Birgitta and Bajabulile

https://crowdfunding.justgiving.com/john-baumber-5

It is now two weeks since we were shocked by the news that our colleague and friend Birgitta Ericson had passed away unexpectedly. Many of you will have shared your memories already, but it is important just to spend a moment reflecting on this remarkable human being and professional.

Birgitta was a really spiritual person, who brought calm determination to all she worked at and to all of us with whom she worked. Over 15 years ago she was the critical architect of the Education Programme that underpins all Kunskapsskolan schools all around the world. It seems incredible that this pedagogical approach remains fresh and feeling new – what a visionary!

Effective educational models need to be based in proven educational theory but for successful implementation there needs to be a discipline and consistent messaging. As we sought to contextualise our work to different communities, countries and cultures, Birgitta was that rock and reference point.

Placing students at the centre and designing a system that meets their individual and personalised needs sounds simple. But so few of us do that. We readily resort to designing schooling around the work of the teacher. Allowing students to co-design their work and set their goals so becoming motivated by the responsibility it brings seems something we all seek. But ask yourself, “Don’t we normally take charge and design the route just providing differentiated routes?”

Birgitta was passionate about the power of coaching not just to enable students to take charge of their learning , but supporting all of us to achieve our own goals. She was clear that as educators we had to model the way we expected students to work both in terms of how we achieved our goals but also by the way we worked together and collaboratively saw our way through difficulties and challenges. There is always a way!

She was passionate about how our growing global family would be able to enrich the understanding young people can make of their increasingly chaotic and fast moving world.

Thank you Birgitta. We will take on your challenge and you remain with us as we move on.

She left me an incredible legacy. She asked that as a legacy, we might donate to Medecins Sans Frontiers (http://www.msf.org.uk) and to the project so many of you have been helping me – the STEM centre at Bajabulile Primary School in Mamelodi Township near Pretoria. You can imagine how moving I found that bequest.

I will not replay the details of the project as many of you will know the purpose and the impact this will have on thousands of young people in the township desperate to make education the change they need for their future. If you want to further support this work in Birgitta’s name, and have not yet had that opportunity, then there is a crowd funding page for you to use at the top of the page.

The centre will be opened on 6th April. it will be called the

MOABELO ERICSON STEM CENTRE.

Peter Moabelo on the left of the photo at the top of the page is the inspirational headteacher who has just retired from Bajabulile Primary School after 20 years. He has been the spirit of this heroic school. I am delighted that he ahs been able to pass his vision and commitment to his deputy Queen Chimeloane. Like Birgitta children are at the heart of his work and mission. He modelled the way young people should relate to one another and kept the hope alive for all of them.

So we’ve built the lab – its huge. It will enable a totally different type of learning. We now have to equip it. It will be a long term project and I am grateful to so many of you who have not only supported this build already but are committing to continuing to work with the school and the teachers to bring a great experience in Maths, Science and Technology for years to come.

To conclude I’ll leave with poem that sustained Nelson Mandela through the decades of captivity. It seems an appropriate way to reflect on the resilience and vision of two very special people now at the heart of a new way forward for young people in Mamelodi.