Edutopia

Given my professional background, I think the most important global issue we are facing today is the global learning crisis. This impacts not only children, but also adults, and I believe that proper education is a key element of finding solutions for other global issues, too. My television show would depict the life of a few families with children of different ages, and higlight the funniest moments of their learning journeys.

How such a show would be different from existing school-based ones? In many ways. First of all, children in this show would learn in very diverse groups. We are used to diversity depicted with regards to colour, even socio-economic background. But in the school of Edutopia there will be no class and lesson, and children would gather in multi-age groups for various lengths according to their interest. There will be no tests as we know them today, but celebrations of learning outcomes as well as ideas on better learning in case of problems. Most of all, my school will be fun not only in breaks or at moments when students do something behind the back of the teacher, but school activities will be the source of fun.

Another unique feature will be the depiction of teachers. In films and series we know teachers are either respectable "sources of knowledge" or idiots. In my show they will be learners. It is for 2 reasons: on the one hand they do need to learn for their profession and also for other aspects of life, on the other hand this way they offer the role model of a lifelong learner to children.

School would be also very different from the school we know today. It will be a building open at all times of the day and to everybody in the community. You will not be able to tell if activities are taking place in a 'classroom', 'extracurricular activities' or even 'adult education'. School is the learning hub for thte whole community where more or less everybody can learn from everybody else.

And one last thing we have missed from really popular shows: I want to see parents who are not academics, not lawyers or doctors, but mostly happy, successful, content people in various vocations. In the world of so-called educational inflation, it is of utmost importance to show people that traditional academic success is not the only way to life success and happiness, and we need to celebrate learning that is not academic. Ken Robinson has been an inspiration to many of us. In his book, You, Your Child, and School has already described this school. If we make it a fictional reality in an attractive way, we may succeed in making it a reality.