Category: Banging on about… Business

Forgetting new words in surprisingly old ways: 500+ Reasons to be Cheerful at All Our Futures, Rio De Janeiro, October 2013

Reasons 38.5 – 50: Forgetting new words in surprisingly old ways.

Clearly, coming to Brazil is going to involve your engagement with the Portuguese language and over the last few days I have managed to up my vocabulary from a big fat zero words to a massive 12. These are, unsurprisingly, the words for school, fantastic, thanks, goodbye, congratulations, children, teacher, street, hotel, good morning and beer. One of these only counts as half a word as I keep forgetting it.

Whilst there are plenty of apps you can download on your phone to help you memorise key phrases, at All Our Futures you will have the benefit of dedicated translators who will be with you all the time so your vocabulary will no doubt increase at the rate of knots. By the end of this week I aim to have increased my word bank to at least 62.

The even better news is that one of our host schools – Colegio Notre Dame Ipanema – is highly skilled at teaching both Portuguese and English to its students and visitors. And yes – you did read ‘Ipanema’ in the title – so once the visit to the school is over, you will be easily able to hotfoot it down to the beach and imagine yourself singing that old favourite by Antônio Carlos Jobim with Portuguese lyrics by Vinicius de Moraes. But I bet Victor didn’t have problems forgetting his words.

More at http://ipanema.notredame.org.br/

More here too: http://www.aspirecreativeenterprises.com/ACE/aof_rio.html

More on our travel partners here: http://www.govie.co.uk/events/

Enlightening students by enlightened teachers: 500+ Reasons to be Cheerful at All Our Futures, Rio De Janeiro, October 2013

Reasons 11 – 38.5: Enlightening students by enlightened teachers

Some might say, what’s the point of travelling over 5000 miles to go and see schools? They’re all the same everywhere aren’t they? Well, yes, in as much they are populated by people and invariably are housed in something resembling a building: so yes, they’re all the same. Much like the flora and fauna across the planet are all the same in the way they have thing in common: they’re alive.

But what the reductionist misses is the fact that schools and those who inhabit them – teachers, young people, parents, school rabbits – make complex ecologies in their own rights, complete with their own characteristics, flavours and behaviours. Whilst their commonalities are gratifying – the vast majority of them want the best for their young people – their differences and diversity are reasons to celebrate the spirit of the endeavour to prepare for their – for our – futures.

So far this week, our visit to Escola Nova in the suburb of Gavea, has shown a school with huge spirit of internationalism; walls, doors and school furniture remind the pupil and the teacher of their ongoing connection to their neighbours across South America as well as further afield. A classroom named Israel sits next door to a classroom called Palestine. The UK classroom sits upstairs above the theatre-gym space and promises pupils insights to Manchester, Cornwall and Norfolk. The Science lab has an ingenious way of connecting pupils to the physical world we inhabit by using the natural rock of the hillside the school is built on as the fourth wall of the classroom. When it rains, the rain streams down the rock into a channel which takes the water away: possibly the only classroom in the world where rain inside in the school is embraced. More at http://www.escolanova.com.br/

Equally intriguing is the Instituto de Aplicacao Fernando Rodrigues da Silveira CAP-UERJ, a school we visit later that day. Occupying some very unprepossessing building space, we hear that this is one of only two schools where research is a fundamental aspect of the teachers role: so much so that over 38% of teaching staff have PhDs. And this isn’t a result of unemployed doctoral students looking for work but a conscious policy by the school to keep offering their staff high quality on the job development. As a result, staff are infused with the importance of research and connecting this research to the work of the classroom. And given they teach both at the university and the school, they see themselves as both school teachers and university lecturers simultaneously: with the consequence that their pupils become both school pupils and university students – albeit from the age of 6 upwards. And the results of this enlightened policy of staff development is that the school is one of the highest achieving schools in Brazil – in an area which has huge levels of poverty and social exclusions to boot. More at http://www.cap.uerj.br/site/

So yes, all schools are the same in one way: but their differences are something to inspire and to teach us all, wherever we work.

More here too: http://www.aspirecreativeenterprises.com/ACE/aof_rio.html

More on our travel partners here: http://www.govie.co.uk/events/

Radical Sport, Communities and Education: 500+ Reasons to be Cheerful at All Our Futures, Rio De Janeiro, October 2013

Reasons 5 – 10: radical sports, radical communities, radical education

An inspiring visit today to meet Bernard Rangel at the Complexo Esportivo da Rocinha, located next to its neighbouring favela of Rocinha. Home of swimming, radical sports, futsal (a football style which is one reason Brazil is the best in the world) and judo, the complex draws its communities across the neighbouring Oscar Niemeyer bridge out of the favela to improve their sporting prowess, their health and and community. The kids can also get their teeth improved into the bargain through the mobile dental unit. More at http://sbrrocinharadical.blogspot.com.br/

The walk across the bridge into the favela leads to a chance meeting with DJ Zezinho, a local DJ who runs Rocinha Media School and DJ workshops for local kids – all using CDs and memory sticks as vinyl out here is way too expensive. So if you have any old 12” vinyl that could do with another outing on the turntables of Rocinha, please get in touch with him at: http://www.favelatour.org (he also organises tours of the favela too).

