SCHOOL: THE AUDACITY TO FLY HIGH

ABSTRACTS

1st SESSION – “BONDS” IN THE TIME OF “CONNECTIONS”

Gianluca Argentin – The impact of the teacher-students relationship on results. Data from research

When analyzing relationships at school, there is a tendency to focus on three dimensions: 1. the teacher-student relationship; 2. student relationships, often in a problematizing sense; and 3. the management style of the school community, with particular attention to the role of the principal.

However, school is a much more intricate crossroads of relational dynamics, and it is the micro combination, at the level of the individual exchange, that can make the difference, for better or worse. The individual teacher, at the center of this dense network of contextualized relationships is called upon, from time to time, to find the ban of the relational skein, and the quality of a teacher also plays on this key competence of his or her.

We present a study that provides robust empirical evidence to support the above considerations and shows how we can improve teachers’ relational competencies from the bottom up by enhancing the experiential assets already existing in schools. In fact, a controlled experiment was conducted that tested and evaluated a teacher training initiative in relational dynamics, showing positive spillover effects on student learning, even in the long term.

Kai-Ming Cheng – Re-emergence of the Heart in Education

The world has changed and is still changing dramatically. The challenge to education is tremendous. However, the challenges are not so much felt as to cause changes in the system.  Nonetheless, there is the emergence of concerns about the heart of education, often referred to as social and emotional learning, but often with a broader mandate.  The trend indicates the insufficiency of educating our younger generation only with the mind – knowledge and skills, and now technologies. The presentation will briefly explore how this trend is responding to the changing society, with special attention to what happens in Asia.  Based on the speaker’s experience and knowledge, he will also scan the various examples and dimensions of the trend.

The students’ point of view

Some students, from different parts of Italy, attending different schools, all nearing the end of their secondary education, tell us something about the teachers who were particularly important to them and what has been their response.

This is not a representative sample, these are the voices of a few students speaking on their behalf. What is interesting, however, is the recurrence of certain experiences and testimonies, which also accord with the results of the research.

Daniela Marzana – Adolescents’ desire to matter

In recent decades, the concept of mattering has become increasingly relevant for its suitability in explaining some fundamental dynamics of psychological well-being. Being aware of mattering to someone, of being appreciated, considered, recognised and cared for, represents not only a universal human desire, but a basic psychological need. While the sense of counting is a highly protective factor, the feeling of not counting, or anti-mattering, can be just as powerful, but in a negative sense, as it can erode the sense of self-worth and contribute to the development of psychological disorders such as depression and social isolation, and even violence in the societal context.

This contribution, which is the result of the Toniolo Institute’s annual survey on adolescents (Generazione Zeta), aims, therefore, to investigate how this ambivalent construct is characterised for adolescents in our country and to do so, both quantitative data were collected from the general Generazione Zeta questionnaire and qualitative data through an in-depth analysis by means of seven focus groups with adolescents.

The data emerging from the analyses offer an interesting contribution to reflection on the adolescents’ perception of “counting” and the relationship between this and the possibility of positive development.

For adolescents, the first testing ground for the experimentation of their own social protagonism is always the school, followed by society understood both as the local community where they reside and as the broader, global and digital environment within which adolescents move and try to ‘count’. The school maintains its function as a social and identity laboratory, representing not only a place of learning, but also a crucial space for the development of adolescents’ personal and social identity.

Silvia Cataldi e Gennaro Iorio – The Critical Potential of Social Love: Insights and Perspectives for Schools

Schools, as public and communal institutions, represent a privileged space for fostering authentic relationships, solidarity, and civic awareness. While often confined to the private sphere, love has a public and social dimension that offers a critical lens for rethinking educational practices in a transformative way.

Inspired by the critical perspectives of intellectuals such as Hannah Arendt, Axel Honneth, and Hartmut Rosa, the concept of social love challenges utilitarian and instrumental dynamics, opposing the dominant logics of performance and competition. Instead, it proposes a counter-current educational model rooted in resonance. From this perspective, schools are not merely places for the transmission of knowledge but relational spaces capable of counteracting educational alienation and promoting individual and social well-being.

Four fundamental dimensions define the role of social love in education. The logic of abundance highlights the educational vocation, standing in contrast to the logics of standardization, market-driven approaches, and a singular focus on merit. Care for others and the world aims to create inclusive environments that enhance psychological and social well-being while fostering ecological engagement. Universalism emphasizes the need for educational policies that remove structural barriers and ensure equal opportunities, transforming diversity into a resource. Lastly, recognition calls for valuing the uniqueness of each individual by supporting personalized and participatory learning paths.

