Category: School life

On February 10th, Avenor hosted the inaugural regional round of the prestigious Oxford Schools’ Debate Competition in Romania, bringing together 56 students from 8 schools. This stage required participants to engage in two British Parliamentary-style debates, with the top 3 teams advancing to the final held at the University of Oxford in March.

During the event, two Oxford students, our guests for a few days, provided explanations on the rules, served as judges, and closely observed the competitors.

Special congratulations to the Avenor team comprised of Ioana and Sofia, students in  Grades 9 and 10, who will represent Avenor in the final stage of the Oxford competition.

Louisa Dăscălescu, teacher of History, and coordinator of the Avenor Debate Club was the driving force behind and organiser of this project, tailored to provide the Avenor Debate team with the opportunity to participate in a significant international competition, pushing their limits and preparing them for the future.

In the interview below, Louisa shares insights on what participating in such competitions means for our high school students.

What was your motivation for organising such an event at Avenor?  

Romania is lucky to have ample opportunities to debate in local competitions and events. That said, where were the opportunities for students to participate as a school team that led to a bigger competition or final elsewhere? The debate bubble in Bucharest is excellent, but the students are very familiar with each others’ strengths and weaknesses, and I felt they needed an additional challenge. 

The Oxford Schools’ Debate Competition is a very popular event in the UK – it has over 350 schools competing every year. More recently, it has also grown internationally, with regional rounds in different countries all over the world opening up. I felt it was important for us to have a regional round in Romania and to give students competing the chance to progress to a final with unfamiliar faces in the historic Oxford Union at the University of Oxford.

How many debate teams does Avenor have?  How has the interest of students grown for such competitions?

Avenor Debate Club for grades 8-12 currently has 33 members! I hope it will keep on growing next year! 

When it comes to competitions, we set up an internal qualifier to ensure that the selection process is fair and that the students who are ready to compete go forward to represent our school. Some students are more interested in the World Schools’ debate formats where they have teams of 3 and a reply speaker, whereas some enjoy the British Parliamentary style with teams of two and only 15 minutes time to prepare for a debate!

What were the debate topics, and what results did our school achieve?

The regional round of Oxford Schools’ Debate Competition implied for the 56 participant students to take part in two rounds of debate on the motions selected and introduced by the two students from Oxford University: for the first round, ‘This House Would demolish all monuments built by recently toppled repressive regimes’ and the second round, ‘This House Prefers a world in which elderly parents live with their adult children as opposed to living separately.’

Our school did very well – one of our teams was amongst the three top performing teams, who qualified for the final at Oxford University. The environment that day was highly competitive with all teams achieving good scores. As a result, the decision to choose three finalist teams was made by the judges from Oxford University in collaboration with the judges from the other schools. As the organiser of the day, I can say that the top ten performing teams were all a few points within each other!

What does it mean for the winning team to attend the second phase of the competition, which will take place at Oxford?

The final at Oxford will be a significant step up: speaking time will increase from 5 minutes to 7 minutes, and students will be able to bring pre-prepared material with them to support them in the debate, but it will be tricky ensuring that the material will be relevant and they will have to think quickly on their feet and adapt to arguments they don’t predict coming from equally strong public speakers.

Why is it important for students, in the long run, to participate in such competitions?

While the competitions themselves are a chance for students to test their strengths as public speakers against other worthy opponents, the work they put into preparing for competitions is equally or more important than the competitions: the super-curricular reading they do to be familiar with an array of motions and topics, tirelessly honing their persuasive writing and public speaking skills through practice rounds – these actions equips students with attributes and competencies that make them successful in their further education and careers as well as debates.

A highlight of our recent Oxford Schools’ Debate Competition – regional round – was having our two guest judges, students from Oxford University, speak to our students in high school about the value of extracurricular activities in the process of applying to universities in the USA and the United Kingdom.

Ultimately, exposure to debate or other extracurricular activities that facilitate a better understanding of the self and the word will undoubtedly help students narrow the scope and focus of their future applications for university, whilst also arming them with confidence, competencies,  and knowledge about how to present themselves and communicate effectively.

On February 8th, we had the pleasure of hosting Doru Căstăian, a philosophy professor, on our campus. He addressed the community on the topic “How to Live a Good Life” – the second conference in the series “What’s Worth Learning?“.

The experience of discovering the significant impact that behaviours like constant reflection, moral ethics, and balance have on individual well-being was an enlightening exercise, demonstrating to everyone present how we can incorporate philosophical concepts into our daily lives to enhance our educational, professional, and social experiences. 

We take pride in sharing with the entire community Doru Căstăian’s reflections following his visit to Avenor. For us, his visit was a learning experience for which we are grateful, as well as an opportunity to get to know each other.

