LIVORNO «Children have a much purer view of the world than us adults, they do not apply the filters of the experience of looking. For us adults this is a great lesson. They give you points of view that you can’t see on your own.” This is what he learned Francesco Belaisprofessor at the ITI Galilei and former councilor for culture, in his first year of teaching.
It was the 2020-2021 academic year when Belais arrived at Galilei: together with him, the high school experience was also started, from another point of observation, by three firsts, those who were his first classes. «In my opinion, the boys and girls of 2006 paid a very high price, because they took their eighth grade exams in dad, and when they set their first foot in adult life, entering high school, they were locked down». This is the experience of the kids according to the prof. That fateful year he tried to help his students to express themselves, to face a difficult moment, especially if you are in the midst of adolescence.
«I thought that writing could help them overcome the pandemic chaos – says Belais -. So I asked the kids to write down their thoughts.” And today these “thrown down thoughts” are collected in a new book, edited by Belais: “A year to remember. Uncertainties, fears, disappointments and hopes of us teenagers in the Covid era”, published by Paese edizioni. «The kids, who are the protagonists of the book, are grown up now, next year they will have their final exams. But their first year at school is to be remembered, because it taught everyone so much, thanks to their emotions, fears and hopes.” Of all his experiences, teaching is the one that perhaps struck him the most: «after being a journalist and being a councillor, I felt the desire to stay more behind the scenes. The experience with the kids was extraordinary, so much so that we still talk to the students of all three classes.”
Belais will present the book on Wednesday 5 June at 5pm in the Galilei auditorium. In the presence of the manager Manuela Mariani, who wrote the preface for the book, and of students who participated in the project, Prof Massimiliano Matteri moderates the meeting.