There exists a vast reservoir of social love within educational communities, often overlooked, which constitutes a critical resource for change. Acknowledging and enhancing this potential means translating constitutional principles into concrete practices, contributing to the development of a more equitable, supportive, and intrinsically transformative school system.

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2nd SESSION – THE SCHOOL IN THE WORLD AND THE WORLD IN THE SCHOOL

Maggie MacDonnel – #TeachersMatter

This inspirational keynote gives you an in-depth look into the classroom of Maggie MacDonnell, the winner of the $1,000,000 (US) Global Teacher Prize. Through engaging visuals and stories you are brought to an Arctic school in the village of Salluit, where students face staggeringly high dropout rates, a youth suicide crisis and disturbing social injustices. These Inuit students carry the burden of colonization and inter-generational trauma on their shoulders every day and Maggie explains how she grounds her teaching practice in feminist, post-colonial and community development theory to allow her students to become masters of their own destiny. She shares examples of how her students have developed resiliency through innovative educational programs. This resiliency has led to suicide prevention, school perseverance and girls’ empowerment. This emotional keynote will underline the message of how much teachers matter – reigniting the teaching passion for an audience of educators. To policy makers and the general public, this keynote also underscores the incredible importance of teacher autonomy within their profession.

Nick Chambers – Bringing the world of work into schools to ‘inspire the future’

This session will examine the impact of giving young people the opportunity to understand and interact with the world of work.

It will consider the international research on how it can broaden horizons, raise aspirations and increase motivation to learn. It will look at the ingrained stereotypical views young people often have about the jobs people do based on their gender, ethnic and social-economic background which can set self-imposed limits on their ambitions. The research shows many lack awareness of the opportunities open to them and that their knowledge is heavily based on what they see around them – their family, people working in the local area, or on TV, the internet or increasingly on social media. It shows that there is very little alignment with current and the predicted jobs needed to ensure a vibrant and prosperous economy and society.

As well as the research it will explore how schools can ensure young people have opportunities to engage with the world of work and are well informed about the full range of jobs and career routes into them in a way that is quick and easy to organise.

Anne Friedman – Toward Building a Nation of Readers 

In an era marked by the decline of reading and literacy, Ann Friedman, former teacher and founder of the Planet Word museum in Washington, D.C., proposes an innovative approach to inspire new generations of readers. The museum, the only one of its kind, leverages cutting-edge technology and interactive activities to make reading an engaging and accessible cultural and social experience.  Designed to put into practice principles that activate and motivate the visitor, Planet Word offers installations that surprise, capture the imagination and aim to elicit the interest of learning more.

The intervention explores the potential of informal education in creating new interest in reading, highlighting the link between literacy and democracy. Une of the key messages is that fostering reading skills is essential to address today’s global challenges. This keynote is an invitation to enrich learning through innovative experiences that stimulate curiosity and creativity.

Nando Dalla Chiesa – Legality is a feeling: a countercultural manual of civic education

The idea that educating to legality consists in imparting and justifying a certain set of rules and norms, starting with the constitutional ones, has become widespread over the last two decades. But a whole course of teaching leads one to think that one must reflect on the true relationship that citizens and especially future citizens establish with rules. More precisely, that we must look at legality as a feeling nourished by words, examples, experiences, ideals, memories, and affections, which grows over time and becomes one with the person, becomes his or her way of life.

Connie Fortunato – The power of music

Bringing the World of Music into the School
And
Bringing the School into the World of Music

The “Why”
The “What”
The “How”
The Power of Music to Transform

“Music has the power to heal – socially, emotionally and cognitively; Music penetrates all chambers of the brain. Music lets us see through the eyes of our soul, and feel through the senses of humanity and experience the universal language of the spheres.” Connie Fortunato

“Music produces an irreversible transformation in a child. This doesn’t mean he’ll end up as a professional musician. He may become a doctor, study law, or become a teacher of literature. What music gives him remains indelibly a part of who he is forever.” José Antonio Abreu – Founder, El Sistema

“In ensemble music, children learn compassion, empathy, discipline, languages, and history. Music is at the core of who we are.” Eric Whitacre – Composer and Conductor

“In some ways, music is the science of the soul. It is the science of the inner life. What I’m doing when I teach music is TRANSMITTING something so that it lives in somebody else.” YoYo Ma – Cellist

“Music can change the world because it can change people.” Bono

This session will look at the lifelong and universal transformative power of music – not for just an elite few, but for all. The “what” the “why” and the “how” of transforming our schools, our communities, our countries and our world through the power of music.

