens are not enough. Dreamers can always copy to improve the project.

 

5 – Learn by doing

Get one’s hands dirty, experiment to be never passive users. Few theory lessons and all very practical. So much decisional autonomy.

 

6 – Team working

Team working, peer to peer education and reverse mentoring are our mantras.

Soft skills and side skills are as essential as hard skills. Above all as children this aspect has an essential role right when soft skills are forming. Hard skills are easier to learn!

 

7 – Dreamer’s times are not our times

We never give ready solutions, we make the Dreamer get the result following and respecting his own time.

We never do activity in their place. If one asks for help we stay close to it explaining again how to do: we never put our hands on the keyboard or on the work they are doing. Dreamers have got all the resources to get the result.

 

8 – No desks, chairs or shoes!

All the activities are done on the floor, without shoes, on fitted carpets, carpets and big pillows. Without desks and chairs to give the Dreamer the possibility to move, sit and take the position he/she prefers while listening to. This rules applies to the big ones, too!

Laying on the pillow while listening to is not rudeness, we are not interested in the position, what is important is the substance: participation, interest, learning.

 

9 – English for everything (or almost)

Today the world is linked, we cannot form Dreamers for only an Italian professional reality, whatever will be. They won’t have to know a bit of English, but they will have to know English as well as Italian.

We try to make it understand valorizing experimentation, the experiences abroad, any English text, we make them tempt to go and search for the origin of each source, we use software in English.

We valorize the most different languages when they are available in the Dreamers.

 

10 – Free use of devices and internet

We never forbid and impound mobile phones, tablets, computers and devices. If someone get distracted, it is our fault: we couldn’t be able to find the right way of communication to make him interested in.

 

We use online sources, accompany surfing the net, help in recognizing the sources and to every new question we answer: “Did you try to google it?”