This blog post is based on a book contribution about the the Brazilian conference CONANE (National Conference on Alternatives for a New Education — https://www.conane.com.br) and its movement.

CONANE, a bi-annual national conference has been organized in Brazil since 2013 involving thousands of educators, decision makers and parents. Hundreds of projects have been presented, connected and supported.

Autonomous and distributed regional CONANEs have turned into a vivid national community of practice of pioneers in education. CONANE serves as a connection point to the Latin American movements of education pioneers and change makers.

CONANE 2013 (REEVO)

The Brazilian Edition Of The Education Revolution Game.

I love magic. I love stories about magic! CONANE is full of stories of magic. And miracles. Shining people, powerful moments and beautiful stories worth to remember that give hope. Dear friends helped and completely dedicated themselves to shape the CONANE movement and their own transformation within their community. What started back then has become, what I believe, one of the most progressive and advanced transformational movements in the area of education transformation — worldwide. Let me reflect on this stochastic process and what we can learn for a systemic transformation. How can a fun idea contribute to the Education Revolution?

My story about how CONANE came to me starts something like this: In September 2013, an interdisciplinary action research group from Europe came to Brazil to develop an action research project and to celebrate with some of the most progressive educators in the land of Paulo Freire. We called this endavour “EduOnTour”.[1] Imagine some friends get together and decide to take a trip to explore and experience the future of education. Young people who believed in a different reality. None of them had any real experience with education beyond their personal search and lived knowledge. None of them made a documentary. None of them had organized a national conference. When I told them about my idea that the educational revolution was taking off in Brazil, they immediately joined but still were sceptical. We wanted to understand the movement that I felt was forming and stronger than in other parts of the world. Our mission was to experience the revolution in education.[2]

Let’s do something cracy — Enabling a stochastic process

We launched EduOnTour because we wanted to be part of a reality that we believe in. Much has been written about the disconnection from our human species and the way we have educated our last generations. We were not satiesfied with that reality. We wanted to identify key learning initiatives and mobilize a transformational movement. We talked about what we were dreaming about and where we could recognize it. In Paulo Freire’s land, vibrant cultures, music and socio-diverse wealth, the future of education was much more tangible than in countries where the school system was highly developed and the infrastructure and paradigms too rigid to take a turn. Especially compared to Europe.

Our idea was crazy and hard to explain. How do you play a fun system revolution? There is no plan or clear vision. It is learning at each new stage. Lots of experimentation and building a collective vision in action. Our method was what I refer to as Game Design Theory. We used our personal network, co-created our itinerary and let the magic happen. And we traveled to Brasilia. Until the end, we wouldn’t know what to expect there. We documented our process on social media and in movies. Our goal was to visit schools and extraordinary education projects that represented a different approach than we have been experiencing in the traditional school system. We interviewed and looked for people with bright, shiny eyes. We made flyers, videos, labs, events and we met a lot of people. We called friends. We met at Impact Hub. We learned a lot about how to host transformational spaces. We met people from our networks, mapped innovations and pioneers[3], and talked to local change agents. We researched learning in networks and wanted to mobilize a movement by visiting initiatives, organizing events and meeting with thinkers like Augusto de Franco, Zé Pacheco, Tião Rocha or André Gravatá.

3 months later we were dancing with another 450 innovators and pioneers through the corridors of University of Brasilia. This was in November 2013. For the first time in Brazilian history education pioneers, changemakers, and visionaries came together embracing and dancing on the street singing “Força da Paz”. Celebrating each other and each other’s work. Looking into bright and often tired eyes. Realizing that they were not alone in their daily struggle for changing paradigms in education.

The beginning of CONANE. How an idea started to spin around — introducing the source theory. [4]

One of Peter Koenig’s most important and surprising discoveries in his “Source Work” is that this special relationship between source and initiative persists indefinitely, even decades after creating the idea unless this role has been passed on in an orderly succession process. This link exerts a force on the initiative, like gravity, whether acknowledged or not and whether the source is considered to be part of the formal organization or is outside of it.