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3rd SESSION – CREATING TODAY THE SCHOOLS OF TOMORROW

Ha Vinh Tho – Bhutan: Gross National Happiness as a New Paradigm for Measuring National Prosperity and Educational Well-Being?

In a world shaped by rapid technological advancements and evolving societal demands, education must move beyond academic achievement to prioritize holistic well-being and sustainable development. This presentation unveils the “Happy Schools” model – a transformative framework inspired by the principles of Gross National Happiness (GNH) – designed to integrate personal, social, and ecological dimensions of happiness into education.

Drawing on over 25 years of experience with the Eurasia Foundation, this session explores the theoretical and practical foundations of the Happy Schools model. The approach emphasizes mindfulness, social-emotional learning (SEL), and environmental stewardship as cornerstones for nurturing well-rounded individuals who excel both academically and emotionally. It also reimagines the role of teachers in the age of artificial intelligence, highlighting their irreplaceable capacity to cultivate emotional intelligence, creativity, and ethical values in students.

Key topics include:

• Integrating mindfulness and SEL to foster supportive and inclusive learning environments.
• Evidence-based benefits of awareness training for improving attention, emotional regulation, and stress management.
• The role of education in promoting harmony with oneself, others, and the planet.

By connecting inner growth with actionable change, this session equips educators with practical tools to inspire a new paradigm of schooling – one that balances academic success with collective well-being and prepares students to thrive in an interconnected world.

Hekia Parata – New Zealand. Securing a better future through an education system that works for all

We don’t know with certainty what tomorrow will bring. We do know that around the world we can no longer rely on an agreed set of facts. Communications and interactions have increasingly narrowed to online echo chambers. Our societies are increasingly polarized. Schools are microcosms of our societies with their beliefs and cultural practices. We need to ensure that our schools today are causing learning to happen in ways that are creating tomorrow’s good citizens.

In New Zealand I focused across the system on lifting the quality of teaching and leadership; and increasing the engagement of families, and the expectations of communities. This included involving the professional associations and teacher unions in all major policy and programme development; creating communities of learning connecting early childhood education through to senior secondary; cross sector forums of diverse community leaders; prioritizing the consistent collection and use of learning data to answer the question “which child where, needs what resource when?”; and creating a culture of respect for the unique identity of each child and their place in the world. Every school, with character and care, can create the conditions for the success of their students, and the professional pride and reward of their teachers and leaders. Tomorrow’s citizens are graduated by today’s schools. They must be able to lift to the challenge.

Andreas Schleicher – Ready for… lifelong learning?

We used to go to school to learn for our work. Now learning is the work. School is only successful if it can instil the capacity and motivation among learners to continue to learn, unlearn and relearn throughout their lives. Strengthening the triangular relationship between learning strategies, motivation and self-belief, that is, the confidence learners have in themselves and in their ability to improve their skills and knowledge, is key to enhance sustained lifelong learning. As shown in this presentation, the development of those learning strategies depend not just on effective teaching methods, but also on how teachers relate to learning and the support students feel from their teachers. Students learn best from teachers they love. The implication is that the organisation of schooling needs to provide time and space for teachers to understand who their students are, who they want to become and to accompany them in their individual learning.

Peeter Mehisto – Estonian education: insights into its unexpected ascent 

This presentation explores how Estonia, despite high levels of relative poverty, has transformed its education system to become Europe’s top performer on PISA (Programme for International Student Assessment). It uncovers reforms, mistakes and lessons learnt that have been harnessed to create a high-performing, high-equity education system. These include social and education policies fostering equity, inclusion, learner autonomy, as well as school teacher and principal professionalism, autonomy and responsibility. The talk unearths how easy access to a wide range of data such as perceptions of well-being, autonomy, and connectedness, in addition to national examination results, builds internal and external accountability, and contributes to stakeholder collective efficacy. Other counterweights are also delineated as they are central to keeping the system operating on an even keel. These counterweights also help to keep core elements of the education ecosystem in an ongoing process of reciprocal coevolution whilst protecting it from over politicisation. Finally, some potential risks facing Estonian education are highlighted, as are ways the country is working to enhance its current system of education.