The FAES Schools and the CEFA Schools, born on the basis of the inspiration of St. Josemaría tells us something about themselves:
“These educational projects were born as a response to that support for parenting which we all feel we have a great need even today.
The educational and cultural objectives of the class are shared with the families in special moments during the year, the didactic meetings, in which the teaching team not only give a feedback to the families on the contents of the work that is being done with their children, but also the educational whys, in order to be able to share the underlying motivations and work together for the development of various knowledge
Schools such as FAES and CEFA are born with the intention of providing concrete help to families who want a complete and harmonious education for their children, based on the dignity of the person promoted by Christian anthropology. The training system of these schools primarily proposes the enhancement of the centrality of the family in the educational action, to create a concrete collaboration that can benefit the pupil and create in him the desire to improve freely in the relationship with others: his family, the surrounding world and, for those who believe, God.
THE EDUCATIONAL AND CULTURAL OBJECTIVES OF THE CLASS ARE SHARED WITH THE FAMILIES IN SPECIAL MOMENTS DURING THE YEAR.
“The years in which these schools were born in Italy – underlines Giulia Stirpe – are those in which the role of the family began to enter into crisis and these educational projects were born as a response to that parenting support that we all still need today. The educational and cultural objectives of the class are shared with the families in special moments during the year, the didactic meetings, in which the teaching team not only refers the contents of the work that is being done with their children, but also the educational objectives, in order to be able to share the underlying motivations and work together for the development of various knowledge”.
What is the tutor in FAES and CEFA schools?
A common feature of these schools that stem from the will of parents inspired by the message of St. Josemaría is the presence of the tutor, with whom “the real, substantial, educational collaboration between family and school takes place – explains the Headmistress of Petranova International Institute -: each pupil is in fact entrusted to a teacher (tutor) of the class’s teaching team, with whom the family shares not only the growth path of their child, but also the methods. Having a personalized goal for your child and working with it, family and school, helps children to grow up peacefully, in an environment where teachers speak the same language as mum and dad and work towards the same goals “. “The tutor – sums up Sam Guinea – presents himself as an educator who is available to the pupil and the family, during a training period as important as the scholastic one, to build a shared gaze on the pupil.
Why are parents involved in schools like FAES and CEFA?
OUR SCHOOLS PUT THE PARENTS FIRST, SINCE THEY PUT THEIR CHILDREN FIRST.
One might consider the school as an institution made for students and, secondly, for their parents. But for schools like FAES and CEFA this is not the case: “our schools put parents first – explains the Headmaster of the Milanese school center -, who in turn put their children first. With this in mind, the tutor becomes a family tutor, and not just of the pupil. The involvement of parents in the educational project must be structured so that the complementary roles of the parties involved are not confused. That the roles and responsibilities of the school and parents do not overlap must be clear from the declaration of intent of the educational project “. “The family has the responsibility – adds the Headmistress of the school in Rome – to support their children in their growth day by day, without proxies, showing themselves attentive and vigilant towards a very complex reality, in which to know how to move with prudence and also a little good mood. However, there is a need to offer families the right means to face the difficult, albeit exciting, task that falls to them, the adequate formation to know and face the challenges of our time and not to lose sight of the great task that has been theirs. entrusted: the free and responsible growth of their children “.
In schools such as CEFA and FAES, the involvement of parents takes place, as well as through the figure of the tutor, with the identification of a couple of parents who, in each class, are responsible for promoting a climate of cordiality between the parents of the class thinking and proposing, in collaboration with the teacher in charge of their class, some specific training activities that can take place in familiar contexts and not necessarily linked to the school spaces, helping parents get to know each other and use the very rich educational offer that the school offers.
What is the relationship between Opus Dei and schools such as FAES and CEFA?
OUR SCHOOLS WERE BORN FROM THE INSPIRATION OF THE FOUNDER OF OPUS DEI, SAN JOSEMARÍA.
“Our schools – continues Giulia Stirpe – were born on the inspiration of the founder of Opus Dei, St. Josemaría, and it is the Work that supports and guides the various apostolic initiatives that are born around the school, thanks to the fundamental support of the chaplaincy provided our schools “. “Those who work in these schools – continues Sam Guinea – always have a guiding star in the teachings of St. Josemaría, who possessed an implicit but clear pedagogy, which can help us a lot. Even in moments of great uncertainty for the school system, we have always had the words of St. Josemaría in our hearts: God has chosen you for this work that is being done in favor of your children, the intelligence of your children, the character of your sons; because here we not only teach, but we educate, and the teachers participate in the rights and duties of the father and mother. These are very important words, because if on the one hand they remind us of the responsibilities we take on, on the other hand they give us strong motivations to sanctify our work, to freely accept these responsibilities and find in them also a new joy”.
What are the most important challenges for parents and young people today?
“Today’s parents have certainly inherited some weaknesses – explains the Headmaster of the school in Milan – which have been further exacerbated by a society that does not seem to want to value the contribution that the family can and must make for the common good. For this reason, they need to be supported in their educational task, to be confirmed in the brave life choices they have made and to receive training that can facilitate their daily lives”.
“Young people today live in a very complex environment – concludes the director of the Petranova International Institute -, performing and competitive, in which the other is often seen as an obstacle to one’s success. The real challenge is to provide them with the tools to become people free to choose their place in the world, capable of knowing how to find a human and professional vocation in life, capable of loving the world passionately despite everything“.
Sam Guinea, Director of the Argonne School Center (FAES Schools of Milan)
Giulia Stirpe, Director of the Petranova International Institute (Cefa Schools of Rome)
