Implementation of “Hopes Not Fears” (SOI-GR-413)
Author: Georgia Tsirmpa, EFL teacher at the Upper Secondary Education
School/Organization: 3rd Senior High School of Tripoli, Greece
I have always believed that the title of a learning scenario has to be ‘catchy”, in other words, alluring, engaging. Thus, what really intrigued me into implementing the scenario created by Agnieszka Pielorz into my own teaching context was its title. It was inspired by a quote of Nelson Mandela, according to which, “our choices should reflect our hopes and not our fears.” I totally endorse this attitude, so I got identified with the colleague’s idea of making our students aware of the real essence and the significance of their choices in everyday life.
Teaching English as a Foreign Language to my third year students of a Senior High School (Lyceum) of Greece, we had already studied and actually admired the principles and values that guided Mandela throughout his whole life. As a result, in April 2023, one month before the Greek national elections in which my students would vote for their first time and two months before their University Entrance Exams that would definitely determine their future forever, this scenario gave them the opportunity to gain insights into the decision-making process and what it actually involves.
Based on the three main words suggested by the initial scenario as the pillars of this process, that is, reflection, choice and decision, the students were engaged into a number of interactive activities so as to shed light into the real meanings of these concepts, their inter-relationship and the effect they can have not only on the life of an individual but also on the society as a whole.
Although the initial scenario was well-structured and aided by the appropriate digital tools, I tried to make it a little more student-centered by employing the flipped classroom technique. My scenario resulted in a fifty minute session and the before- and after- the implementation stages.
The initial scenario was implemented with adult students, but it was suggested that it can also be used with upper secondary students, so I turned to my third year students of an upper secondary school. More specifically, I chose a group of twenty four students, aged 17-18, fourteen girls and ten boys, whose EFL skills correspond more or less to a C1 level according to the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages.
In accordance with the national curriculum, by March 2023 we had already covered the three first units of the material provided by the state, the first referring to “Leaders” like Nelson Mandela and Martin Luther King, the second to “Human Rights” and the third to the “Book Burning” that took place by the Nazis before the World War II. Consequently, the students seemed to be linguistically, mentally and emotionally prepared to deal with the issue of decision-making. As for the Europeana portal, they had been aware of its very existence and had occasionally been presented with some of its material.Additionally, they had the digital skills required to do advanced and targeted searches. However, never before had they been encouraged to browse it for a certain purpose.
Before the lesson
Instead of being given pictures to describe (as designated by the initial scenario), my eighteen year old students, divided into three groups of eight, were assigned to browse the Europeana portal and add on a common google doc learning scenarios related to the three main concepts of reflection, choice and decision, respectively. In this way, they would realize deciding as a process and not a single act, but above all, they would familiarize themselves with the wealth of the digital cultural heritage of the Europeana portal, which can turn out to be really useful to them as future University students and future employees.
During the lesson
As soon as the lesson started, one student of each group presented the scenarios they had found from the Europeana portal and I helped them to collect on a coggle diagram the phrases and consequently, the main functions, associated with each step of the decision-making process. I also elicited from my students a number of idiomatic expressions that can also be related to the above notions.
Subsequently, I gave them an imaginary scenario which called them to put all the above ideas into practice in order to reach a unanimous conclusion. According to the scenario, a 17 year old student was thinking of dropping out of school, so the students had to suggest what parameters he had to reflect on, what alternatives to choose from and what consequences his decision may have had on him but also on the others.
After the lesson
Remaining divided into the same three groups, my students were assigned as homework to use tricider com so as to come up their own decision-making scenarios and the ideas involved and finally vote for the one they liked best. It resulted in an easy, creative and game-like activity.
The lesson seemed to be very stimulating for my students, who overtly expressed that they really enjoyed it. It helped them not only to enrich their vocabulary including idiomatic expressions, but also to practice their EFL both receptive and productive skills, as well as their digital skills.
They had the chance to argue for or against several important issues, the most important being their obligation to take part in the upcoming national elections. In this way, they also developed some life skills, including critical thinking, empathy, inclusion and citizenship.
It was really beneficial that my students were called to investigate the stages of the decision-making process by browsing the Europeana portal. It helped them to realize that simple everyday choices can have a great impact on the course of their own life but also on the progress of the whole humanity.
Through Europeana, they got to know outstanding people who changed the world by just making the right choice at the right moment. As Thomas Edison has successfully stated, “Resourcefulness is 2% inspiration and 98% perspiration.” Decisions are complicated and there is always a price to pay, so it’s important that they are made consciously, responsibly and above all, courageously.
The whole scenario, based on real and imaginary stories in which students were called to make serious decisions, helped me to investigate into my students’ way of thinking. It was really rejuvenating for me to see how young people are eager to take risks, make radical changes and although they are often criticized as indifferent or self-centered, they do care about the society and the welfare of the humanity.
However, it has to be noted that it was my engagement with the Europeana resources which further enhanced this attitude. Having access to such a huge collection of arts and science digital heritage helped me to broaden my horizons. I got thrilled to see how many learning scenarios can easily be adjusted to my teaching context and as a result, maximize the effectiveness of my teaching practice.
The Europeana portal is in a digital form and so well thematically-organized that it is capable of providing me with all kinds of audio-visual and legally permitted information that I may ever need. I do intent to indulge deeper in this portal and think of more ways of how I can use it so as to evolve on both a personal and professional basis.
Did you find this story of implementation interesting? Why don’t you read about the related learning scenario? Hopes Not Fears (LS-PL-566), created by Agnieszka Pielorz
Did you find this story of implementation interesting? You might also like:
- Healthy Choices created by Carmen Alexandra Miricioiu
- The Political Process and Citizens’ Voice in the European Union created by Matei Dan
- One Coin, Two Sides – The Art of Debating created by Heathcliff Schembri
Do you want to discover more stories of implementation? Click here.
Public Domain Mark 1.0: the featured image used to illustrate this article has been found on Europeana and has been provided by the Slovenská národná galéria.