LABC Case study

Your name and role: Giulia Martina, teacher

School/organization: Immaginazione e Lavoro (Moncalieri)

1. Briefly describe the activity you delivered in your classroom, including the ages of children/young people (200 words maximum):

We chose to organize an activity that included students from three classes all belonging to the Graphic Design Operator course, specifically a first, a second and a third class and therefore students from 13 to 18 years old. This was to see how thinking changes according to age and to create uneven working groups.

For this activity, after an initial moment of discussion and brainstorming in plenary, we divided the students into groups and asked them to find information on the environmental policies of a given country, and then they were asked to simulate a cop conference.

2. How did the activity address climate change? (200 words maximum):

 We decided not to start with a notional approach but from what the students knew on the subject. We asked them what they thought about climate change and their thoughts on applicable sustainability policies. Afterwards, in the group work, everyone deepened their knowledge, also through the use of information available online, and then finally gave space for discussion, dialogue and the opportunity to develop new and sometimes even unconventional ideas and thoughts.

3. What was a success? (You can share small stories, if you like) What was the impact on the pupils/school? (200 words maximum):

Agenda 2030 and climate change topics have been discussed by students throughout the year, so the main challenge was to overcome the students' initial mistrust and convince them that the activity would not be boring and a mere repetition of information they had already heard. Some students were really interested in the topic, while others struggled to keep their attention and turn the activity into an opportunity for reflection and growth.

Certainly, the moments of plenary discussion both at the beginning and at the end of the group work was the space in which most of all the involvement and willingness to be heard was seen.

Work in small groups, on the other hand, did not work for everyone, as often happens some students worked while others only reaped the fruits of others' efforts.

An interesting aspect that emerged was that some of the young people felt very anxious and empowered about carrying out the ideas and policies of an entire country.

4. Any other comments:

 Giving teenagers the opportunity to speak and discuss topics that are popular and often underestimated by them is essential to stimulate their curiosity. Moreover, young people, exactly because they are less conditioned by adult and rational thinking, are often able to give interesting ideas and insights simply because they are able to think outside of the box much more than adults.

It is important to generate in them a sense of confidence and hope for their future, so that they can find their own place in the world and succeed in self-determination, and if in the meantime they manage to clean up the messes made by previous generations, that would be great! But in order to succeed, someone has to show them that they can believe it.

The opportunity to meet external trainers at school is always a good choice because the novelty helps to break out of the patterns and behaviors that are implemented in everyday life.