We Can Do Better

Galia Nedyalkova

Contributor

When I became a mother I started seeing the school system with different eyes. I survived the Bulgarian educational system, but I didn't want to put my children through it because it's a very rigid system that hasn’t changed for the last fifty years. I wanted my kids to participate in something else and not just survive school, but to be able to develop their skills and potential. 

Right now traditional schools are still about memorizing. I see it in children that go to regular schools. It’s the 21st century. Everything is a click away. Why should we put this in their heads instead of giving them skills that are actually useful? Just imagine the amount of time one child spends in school memorizing. It’s a waste of time. They can do so much better.

So, I created my own kindergarten. It was a parent's cooperative - the second one of its kind in Bulgaria. 

Then I heard about the Democratic Education movement led by Yaacov Hecht. I participated in creating the first Democratic school in Bulgaria. We were a group of twenty people. 

Then I met Rachel, my partner in Paths School now.

When I met her I never dreamed or believed that I could do something that I'm doing now. She's the best partner on any level that I've ever met. I have great communication with her and this is what makes us a very strong team. 

The main push for me to create the school was that I had no other choice for my children. There were two alternative schools in Sofia that I knew of. I didn't like either of them and starting my own school was the best choice. 

If I see an issue, I would like to change it. I don't want to whine about it. I’d rather be part of fixing it. Also, because I don't think the Bulgarian education system works well. I think it underestimates what children can actually achieve.

We started Paths School with 24 kids. 

It's a lot of learning and some evolvement every year, but it’s worth it. 

When I was younger I was actually a very curious person. I think that helps me a lot in life in general. I was never bored. I actually liked going to school. 

When I was in my teenage years I started to see the things that I didn’t like in the school system. My first rebellious act towards changing the education system was when I was 17. I found a document that was an educational constitution about the rights of the students in Bulgaria. The administrators of the school were deciding many things behind our backs. This was hidden from us. A group of us made a big fuss around in the school about our rights. I was very unliked by the teachers after that, but I kept very good grades so they couldn’t do too much to me. 

I see the children that they're in our school now and they are amazing. They they they can speak with adults. They can express themselves. They can say what they want. They’re not afraid of authority. They know how to go after what they want. 

Information is gettable. You can get it. It's easy. I think it's better if schools work more about creating autonomy. More about how to work with others. How to understand the feelings of others. And this is what we try to do.

Right now there is a little door starting to open with alternative schools in Bulgaria. The community of people that wants these schools is getting bigger. These types of schools are still all illegal because they are not allowed to operate according to of the Ministry of Education. But we exist. We make noise and we are getting bigger.

There is a big conflict between what the Ministry of Education says and what is actually in the constitution of Bulgaria. The constitution states that every parent is allowed to choose the method and place for educating their kids. But this is not what the Ministry of Education is telling parents. So parents are afraid. There is nothing more precious than their own child. It’s a big decision to go away from the norm.

I don't put limits on when parents can contact me because I recognize the anxiety of being a parent. I also carry these anxieties. I am brave enough to follow what I believe in. But that doesn't mean that I don't have fears. I do. I recognize it and when somebody calls me at 10:00 at night or writes me an email at midnight, I always answer. Right now I'm learning how to find the balance. It's a hard process.. I like that this job challenges me and it helps me develop. I’m not balanced right now, but I’m working on it.

“I truly believe that children learn from the adults mainly through connection and what they see, not what they hear.”

I’ve always loved kids. When I was still a student at high school, I was running away from classes to take care of a boy who was two years old. He was living only with his grandmother and she was absolutely desperate. The father was an alcoholic and the mother was using drugs. This grandmother was so old so I ended up taking care of this child. My friends were calling me the parent that is still not a parent. I’ve always loved working with children. I love the way they think. I love their freshness and innocence. 

I truly believe that children learn from the adults mainly through connection and what they see, not what they hear. It's a huge responsibility. I think that when they see how we act in the world, what we are fighting for and how we are not afraid, it sets a good example.

One time we were have a meeting as a school and sitting around a circle. I was very passionate about something and I was talking with my hands and my body was all over the place. Then I see this hand rising up in front of me from an eight-year-old girl. She says, “Galia, I think you should meditate more.” 

I really love that. My first reaction as a human being is to get defensive when she said that. But then I realized that I'm so much older, so much bigger and I'm this authority figure. She’s eight. And she feels comfortable to stop me and even give me a suggestion. I loved that she felt capable to do that. She felt this space that we created as a place where she can feel comfortable to give her opinion and speak up.

Another time we were talking about school rules and getting the kids to give their input. One boy said that if students are stealing the time of the others in class by being disruptive that they should have to miss their favourite class. Another teacher colleague disagreed because he felt it wasn’t a good consequence to miss something you’re passionate about. Then a nine-year-old girl spoke up and said, “Yeah, but we will learn through that. So don't worry about it.” 

And the students outvoted us. This was their rule and they wanted it in. I like children that are not afraid to speak for themselves even if it means disagreeing with an adult.

The biggest thing I want for my students is to be self-confident. I want them to know that they're capable of anything. If they want to be a hairdressers, if they want to be acrobats, if they want to be firefighters or doctors, just to know that there are just steps that they have to take, but they can do anything they want.