As Valdo José Cavallet put it: “This rescue of the genesis of the Educational Alternatives movement in Brazil, with connections in Latin America, is extremely important. In building new paths, the fundamental thing is to rescue and democratize the history of the paths already taken.” CONANE is not only a conference or movement for some innovators and open-minded educators but a community of practice and it is important to learn together in order to become a system of influence.

A lot started with myjourney to Puerto Rico where IDEC [5] took place in 2012. There I met Yaacov Hecht [6], Justo Mendez [7] and German Doing [8], the producer of “La Educación prohibida”. It was clear to me that the Education Revolution would be led by South America. Brazil was a vibrant ecosystem and the transformative education movement around Justo Mendez and German Doing in the rest of Latin America was well coordinated and structured. I could feel a strong force coming out of Brazil. What was missing was Brazil’s connection with the rest of Latin America.

One year later in May 2013 when I returned to Brazil from the ENA gathering[9], I started to prepare our learning journey “EduOnTour”. I met Ze Pacheco for the first time in Rio with a bigger group of interested change makers. Later, Yaacov Hecht, Helena Singer and I visited him while a group of Conspiradores Romanticos wrote the 3rd manifesto for education that they would present to the Brazilian Minister of Education at the opening of the CONANE conference.[10]

The idea of a conference had evolved and it became clear how important it would be to gather projects that we found on our way and connect with Justo, German and the rest of South America. I started contacting my network and asked for help. I shared with my friends on social media that I would like to organize an international conference for alternatives in the area of education. [11]

What happened next exceeded all of my expectations. Sergio Storch whom I had just met virtually connected me with Sonia Goulart. Sonia immediately liked the idea and suggested having a national conference in November. She proposed that the conference could be in Brasilia with Gaia Brasília, UnB and MEC. She would meet Pacheco in Brasilia during the next few days. Zé supported the idea and Sonia called the Gaia Brasilia team together with friends from the UnB and MEC. So, we were set to go on “EduOnTour” in September starting from São Paulo and then traveling across the country to complete the journey with a national conference. The way we travelled, the way we organized our learning journey was completely aligned with CONANE. I was amazed how it all came together magically.

Theory of change: The 2 loops of transformation or The importance of a transformational system of influence in education.

Undoubtedly, Western education, as it has been experienced, has been successful over the past century and has served its purpose of increasing the industrial revolution, maintaining military, banking systems and making a digital revolution happen. Millions of people have learned to write and read, how to follow rules and serve a relevant system for getting out of poverty. Skills that have proven to be important in the last few centuries and still are. In our world, we still need to know how to write and read. How to calculate and value, but it is equally important to value creativity, critical thinking and empathic leadership to face new unknown challenges facing humanity. Communities of practice that evolve into influence learning systems are important and will evolve further. This is not a linear development.

Systemic change is happening

We cannot change large, complex and dominant systems such as the education system. We can influence large systems through raising awareness and changing the consciousness. However, we have to be aware that there are no single bullets. We can initiate actions that help raise awareness. And: change cannot be planned. No one can plan a transformation. The Berkana Model of Transformation[12], tells the story of how systems decline and emerge in new systems constantly. I feel that within the system, the structures and patterns are so strong that there is little transfer of knowledge from CONANE to the prevailing system that is taking place on a deep level yet. New paradigms must become new realities seen and experienced by a critical mass of the minority of our societies. The impact of CONANE, especially of regional meetings and exchanges, can be enormous in my opinion.

Let me explain the change in the education system through the lens of the 2-loop model based on Britnee Bond’s description [13] and supported by my experience with the CONANE movement. There has been this vast number of alternative solutions and progressive education initiatives in Brazil. Similar view of the school’s future. Knowing the “2 Loops of Transformation” model I was convinced that we would create tremendous value by identifying and mapping solutions and therefore my intention was to give back to the community.

First we know what we are. The next step is to connect with each other. We needed to build a network and social capital. The map of Reevo [15] helped to name, CONANE helped to connect and nurture pioneers, administrators, protectors, hospices and interest groups. At CONANE, pioneers and agents of change (walk outs), connected and formed a community of practice that shared experiences, knowledge and resources. Networks, like the Brazilian Democratic Education Network, were formed and started to coexist. It was essential for me to bring education change agents together into one room, and help the emergence of personal relationships between participants of the conferences.

