Inside

Boring lessons fit only to creating hate

towards teachers and towards all they teach.

Jean-Jacques Rousseau

How many times have you thought about the essence of study? About the learning process? About its results… goals for which we accumulate knowledge?

Human brain with its characteristics could be compared to a computer. It has important features similar to random access memory, hard disk capacity, and operating system inherent to a machine. Such approach implies tuition based on knowledge accumulation, reading the program literature and learning by heart. During long years I had been considering such system to be only correct… till I got to know about a completely different method – the method of learning by doing.

 For me everything began with a chance to take part in a youth exchange program with European Union countries. It wasn`t just a students` camp, it was a serious international business school and I had an honor to be one of my country representatives. I think to say that I was happy is like to say nothing. That moment I was incredibly happy. And it is quite natural, because I was an ordinary girl, who just secretly let herself to dream about such a possibility.

This program is called Youth in Action. The name explains the main goal of the project – to let participants create their own businesses. One of the important organizers` tasks was showing young people that everyone can open a company. But you should remember one verity: first steps are the most difficult but also the most important. Youth in Action is still sponsored by European Union and anyone could take part in this program, even if you are living outside the Eurozone. You should just fill out an application on the official program website.

But now let`s go back to my story. Finally it happened with me. I was among Ukrainian participants, and we were flying to the project destination - Estonia. The subsequent week was very busy. I got skills that were useful for me after the project. For instance, I realized more clearly in which sphere would be better for me to work – it was a big problem for me being a fresh Master degree graduate. Moreover, project taught me that any idea deserves to be heard. So you shouldn`t be afraid of failing, you must be able to express yourself. I also learned a lot and, most importantly, I learned to believe in myself more. I want to note that I didn`t have to sit at the desk and to write lectures. All tasks were built on the principles of trainings and team competition. During the studies participants were often faced tasks that they solved creatively.

The first program part taught us to work in a team, the next step was to identify and develop leader qualities. After that the organizers helped us to generate ideas for our own businesses and to collect similar ones to realize that in a team.  Yes! Learning by doing included the creation of a business at the project! We had everything necessary for that, and then we, like managers of real companies, were competing with each other for bigger profits and market share, building creative advertising campaign and promoting real products with utility value.  

 The project had given participant a lot… so should I mention that they parted like good friends?