We’re talking with Bernard and his colleagues about presenting at All Our Futures and organising a visit to him and the favela for delegates who want to learn more about the ongoing Olympic support of community and radical sports in the city. More at http://faveladarocinha.com/site/

And finally: a completely new take (to me at least) on gyms, health and fitness for office workers: Laboral Gym. More at http://laboralgymindustries.blogspot.com.br/
The mind and body boggles.

More here too: http://www.aspirecreativeenterprises.com/ACE/aof_rio.html

More on our travel partners here: http://www.govie.co.uk/events/

Finding Your Dancing Hips: 500+ Reasons to be Cheerful at All Our Futures, Rio De Janeiro, October 2013

All Our Futures, Rio is our next international conference for educators set in this iconic Brazilian city. This week involves visits to schools, educational and cultural partners – and some potentially awesome guests – who will be contributing to the event in October.

Reasons 1 – 4: Finding Your Dancing Hips

I started the week in the spirit which I hope will encapsulate the whole programme – a visit to the Rio Scenarium, a four floor emporium of bars, classic antiques, music and dancing opportunities for anyone and everyone. Couples of all ages swung, grooved, shook their stuff and mamba-ed and samba-ed and bossa-ed the night away. Its an old cliché to say that Brazilians have rhythm coursing their veins, but tonight saw hundreds of night-outers dance their way along the streets, in and out of the bars and along to the early morning. So if you can make it to our October conference – remember to bring your dancing hips. (I left mine at home, sorry to say – but that’s white English men of a certain age for you.)

Ana Chapman Fromm, our travel partner from VIE Educational Travel is spending the week introducing us to colleagues, family and friends who will no doubt make a great contribution to the programme. More reasons to follow!

More here too: http://www.aspirecreativeenterprises.com/ACE/aof_rio.html

More on our travel partners here: http://www.govie.co.uk/events/

Questions by Business Start Ups: how do I know if I’m flogging a dead horse?

There comes a time in every young business when the cold light of day suddenly comes peeping through the windows of the illustrious entrepreneur who has been tending their new business with the love and care that befits the bright young thing of their imaginations.

The sunshine -welcomed in the real world of cash flows and budgets – is not of the warming variety though; it’s rays don’t contain the healing properties of ultraviolet light or the emotional buzz of the infrared. Instead, this sunshine shows the business up for all its deficiencies. The cash flow doesn’t flow; the market place is saturated with lookalikee businesses who are all struggling against the wind that blows down their alleyways; the business idea is just that – an idea which is not a business but just a bit of a wizard wheeze, dreamt up after too much Stella Artois, Indian takeaways or other toxic dream makers.

The bright young entrepreneur will say to themselves, after this cold shower of sunlight, so, what’s it all about Alfie? Is this a dead horse I’m flogging? An ex parrot I’m trying to resurrect? Or just a business idea that had a short but sweet life and has now outlived its usefulness and purpose in life? Does it matter any more?

And the bright young entrepreneur will recognise that there are just two questions which will provide the answer to that dilemma. Simply, is there any cash in the system? And do I have enough desire in my bones to make this work? If the answer to either of these questions is a resounding Yes, then there is still a possibility that all will come good.

A business without desire but plenty of cash will last for some time, but like the Titanic, will sink slowly and inexorably to the bottom of the ocean. But a business built on desire but without short term cash is not completely impossible; your desire will make up for that shortfall and there will always be a better, golden tomorrow when the cash flows to meet your febrile desires.

But If the answer to both these is no – ‘no cash, no desire’ then the BYE needs to throw back the curtains, let the cold light of day flood their apartment, pack their bags and get the hell out of town. Any further energies on the idea will be a waste of good time, sense, money, relations and sanity.

Read more on the desires of new businesses here: https://drnicko.com/2013/01/20/tips-for-business-start-ups-what-do-you-want-really-really-want/

Calling teachers interested in educational and cultural exchange in Brazil

Over the last two years, Aspire has organised international conferences for Principals and Head teachers from Bulgaria, India, Nigeria and the UAE to visit UK schools. We have also produced student exchange programmes for students from Nigeria, Serbia and Macedonia.

These events have been very powerful in establishing links between UK and overseas schools, developing educational exchanges, facilitating visits between partner schools and offering unique insights into our mutual educational cultures.

