E is for Eskwelabs Issue 84 - The Beating Heart of Education 🫶
Heartfelt stories on human-centred education, as told by our team! 💝
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. 👋 Before we dive into the bustling affairs of the final quarter of the year (or the last stretch of the semester!), let's gently hit the pause button together. Before we plunge into the whirlwind of year-end tasks, let's allow ourselves a moment to truly feel the feelings.🍃
With the limitless capabilities of technology, it's crucial to remember one fundamental truth—we are not machines. Our humanity, our emotions, and our unique perspectives are what sets us apart. 🫀 No matter the boundless possibilities of technology, nothing beats a human heart and soul in dealing with complex problems. At Eskwelabs, we believe in celebrating the very essence of being human, and we invite you to join us on this transformative journey of education.
Some questions we’ll answer in this issue of E is for Eskwelabs:
How can education go beyond proficiency and celebrate the unique journey of each learner? ☀️
What role does empathy play in creating a supportive and inclusive learning environment? 🌻
In what ways can effective communication foster understanding and collaboration in education?📚
Reading time: 4 minutes
Happy reading!
Consciousness in Education
Nurturing an environment fit for learning is not just about making sure your learners are good at something, it’s about truly getting to know each learner and understanding their own personal journey. 🌌 For this reason, Eskwelabs is like a blank canvas where every person's unique qualities and talents come together to create something truly remarkable. As Miguel Olavere, our Business Development Executive beautifully puts it:
"Eskwelabs' educational approach promotes compassion and inclusivity by offering personalized support throughout the learning journey. With dedicated mentors, instructors, and industry-relevant materials, Eskwelabs makes learning practical and relevant to real-life situations, fostering an environment that encourages both skill development and personal growth."
Our Senior Officer Esther Doroteo echoes this sentiment, 🔊 underscoring our commitment to inclusivity:
"At Eskwelabs, we are all about creating a warm and welcoming learning environment. We welcome learners of diverse backgrounds, and we celebrate each learner's individuality. We make sure that our learning is inclusive and does not discriminate."
Empathy and Student Well-being
And what would a supportive learning environment be without empathy? When learners feel understood and supported, they are more likely to thrive and reach their full potential. 🌱 It's about building relationships that go beyond our programs and truly rooting for the overall success of our graduates. Chief of Staff Francine Tan explains how this translates into our education design:
“We start the process of designing the learning experience backwards, by imagining the ideal end state—looking at how we want our learners to feel during graduation, thinking about how we want our graduates to feel confident out in the world beyond Eskwelabs. This is what we call the "Backwards Design Approach." (Here's an article about it!) But what I want to stress even further is the act of asking "How is the learner?" Learning as a process is just as emotional as it is methodical and theoretical. By asking how the learners are at every step before, during, and after the learning experience, we bring courage into hard conversations of what's working and not working, and then we pivot or adapt in order to keep the human at the center.”
Rahul Gulati adds another note, 📝 highlighting the emphasis on creating a joyful learning environment:
"I think that Eskwelabs’ educational approach is very different from a lot of other companies because we always look at ways of putting people first in an emphatic way. The learning environment doesn’t just create a safe space for our mentors and instructors, but for our students too!"
Effective Communication
A culture of collaboration makes the learning experience richer and more dynamic. At Eskwelabs, effective communication is not just a skill we teach; it's a value we embody. We encourage learners to engage in meaningful conversations, share their perspectives, and actively listen to others. 🌈 This open exchange of ideas fosters understanding and allows for diverse viewpoints to be heard. Japhet Macato, our Junior Officer, paints a vivid picture of Eskwelabs' inclusivity:
“Eskwelabs' educational approach always creates a holistic learning environment for all kinds of learners in spite of coming from different types of backgrounds. We've had artists, social science experts, music enthusiasts, and even people with special needs. For example, the Data Analytics Bootcamp has been well designed with an exemplary curriculum along with Instructors and Mentors' expertise to teach people with zero background in Data Analytics to become experts in the field. Regardless of any background, the goal is to welcome everyone who is eager and passionate to learn and thrive.”
Our Education Innovation Fellow 🧑🎓 Jabez Ayson further adds:
“While working on Learning Experience Design, I get to think as a learner and as an educator at the same time. Questions like "How would the fellows want to learn this?", "How should we introduce this hard topic?", and "Is this a topic/skill that they would use on the job after the bootcamp?" always run through my mind. From the pre-program survey, we know their standing in knowledge, and we match that when we create the curriculum and schedule for the day-to-day activities. Our instructors listen to learners' feedback and our mentors guide them along the way. It is a shift from traditional education, putting the learners first, as how it should be in the first place.”
Image generated by Adobe Firefly
Building Stronger Learning Communities
Amidst all the digital noise, education finds its beating heart in the strong connections of the community. 💗 Eskwelabs’ is a vibrant one as we are brought together by our shared mindset—a deep desire for growth and opportunity. It is this common thread that enriches our collective journey and makes our experiences more meaningful. Let’s hear from Louie Cartagena, our Data Literacy Squad Lead:
"Eskwelabs' educational approach cultivates a compassionate and inclusive environment by emphasizing lifelong personal growth and professional development. Through project-based learning, students collaborate, understand diverse perspectives, and prioritize empathy. Mentorship programs and peer support networks foster a sense of belonging to a community of practice."
Lifelong Learning
In the big picture of education, lifelong learning is like a tribute to the past and a love song to the future. 🌟 It's all about continuously growing and discovering new things, no matter where you are in your journey. Nikki Caabay's journey, beautifully articulated, is a testament to the seeds of compassion that Eskwelabs sows:
“If you scatter seeds of compassion, they will grow into flowers that will one day do the same. I am one of the flowers that grew from those seeds.
As a former Education Innovation Fellow, Eskwelabs helped me learn valuable skills to flourish, but more importantly, they taught me to embrace empathy and have a drive for social impact. Ever since becoming a full-time member of the team, I have been a part of many cohorts and have seen many learners grow as well. These learners include work-from-home moms, teachers, young interns, and even older individuals who still want to learn (yes, there is an Eskwelabs graduate who is 50+ years old), among others. I have seen them strive to complete all their tasks, graduate, and find the path they want to take. Some of them even became mentors who decided to help other learners the way they were helped. It’s a fulfilling journey where you witness this cycle of growth within a community, with individuals who have bloomed helping others grow as well in this small yet flourishing garden.”
What's truly remarkable about being a part of the Eskwelabs community is that it enriches not just the learners, but also the members of our dedicated team. 🤗 The exchange of knowledge, ideas, and experiences within our community is a constant source of inspiration and growth for everyone involved. As Juancho Luna, our former Program Lead puts it:
“The approach at Eskwelabs makes sure that human emotion is at the center of its learning. It's not like a traditional school with a traditional setup; here, Eskwelabs makes sure to put you and your goals before anything else which is one reason I feel I owe so much to it.”
Listening to these stories gives us hope that we’re building a future where everyone, regardless of their background or circumstances, has access to quality education and the opportunity to grow and thrive. 👏 At Eskwelabs, not only are we building the skills gap through our data analytics and data science bootcamps, we are also bridging the gap between education and opportunity. Thank you for being part of our community and making education an uplifting and empowering experience. ❤️
Until next time!
💌 Learning with you,
Meg Ruiz
Junior Content Designer at Eskwelabs