Origninal image: https://brittneebond.medium.com/two-loops-model-9a3d52c7da4e

If you were close to the educational revolution movement in Brazil, in 2013 you could feel an enthusiasm of hope and expectation. André Gravatá and his friends launched the book “Volta ao Mundo em 13 Escolas”.[16] Caio Dib made a similar research trip, visiting special schools.[17] Antônio Lovato and Raul Perez produced the film “Quando sinto que já sei.” [18] Zé Pacheco and Tião Rocha were being received in many lectures and interviews and became stars. Helena Singer, later involved some of CONANE’s transformers for their beautiful and innovative work at MEC (Ministry of Education). Denis Papler, started the national network of democratic educators, and also took the lead in the years of CONANE.

Since connections have been regularly nourished, and have been centered around progressive action, it turned into a community of practice. Part of this process is failing forward and upward as the new system continues to emerge and to grow. CONANE is not just a conference or movement for some innovators and open-minded educators, but over the last 8 years it has turned into a community of practice. It is also a space to nourish a new development so that it can continue to grow. New systems need: time, space, money, experience and skill building.

Organizations, systems, and schools are rising up and become more the predominant system, they become the norm and define the culturally accepted paradigms. The people who maintain this system and fight to protect it are called stewards. They are comfortable in established systems. Stewards maintain the system as best they can for what they feel is the greater good of the system they are serving. (They are keeping it stable for the rest of us.) All systems eventually begin to teeter and start to lose their significance. They enter hospice when they start to decline and are on their way to death. (Schools kill creativity [19]). An interesting movement happens right at the peak of every system: some people drop out. (They realize as a fact that schools must be there for enhancing conscious people.) These pioneers walk out to start a new system. These pioneers look at the way things are, the deeply held beliefs that underpin the current system, and see that another way is possible.

This is a radical act; they are leaving the comfort of an established system at its peak and going alone to start a new one. Ok, so now you have a bunch of divergents alone at the beginning of the new loop. It can be a really lonely time (Picture educators starting schools in the favelas with 3000R$). What do they need to do to build this new system, to create a new movement? They need to find each other. They need to name themselves. They need to be able to google themselves: Blended learning environments. Learning Process Design. Alternative Education. Democratic Education.

Original image: https://stream.syscoi.com/2019/01/18/hospicing-the-old-thefarewellfund-cassie- robinson /

There were two major bridges or emergent events that are driving a strong force of transformation. In 2016, the school occupation was led by students recovering their education. Children who demanded to go to school and receive their education. Unused books appeared. Dedicated teachers flourished. Self-organized learning experiences took place in school communities across Brazil.

The second event took place in 2020, when the pandemic COVID19, provoked new forms of learning and knowledge exchange in the virtual space. I followed the process of my 5 year old daughter, who was taking classes online, at Miri Piri school. It was a rich experience and helped us, as parents, to open ourselves up to new opportunities for educational and family participation. But it also showed a great divide for children who did not have access to these successful learning cases. This is also a moral responsibility to change the dynamics of power, as it has also shown a divide in communities that have learned to use virtual territories in meaningful ways.

CONANE — quo vadis? Conclusion and Appreciation

CONANE is not only a national conference but it has become a vibrant community of practice consisting of independent and distributed regional CONANEs. Those self-organized and autonomous gatherings are powerful and important for a sustainable transformation. Only a local, distributed, self-organized and democratic transformation is sustainable. Each one’s contribution is about recognizing ourselves in this transformation and sharing our specific story.

Creating a system of influence — self-organized and autonomous. Regional and local meetings could become regular happenings and local learning circles. Those are key for helping educators and schools that have been still in the old school system. Local gatherings are places for those willing to listen, to learn and experience new forms of schooling so they can take on the roles of hospicing the broken education system. Meetings also offer inspiration and comfort to key players that are still holding up traditional schooling as the only way of education.

I regard the education system as one of the most important human systems that need to change due its importance to unleash human potential and creativity. Technical solutions and new socio-economic models could enhance that. Lots of alternative education projects are suffering from a lack of financial resources. Organizers of regional CONANEs and people who want to engage in systems revolution should talk to impact investors, philanthropists and funds. There are for sure some from these groups among parents of kids that go to alternative schools. The value that has been created within the last years also should contribute to financial sustainability.