For me, a teacher with twenty years of teaching experience in a (single) state school, but who has dealt with numerous schools within the system over the years, the visit to Avenor felt like stepping into an educational wonderland. At Avenor, I witnessed operational ideas and principles that I had previously encountered mainly in literature—a blend of rigour, adherence to rules, and social and intellectual openness. These elements transform a mere school organisation into a flourishing and dynamic educational community.

No, please don’t assume I’m naive or that I’ve been captivated solely by the (impressive!) infrastructure or the understated glamour that subtly suggests we’re in a prosperous community. I’m actually referring to the intangible connection that reflects on the children’s faces, who are truly the most important here. It’s about the invisible bonds where healthy routines are embraced. Here, curriculum leaders pose genuine problems both theoretically and practically, rather than simply going through the motions with trivial matters. I’m talking about the prevalent collaboration among teachers, where sharing ideas and overcoming mistakes with integrity and bravery are commonplace. Moreover, parents are integral members of the educational community, respected and consulted, yet not granted every wish despite their contributions.

Ultimately, I’m also referring, to the ongoing learning process of teachers, their efforts to explore, observe, and absorb insights that contribute to the school’s ongoing relevance and competitiveness.

In short, Avenor is a school community from which we all have a lot to learn, including how to build a (healthier) relationship with the state system and its rather bureaucratic, old-fashioned tendencies.

In matters of education, I don’t subscribe to singular solutions. I believe in the necessity of both public and private education. Schools like Avenor, accredited in both state and international systems, present an opportunity for us, for the sake of our children, to transcend tribalism and dichotomous thinking.

Certain good practices and constructive ideas from Avenor can be adopted tomorrow (or today) in any of the public schools at no cost or minimal costs. That’s why I encourage every school director or inspector to make an immediate visit here. Any open-minded individual will leave inspired and enlightened after interacting with the school community here, especially since Avenorians are open, empathetic, and willing to help.

Lastly, a word about the school’s people, perhaps its most crucial asset. Children and teachers (and parents, although my interactions with them have been fewer), resemble those in any school in Romania. The same familiar hum to any seasoned teacher’s ears. The same curiosity that has always resonated with me, the same young minds eager to unfold as soon as they’re encouraged.

For a moment, I closed my eyes and dreamed that every school in Romania would have at least some aspects of Avenor.

I don’t idealise, and certainly, we could critically assess certain ideas and philosophies underlying such an educational approach. I couldn’t help but reevaluate my old ideas (developed in several texts over the years) regarding the benefits and limitations of entrepreneurial models and methods in education. But beyond all this, the visit to Avenor was more than just a semi-social event for me; it was a profound experience, a joy, and a revival of hope.

It is possible.

On February 14th, at 8:40 a.m., Avenor is organising the Open Day event for families who want to learn more about the educational journey we offer to students, from ages 2 to 18. Discover Avenor is an event dedicated to students aiming to enrol in grades 2 through 10 for the academic year 2024 – 2025.

The novelty of the event lies in the fact that all children registered for the Open Day will be able to participate in a class session alongside Avenor students and teachers.

Registrations for the Open Day can be made HERE.

On February 14th, between 8:40 a.m. and 10:05 a.m., we open the gates of the Avenor campus in Greenfield to welcome families interested in discovering what learning at Avenor looks like, how we guide our students to reach their full potential based on their passions, and what the atmosphere on our campus is like.

Through this event, we aim to provide parents concerned about education with the opportunity to receive answers to the questions they have when looking for the right school for their child. In specially designed sessions for meetings and discussions with our educational leaders, Avenor students, and parents from the community, we aim to provide a clearer picture of how the learning process is structured, with the student at its centre.

Additionally, children participating in the Open Day will have the opportunity to become Avenor students for a day. They will be invited to participate in a class session appropriate for their age, thus having the chance to directly see the classroom atmosphere, the relationship between students and teachers, and how learning actually happens.

Both parents and children are welcome to explore our campus located on the outskirts of Băneasa Forest.

Over the past two years alone, we have invested over 4 million euros into this purpose-built learning environment, comprising 5 buildings, 50 classrooms, dedicated laboratories for sciences, arts, computer science, design, drama, a state-of-the-art sports hall, and two outdoor sports fields.

At Avenor, we are constantly concerned with making learning relevant, interesting, and useful for real life.

“What’s Worth Learning?” is an important question for education, and we aim to find answers from the most erudit and remarkable individuals in our society. Thus emerged the initiative “What’s worth learning?”, which involves hosting conferences on topics of interest not only to our community but also to a broader audience, featuring speakers who are experts in their respective fields.