This year we are planning a similar conference in Brazil in conjunction with schools and universities there. To set up those programmes, I have been invited to visit schools in Rio de Janeiro between 20 and 28 May to participate in a trade and culture mission with schools, the University, teachers and other colleagues. More information is available at http://www.aspirecreativeenterprises.com/ACE/aof_rio.html

If you would like your school to benefit from my visit – e.g. by making links with schools, connections with head teachers and pupils, curriculum developments, CPD opportunities or other possibilities – then please get in touch to discuss how I could facilitate connections and exchanges between those schools and your own. I can be contacted at nick@aspire-trust.org.

Conferência Internacional Todos os Nossos Futuros: Brasil

A natureza da educação está mudando rapidamente em todo o mundo. Novos currículos e novas abordagens de ensino e aprendizagem, as condições de mudanças sociais em que as crianças e jovens estão crescendo, os desafios técnicos e ambientais que todos enfrentamos: todos estes produzem pressões extraordinárias sobre os valores, os propósitos e o papel da educação para professores e alunos.

A natureza da educação está mudando rapidamente em todo o mundo. Novos currículos e novas abordagens de ensino e aprendizagem, as condições de mudanças sociais em que as crianças e jovens estão crescendo, os desafios técnicos e ambientais que todos enfrentamos: todos estes produzem pressões extraordinárias sobre os valores, os propósitos e o papel da educação para professores e alunos.

O programa é um evento sem fins-lucrativos, direcionado para diretores de escolas, professores, líderes e gestores educacionais, visando introduzir as práticas pedagógicas locais para profissionais estrangeiros no setor de educação, com o objetivo de criar uma rede mundial de troca de conhecimento em práticas de ensino e aprendizado.

Sob a direção da autoridade, reconhecida e nomeada, do Dr. Nick Owen, Aspire Trust gostaria de contar com a participação das melhores escolas e iniciativas educacionais do Rio de Janeiro para esse evento – além dos convidados especiais que irão falar sobre diferentes aspectos da sua experiência profissional ligada ao ensino e desenvolvimento dos jovens brasileiros. Precisamos do empenho de sua organização em receber três educadores por 4 dias consecutivos em Outubro de 2013.

Trabalhando juntos, promoveremos idéias originais e visões positivas para o ensino de crianças e jovens no mundo inteiro.

For further information contact me at nick@aspire-trust.org

All Our Futures: International Educational Study Visit to Liverpool in partnership with the British Council Bulgaria and Aspire-India

All Our Futures is Aspire’s annual conference for international head teachers took place in Liverpool between 11 and 14 June 2013. The event aimed to introduce pedagogical practices which are being applied at various levels in English schools by providing participants with exclusive, intense immersive experiences in schools and do generate unique, high quality insights into teaching and learning.

All Our Futures was produced in partnership with both the British Council, Bulgaria and our sister company, Aspire-India based in Bhubaneswar, Orisha: and so have welcomed Head teachers from the Indian subcontinent and introduced them to our schools in Liverpool, Wirral and Knowsley.

Further details of our programme in March with Bulgarian Head teachers and the British Council, Bulgaria are here:

http://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.10151543038237812.1073741827.657337811&type=1

More on the June conference as it happened here:

https://www.facebook.com/nick.owen.3781/media_set?set=a.10151732950132028.1073741829.686222027&type=3

and here:

5 tips for everyone: how not to become part of the business world

Every now and then you have to take stock of what you’re part of and what is expected of you in this multi-demanding world we find ourselves in. Either every teenager is expected to want to go to university, or everyone over 50 is expected to don their dancing shoes, shake off the years and become lean, mean fighting machines, or every public sector worker is expected to turn into an eagle eyed entrepreneur and set up their own business, often on the flimsiest of pretexts.

This latter expectation is particularly worrying given the myths and legends which seem to populate public fantasies about what it’s like to work in the business world. So, here’s some advice on how not to become part of that world, should you wish to stay sane in your own personal world of education, employment or imagination.

1. Don’t think in terms of targets, key performance indicators, goals, strategies, visions, missions, or any thing else that has vaguely military overtones to it. Don’t even use these words. Ever.

2. Don’t dress to impress or invest. You can spend far too much time worrying about what you look like in other peoples eyes, particularly those who you imagine might have access to large wads of cash. They frequently don’t.

3. Don’t polish your shoes. Ever. Shiny shoes are a sign of mental anguish and a desire to please the craven. They promise the world and deliver the gutter.

4. Dowse the word ‘marketing’ with a large cup of petrol and throw a match at it. Stand well back. Try not to promote anything to anyone, ever.

5. Imagine your world shorn of logos, brands and tradmarks. Aim to live your life with the minimum of these commercial albatrosses around your neck.

6. Either trade in your passport for or take out as many as you possibly can. Refuse to identify with any one nation, one corporation or one brand of chocolate.

Go on, you know you want to.