Building up alliances beyond education. When the last CONANE was inaugurated by an indigenous woman, Célia Xakriabá [20], it left me speechless. I saw the rich potential of such an exchange of different cultures. Cross points to new insights lie in our ancestral encounters. Traditional nations can bring their traditional knowledge to what we call traditional school systems, not the other way round. Traditional communities have to teach us our own knowledge in a different way again.

For Brazilian kids it is not important to hear so much about Rome or the United States but more about how to reconnect to nature and their individual multicultural force. It is funny that I have met the most educated people in the Amazon who spoke 3 languages, built their own houses, knew the plants and animals they lived with and knew all the star constellations that helped to navigate in unknown territories. And still they want to send their kids to schools away from their family and to schools where they are disconnected from their natural learning environment.

Technical solutions and collaborations are enhancing those processes if used wisely and consciously. The new innovators in education and change makers are now techies and geeks. It is important that the CONANE family is opening up to start-up and tech companies that are offering new solutions that have previously not been received positively by the transformers of schools. Personal exchange and relationships to peers and teachers will always be fundamental for educational processes and learning. Technical solutions could also help to establish and enhance sharing within and beyond the CONANE movement.

In the end I just want to say sorry for anything and if someone is missing. You are all wonderful!

References

1. Explanatory video EduOnTour(2013) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yeoA2fiBykU
2. https://porvir.org/estrangeiros-buscam-praticas-inovadoras-brasil/
3. In 2012, I told German Doing (La educación prohibida) at IDEC about my idea of a global map of alternative education and German agreed to create and to launch the Reevo map for Edu at the 2013 Tour.
4. https://workwithsource.com/what-is-source/
5. International Conference on Democratic Education
6. https://redefineschool.com/yaacov-hecht-education-cities/
7. https://redefineschool.com/justo-mendez-aramburu/
8. https://redefineschool.com/german-doin/
9. Encuentro Nuestras Americas in Bolivia (May 2013)
10. http://manifestopelaeducacao.blogspot.com/2013/10/
11. https://www.facebook.com/groups/WGAlternativeLearning/permalink/277474365723001/
12. Compare: (https://brittneebond.medium.com/two-loops-model-9a3d52c7da4e)
13. https://margaretwheatley.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/12/using-emergence.pdf
14. CP https://brittneebond.medium.com/two-loops-model-9a3d52c7da4e
15. https://porvir.org/documentario-mapeia-educacao-democratica-brasil/
16. http://fundacaotelefonicavivo.org.br/acervo/volta-ao-mundo-em-13-escolas/
17. https://www.caiodib.com.br/livro/
18. https://www.ted.com/talks/sir_ken_robinson_do_schools_kill_creativity?language=en
19. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OcbHh74WLxY
20. https://redefineschool.com/philippe-greier/

Author: Philippe Greier

I am a father and husband in excile. Entering new realities and fields of consciousness sparks my enthusiasm. My expertise lies in sensing and grasping how systems work and seeing how hidden power structures define culture and realities. Over the years, I have been developing a deep understanding of Game Design Thinking and participatory processes focusing on the education system. I identify potentials in organizations, communities. My passion is guiding individuals during their transformation process and designing learning journeys to shift limits. I work as an organizational designer, leadership coach and business consultant at the frontier of system change.

www: http://www.playmakers.cc
email: philippe@playmakers.cc

More information on my work in education

• www: www.edushifts.world, http://eduontour.org/, We organize events, online labs, co-create learning experiences and design and execute learning journeys.
• EDUshifts book written with Tathyana Gouvêa, Helena Singer, Zé Pacheco, Flavio Bassi, Yaacov Hecht, Manish Jain and more. English edition: https://www.edushifts.world/assets/ebooks/EDUshiftsNow_BP.pdf
• Documentary on our Learning Journey 2019 about regenerative education and the influence of indigenous wisdom: https://vimeo.com/391783428 Password: enjoy
• Harvest of our virtual Learning journey 2019: https://medium.com/beyond-us/the-story-of-digital-hikoi-9014c8366b70
• Explanation about EduOnTour on youtube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yeoA2fiBykU