Aleksandar Stevanović, a philosophy professor at Tehnoart Belgrade School of Mechanical Engineering and Art Crafts, opened the Philosophical and Creative Center for Students in order to spread the philosophical culture and creative activity, education, project and workshop work.
Where did the idea of the creation of the Philosophical and Creative Center come from?
"Working with children in high school, I noticed that the context of the usual teaching process does not suit modern generations. The current 19th century, which still governs the educational system, are far behind the needs and abilities of today's children. I realized that it is necessary to transform the concept of teaching itself, setting in person the personality of students instead of adopting a rigidly prescribed, quantified knowledge" says Stevanović.
Self-confidence develops with a freely chosen and successfully performed activity, followed by a sense of accomplishment, and the breadth that philosophy, as an object of access to personality, enables precisely this kind of action.
From idea to realization
"After receiving the award of the Association Živojin Mišić within the project "The Best Educators of Serbia 2016", which also withdrew money, I decided to spend the money for the existence of something that could last for a long time. So in the end of 2017 I acquired a number of disassembled tables and chairs for performing workshops and programs in the open, as well as a certain number of books for the launch of the Philosophical Library", says the teacher.
For the needs of the Center, students in the school made a number of decorative lamps and seating pads on the grass and provided the conceptual, visual and marketing solutions needed for the beginning of its work.
We all know that Aristotle kept his lectures outdoors and how this positive impact had on young people. Today, the Center just reminds us, and it returns us to the roots of philosophical learning.
Thanks to the school director Nenad Mladenovic, teacher Stevanović received the inner courtyard of the school for use, and thanks to the unselfish help of his associates, the Philosophical and Creative Center is now in the "Tehnoart Beograd" school.
Opening the Center
After almost six months of preparation, the Center is open!
"We are here now to be able to influence. This place was made to be like a torch of happiness. Like the hearth of joy. As something that will last, and in one context of time, enter another sound, another sign. It is obvious that a school of concrete and steel, in which the pupils are reduced to screws and nuts, is overcome. We need to get back here among these trees. Let's feel that there is one gift we forgot about "- the teacher Aleksandar began with these words.
Mr. Slobodan Kanjevac, president of the Serbian Philosophical Society, was the special guest of the opening of the Center. He emphasized the importance of establishing such a Center and provided full support to this concept of teaching and to the teacher Stevanović, for which he has been cooperating for many years.
Coordinator of the Association Živojin Mišić, Ivona Jovanović, sent all congratulations to Aleksandar, emphasized how proud they are that Stevanović is part of their professional family and that in their team they have the best educators of Serbia who are changing our world for the better.
The opening ceremony was attended by students, former pupils of this school, guests, colleagues of Professor Aleksandar, school director, friends, philosophers, and the students of Professor Aleksandar also performed their author's performance for all participants.
The aim of the Philosophical and Creative Center
What is one of the main goals of the Philosophical and Creative Center is the development of entrepreneurial competences among young people. Entrepreneurship is rightly presented as one of the essential goals of the educational process and therefore the Center wants to focus its work on an extremely important area - entrepreneurship in culture. Teacher Aleksandar thinks that along with the philosophical side of the Center, through the work of the pupil cooperative oriented towards the creation of cultural contents, in the "Tehnoart Belgrade" school, the right way could develop the entrepreneurial spirit of future young creators in culture.
The best gift of the students of this school is that through various projects, workshops and other activities of the Center, it will be possible to connect various contents with the goal of cultivating and working, as well as providing the students with the opportunity to be able to master the necessary knowledge at the same time, to relieve stress and feel devotion in their own work. The Center also provides young people with a wide range of educational activities, through their play and creativity, to re-establish their creative potentials.
The motto of the Philosophical and Creative Center is: "Feel nice, understand the truth, revive the good".
You are all welcome!
