Davor Radic is organizing a series of TEDx talks at ROC Nijmegen, in combination with an exciting competition of ROBORACER. I am offered the option to open the series of talks with a short talk on the original meaning of the Greek word ‘σχόλη‘ (school), namely “free time”.

That is, school was the time and space that is offered you to freely practice something that you have an interest in learning but that you cannot do yet. Because in school you are trying to do what you cannot do yet, it was obvious for the Greeks that your performance should not be judged. You should only be encouraged with constructive feedback.

So, what happened?

Why have we succeeded in destroying this wonderful insight in what school is supposed to be? And how can we restore the original idea?