Educational reformists have a popular saying: if you fell asleep 100 years ago and woke up today, everything would have changed, except education. Our means of communication, modes of travel and many other things have fundamentally changed, while education still takes place in schools and classrooms where 25 children sit facing one direction.

Of course, they do not look exactly the same. In many classrooms, electronic whiteboards have replaced old chalk boards:  sometimes, there are even computers. But little has changed in principle. From a physical perspective, the concept of learning remains the same. Schools and classrooms – as the sole definition of learning environment – are divided by the desks into small spaces where children are expected to learn, think and grow.

At REYN, we promote new concepts of education and learning environments. There should be no limits to where a child can learn, because a child can learn everywhere. We understand that children need to adapt to new situations and the rapid changes around them and therefore, at REYN, we prefer learning to take place beyond an isolated classroom environment – at home, in the playground: everywhere.

Teaching approaches are so unified that whenever we see anything different, we are deeply impressed. From differently arranged desks to joint teaching by two or more teachers: these little things are so different that schools implementing such measures are considered highly innovative. This is particularly curious as some of these approaches were shown to be successful decades ago.

But there is hope. Romani Early Years Network brings together hundreds of practitioners who do things differently. We bring color to learning and cultivate different concepts of education. We promote innovation despite stubborn rules and against conservative traditionalism. We promote top-quality services for all children, including those from Romani and Traveller families.

And why are we so committed to promoting change? As the saying goes: there are only two places where a buzzer announces lunch – school and prison. REYN wants to change this, REYN wants to make the change happen. Join the movement – Join_REYN

 

Stanislav Daniel: REYN Coordinator