Scheduled for February 8th, the second conference in the “What is worth learning?” series will take place at the Avenor campus. We are delighted to welcome Doru Căstăian as our guest speaker. He is a teacher of philosophy at the “Dimitrie Cuclin” High School in Galați and an associate professor at the Faculty of History, Philosophy, and Theology, “Dunărea de Jos” University. He aims to teach us “How to Live a Good Life.”

The invitation extended to Professor Căstăian is motivated by the intention to learn from great philosophers how to build a good life and why it is worthwhile to have this topic of discussion and learning in schools.

Why Philosophy?

We are increasingly concerned about the quality of our lives – at home, at work, in our relationships with others and with ourselves – and we desire to have a good life. Philosophy has always been concerned with the good life, developing practices and tools that can be used both in everyday life and in the classroom.

“Perhaps, for your child, the value of philosophical inquiry and its practical applications may not be immediately evident. Likewise, for you as a parent. Yet, many presumed innovations in parenting are, in fact, repurposed tools from ancient traditions of thought. Philosophy can be seamlessly integrated into everyday activities like brushing your teeth, watching a Netflix movie, exploring the city, or even enjoying a football match (especially when watching one). In all seriousness, I wholeheartedly believe that the benefits of philosophy remain relevant today, if not more so. Across the globe, people are rediscovering the forgotten riches of philosophical thought, whether to navigate work challenges, adolescence, or the complexities of first loves, both shared and unshared.” – shares Doru Căstăian.

The Resurgence of the Formative Spirit 

The resurgence of the formative spirit is increasingly acknowledged within Romania’s higher education philosophy sector, offering a broader array of “tools” to the general public, ranging from books to podcasts and master’s programs in philosophical counselling. Through vivid and concrete examples, Doru Căstăian will illustrate how we can integrate philosophical tools into our daily lives to address personal challenges and enhance our pedagogical practices in the classroom.

“We cannot deceive human nature. We cannot manipulate fragments, uncertainties, or glimpses of feelings as if they were mist. Viewing everything as a production process is unrealistic; not all problems have algorithmic solutions, nor are all objectives SMART. Somewhere within the core of our minds, perspectives must converge to provide a coherent understanding of the world around us at every moment. These aspects may seem like mere philosophical embellishments on simpler matters, but they are not. They represent fundamental needs without which human beings suffer, both literally and metaphorically. Whether it’s ourselves, our children, or the adolescents under our care, even philosophical tools alone are insufficient; we must also nurture certain dispositions through what Foucault termed as techniques of the self. This cultivation can occur both at home and in the classroom, and I aim to demonstrate how” articulates Professor Căstăian.

Reflection and Self-Creation in the Age of AI

The widespread use of AI, which is becoming increasingly unavoidable, presents a host of specific issues that, like any technology, disrupt and reorganise our social frameworks.

Our lives are becoming more fast-paced, leading to a decline in reflection. We often seek the shortest and easiest routes, constantly searching for recipes promising success. However, algorithms, upon which such recipes are based, prove ineffective in matters of personal discovery and relationship-building.

How should we navigate this technological revolution, whether we are parents or educators?

“Smart technologies are already reshaping our lives unlike any other technology before. We are only at the outset, and individuals of all walks, from the child completing homework with ChatGPT to the expert in the philosophy of knowledge, are striving to understand the unfolding dynamics. It’s tempting to adopt unexamined notions from our surroundings, whether envisioning a dreamy new technological utopia or predicting an impending apocalypse. However, as parents and educators, it is incumbent upon us to delve deeper, to understand how AI and its suite shape our knowledge, skills, memory, goals, and values. We must grasp its capabilities and limitations and leverage this understanding to become better parents, educators, and mentors.” expresses Doru Căstăian.

About the Purpose of Philosophy Today

How do we discover our values, how do we sift through what is important from what can be set aside? What is the meaning of life and how do we uncover it? What are our virtues?

“I am honest enough and, I like to believe, lucid enough not to claim that I have a panacea. I don’t have motivational speeches for you, life recipes, or unbeatable algorithms. However, I do have some advice, a lot of willingness, and the desire to make new friends in the realm of reflection. It pains me to say, reflection has nearly vanished from the realm of our professional practices. And those who pay the price are almost always the children. They pay for our unforgivable hesitations, our arrogant ignorance, our existential confusion. Yes, in this millennium, I still believe in the promise made millennia ago by philosophy. That happiness is possible. That we can refine its patina every day. That a journey that usually begins with ourselves can be fascinating,” says Doru Căstăian.

These are some of the topics Doru Căstăian will discuss at the conference on February 8th, in an attempt to help us learn “How to Live a Good Life“.