ARGENTINA, Patricia Gago. In only forty-two days on May 8th at 3:00 p.m., people will gather at every chapel, at every shrine, at every parish to pray as a community for Argentina within the framework of the Republic of Argentina’s bicentennial, which will occur on May 25th, 2010, two hundred years after the May Revolution in 1810. “Among the challenges that Argentina faces, we believe that the subject of education is a priority for society and within this sphere. We need capable educators who will guide and form children and youth in an organic and integral development of their person,” explained Father Guillermo Carmona, President of the Joseph Kentenich Pedagogical Center in Buenos Aires, Argentina.
At the beginning of each year, this Center organizes the course of Kentenich pedagogy for educators. This course is developed in Buenos Aires and in different places around the country; this year it also took place in Tucumán. The main subject for Course 2010 was the person of the educator and the bonds within the educational community. This retreat provides a time for reflection contributing to their personal and professional formation and for valuing their mission of education; a total of 160 people participated.
The subject developed was based mainly on the Kentenich vision of integral and organic pedagogy from the point of view of the goal, the means of development, the educator, and the students.
Fr. Guillermo Carmona, a member of the Institute of Schoenstatt Fathers and president of the Joseph Kentenich Pedagogical Center, spoke about: the self-educated educator- the importance of self-knowledge and self-education. He also focused on the person of the educator by working on “the call to the education mission: vocation, work, how to avoid teacher ‘burnout,’ and how to reach personal harmony in the midst of multiple tensions.”
A place to share
Martha Giuliano de Iglesia developed the Pedagogy of attachments subject along with another very timely subject, resilience in the educational sphere, what it is and how to apply it in the educational community. Through Dr. Gerardo Suárez’ presentation, the participants received training, and they reflected on the educational institution, its opportunities and it limitations as well as the resolution of tensions as an opportunity for growth for the educational community.
The course also provided time for dialogue and group work that made it an enriching exchange of personal and school experiences among the teachers from the different educational institutions.
Year by year the Joseph Kentenich Pedagogical Center has grown in its development and spreading the pedagogy of Father Joseph Kentenich in the different educational spheres of Argentina.
What I especially learned from the course…
Some comments from the participants:
-
The internal motivation I received and the motivation to try to embody this new cycle in a different way. It was so valuable for me that I would like for it to be longer so that I could receive more.
-
The great challenge is to put everything I learned in this course into practice.
-
The desire to experience an integral and organic pedagogy day by day and to apply it to life. I appreciate that the Joseph Kentenich Pedagogical Center has made this retreat with professionals of a very high pedagogical level possible.
-
It provided a broad vision of this pedagogy so I can develop it in my daily life as a teacher, as a person, as a human being.
-
Very good! The courses of the Joseph Kentenich Pedagogical Center are a sure thing.
-
Scheduling this course at the beginning of the year is motivational, and it was like a “retreat” that renewed my desire and motivated me to start on a new road as an educator.
-
There were many answers to questions that I have always had that this course clarified and which I will use.
-
I had a beautiful experience, it clarified my ideas. I learned new things and it gave me strength to begin the year. -
It made me think and reflect on my task as a teacher above all what I can improve and change. I would like to have the opportunity to participate in a course on Kentenich pedagogy.
-
It was a mental and spiritual opening that has allowed me to change my vision, not only in the sphere of school, but also in the personal one.
-
Desire, hope, a perspective to change. I met new people, who are very worthy and who enriched my task. It gave me the desire to improve and it showed me how to do it.
-
I think it was an excellent course; the speakers as well as the content. They were passionate and it showed!
