E is for Eskwelabs Issue 70 - The Warmth of Education Innovation ☀️
Here comes the sun, and as a learner, I do feel that everything is alright. 😊
We created this newsletter to keep our alums, partners, and anyone interested in learning skills for the future of work updated and connected to our ever-growing community. If you want to read our previous issues, you can check them out here.
Ciao! This is Meg speaking. 😉 Warmer, sunnier days are here, and just as everything in nature naturally thrives better under the sun, so do organizations, teams, and people. 🌈
A lifelong learner who acknowledges one’s potential and realizes self-love is like the sun—through its warmth and fervor, others can grow. 🌱 On sunny days, your ability to enhance and develop skills can go as far as light can reach. On rainy days, we find comfort in that despite the darkness, there is a certainty that the sun still stands and lies beyond the clouds. ⛅
So, dear readers, we go from loving ourselves to extending that love to others. ✨ This letter is guided by the question: “How can I support others in growing and achieving more?”
What does generosity look like in education? 👐
What can inspire innovation? 🌻
Happy reading!
Reading time: 4 minutes
What does generosity look like in education? 👐
Recently, I came across a quote that says “You are a different person to different people.” 🌏 For a key-shaped person who knows the right way to love oneself, generosity comes in the form of believing in others. 🧘♀️🤞
We already know how to cultivate and look after our own talents and uniqueness, so now we can help others grow and create a safe, accepting learning environment for everyone. We find ways to empower and deepen relationships, looking out for each other’s successes and celebrating the moments that matter. 💜
The Education Innovation Fellowship 💡
Generosity in education means creating access to opportunity. 🗺️ With this in mind, teams and organizations should partner up to create a culture where we drive educational innovation and create pathways for growth.
At Eskwelabs, we looked for self-starters, lifelong learners, and future leaders to be part of the Education Innovation Fellowship. 💡 Through this apprenticeship, fellows will be given the chance to develop six core skills that will turn them into multi-talent impact professionals, equipped for the future of work.
Our fellows get to experience working with different teams and on different projects for them to cultivate the following skills:
Education Domain 📚 - They learn the best practices and cutting-edge innovations in education and ed-tech in the heart of an ed-tech startup.
Project & Stakeholder Management 🤝 - They develop their project management skills with data-driven project leadership.
Data Analytics and Storytelling 📈 - They create data-driven reports, dashboards, and data narratives to communicate the progress of projects.
Design 🎨 - They design human-centered experiences and written and/or visual materials for our programs.
Analytics and Technology 🖥️ - They are immersed in the agile way of working and they get to know the basics of product management like roadmaps, prioritization, etc.
Social impact ✅ - They learn about social impact and the startup space.
This program is in its fifth week and our fellows are already delivering promising results. 💯 We are excited to share them with you soon!
In the meantime, we have to remember that as key-shaped persons, we have the responsibility to help others reach their potential. By believing in them, we can create a foundation that will allow us to reach greater heights! 🌟
What can inspire innovation? 🌻
In my previous letter, we talked about how to make things happen—put more heart into your work, maximise resources, and strategically align them to attain the best output. But what happens on days we feel uninspired? ⛈️ What happens when we keep getting distracted and when each task we try to accomplish gets progressively heavier?
Ideas aren’t instantaneous, and innovation is not a magical occurrence. 🧠 It is a result of intentional action, critical thinking, and open-mindedness. As key-shaped people, we need to be willing to think outside of the box and use our unique skill sets to inspire innovation.
On the other hand, key-shaped people also know that innovating isn’t always about productivity, but taking time to step back and think things through. 💭 This could be something as simple as giving yourself a break, or it could be a long process of self-reflection and brainstorming.
To that end, I would like to try this short exercise with you.
Notice a place on your body that catches your attention. 💪 Take note of all the sensations from this place—the pain, tension, pressure, etc. Pick somewhere else in your body where you feel uncomfortable and do the same—take note of everything that you feel.
As you notice the areas of discomfort, pay attention to your breathing. 🍃 Do you find yourself breathing slower, more ragged breaths? Take a look at your posture. 🤚 Are you hunched over? Do you feel muscle tension in general?
Now, give yourself a shake. 💃 Inhale and exhale slowly and notice other parts of your body that feel light, easy, and pleasant. It can be a part you don’t usually notice like your cheek or your elbow. Hold your focus on this place and see how your body and mind respond.
Did your posture, breathing, and mood change? Does it feel lighter in general? If it does, keep repeating this exercise as you do your tasks throughout the day. 💖
This exercise unlocks our hidden energies and releases tension, ultimately creating more space for us to come up with insights and solutions that can address our needs. ⚖️
As key-shaped people who love ourselves, let’s also remember that we have the capacity to inspire innovation. ☀️ By taking time to look at things from a different perspective and paying attention to our physical and mental well-being, we are already one step closer to inspiring new kinds of innovative ideas.
Learning Day at Eskwelabs 👩🏫
Consequently, the challenge for organizations and teams is whether their members are empowered enough and have enough access to resources that can inspire innovation. 🔑 At Eskwelabs, Learning Day—our take on the 4-day work week—forms the heart of why we exist and what drives us forward.
Learning Day is a company-wide team development initiative that provides individuals with a structured and flexible way to learn, keep track of the progress of what they’re learning, and showcase its product. 👏 For version 2 of the Learning Day (March 2023), the team is given a set of one-hour work blocks spread throughout the week for them to work on non-work related projects.
This initiative gives us the breathing space to step outside of our comfort zone and experiment with new ideas. 🌺 It testifies to how the future of work and the future of learning are inexplicably tied together. We can’t wait to share the results of our hard work with you soon!
Just as the sun gives off energy, so too can key-shaped people inspire innovation and growth. 🚀 Our ability to love ourselves and others allows us to create a wide and generous space for learning and ideas. This is an unbeatable power unleashed only through the recognition that we can adapt and grow at a speed we never thought possible before. 🌌 After all, you can’t pour from an empty cup.
‘Till next time! 😘
💌 Learning with you,
Meg Ruiz
Junior Content Designer at Eskwelabs