The document reflects on a class held at New Acropolis focused on the Bhagavad Gita, emphasizing themes of courage and self-awareness among four students. Various activities, including the use of flashcards and a TED Talk video, aimed to stimulate discussion and personal reflection on philosophical topics. Feedback from peers highlighted effective engagement strategies, although it was noted that providing materials in advance could improve comprehension and class dynamics.

1. 4. Reflection on Peer Observation of Practice .
The Class was given to four students at New Acropolis in Rathmines in 13th
December 2019. The class was set up in line formation to encourage discussion among learners
on the importance of courage and self-awareness. The activities fostered achievement of the
learning goals:
• To identify the text on Bhagavad Gita.
• To generate debate and self-reflection on personal growth.
• To promote the importance of courage and self-knowledge and growth based on respect
for human dignity, beyond racial, sexual, cultural religions, social and other differences.
• To respect different identities and traditions.
• To reflect on discussion.
The New Acropolis is a nonprofit organization that aims to promote education,
supported entirely by donations, fundraising, and member contributions. The international
organization is present in more than 50 countries, whose principles are to reconstruct
philosophy and offer a holistic education that can develop human potential and create a more
collaborative society. The theme of the class was Bhagavad Gita part of the script of the
introduction course.The selected chapter was XIII, in which Krishna assumes the role of
Arjuna's master during an epic battle. In this chapter, the teacher helps his disciple overcome
his challenges with courage and self-knowledge.
After a lecture on the chapter, students received a text entitled The Brave of Guzman
(2003), in this chapter with a simpler and more clear language the importance of courage in the
pursuit of wisdom. After individual reading students received flashcards with questions. The
purpose of this step was to engage the students individually and allow them to express their
points of view. Finally, for the conclusion were chosen two diagrams about personal growth
and to finalize the class with a discussion.
After the reading students received a copy of the text of Students read the text
individually and share their notes with the class. Guzman's text was chosen because it had a
clear modern language. The goal of reading was starting the debate from the author's statement
"How can we conquer ourselves without courage?" Finally, different flashcards were
distributed. The learners had an opportunity to share their insights and perspectives.

2. As a professional I used resources and created printed materials to explore different
learning styles. The overall goal set for students is the development of critical, collaborative,
creative and humanized thinking. For this, the activities I tried to stimulate empathy and contact
with real problems.
5.1 Material: Flash Cards
The space of the New Acropolis has no technological structure, so for the development of the
class were chosen flashcards. In front, there were printed images and QR codes for students
had the opportunity to access the content online. Flashcards are listed below with explanations
and objectives. At class were four learners, each one received one card and shared their insights
about it.
CARD 01: Vulnerability.
Image 02: Card about Vulnerability Source: https://www.ted.com/talks/brene_brown_on_vulnerability TedTalk
of Brene Brown
Question in back: What is your personal definition of courage?
Student 01 had difficulty understanding and analyzing the phrase and needed more time
to reflect on it. The objective was to highlight how in our society we hide our vulnerabilities
and to recognize them and it takes courage. Probably to solve misunderstand, the Ted Talk
should be shared before the class because the learner could understand the context of this
phrase. At the end of 2010, a researcher named Brené Brown gave a talk at her local TEDx
event, TEDxHouston. According to the author, people shame on vulnerability and it is a
problem because if you don’t understand shame and you don’t have some shame resilience and
awareness, then you cannot be vulnerable.

3. CARD 02: Bhagvatgita
Image 03 Source: English version of Bhagavad-Gita.
Questions in back:
a) How can we set out to discover the world and its laws without courage?
b) How can we conquer ourselves without courage?
Student 02 interpreted and shared their vision about it, class applied it to a professional
path. Students conclude that taking a risk to achieve a goal requires the courage to face the
fear of uncertainty.
CARD 03: Graphics of comfortzones.

4. Image 04 comfort zone Source: http://kourtneydriscollgroves.blogspot.com/2017/05/project-one-comfort-zone-
model.html
Questions:
a. Is the comfort zone really the biggest problem?
b. When does the comfort zone become a problem?
In class was chose the definition to comfort zone as a psychological state in which things feel
familiar to a person and they are in control of their environment, experiencing low levels of
anxiety and stress. The student 03 concluded the comfort zone is part of human nature, as we
always seek control and mastery of situations. However, it can be dangerous because while you
camp out in your “safe space,” the world around you is changing.
Card 04: Graphic
Image 05 Graphic about Growing Model. Source: http://kourtneydriscollgroves.blogspot.com/2017/05/project-
one-comfort-zone-model.html
This graph was reductive and student 04 joined the third in his considerations. I believe this
one should have chosen only one image, however, the class was interested and participated a
lot.
The outline 01 below illustrates my planning for the class. Students engaged in all stages and
brought good insights during the activities.

5. Outline 01: Organized by Brito.
5.2 Feedback from peer.
According peer the use of the Brene Bown video homed in on the delicate subject of
vulnerability. It’s okay to be vulnerable. It’s okay to believe that we are ‘enough’ and most

6. of all that we are worthy of love and belonging. Students were assessed by way of personal
reflection. This was clearly communicated at the outset and prompted student to student
discussion on accepting and dealing with challenges in order to grow. Assessment was
aligned with course learning outcomes.
Learning activities were managed effectively, in spite of the fact that no slides or
whiteboards were available to you. The students engaged in open and frank discussion on
the topic of the call to climb out of the comfort zone, to be vulnerable and challenge our
fears. To be brave and fight for our dreams and ideals.
Course content was well paced and reflective of the philosophical teachings of
Bhagavad. A clear use of teaching materials that were clearly presented to the learners in a
way that fostered effective learning and reflection. Learning outcomes were achieved, and
according my peer my class was effective and knowledgeable about the subject matter. In
my feedback I received a good insight, as Hindu is not a familiar literature students should
receive the material in advance and had more time to discuss it.
5.3 Self Evaluation
The class took place at New Acropolis, the philosophical narrative chosen was
Bhagavad Gita, a Hindu religious text, from this we discussed the importance of challenges
for personal growing and self-knowledge. I didn’t have technologies resources, so I printed
flash card with questions to introduce the theme in a modern language. Students liked to
use flash cards, but they thought should be better if I had sent my material in advance to
them before activity. For example, card number one was a phrase based in a famous Ted
Talk and they heart a part of this at class to understand the context of phrase. I printed a
QR Code in all cards with a link, because I prevised students could engaged more and wish
to know more about themes and with it they could opened link in their mobiles.
The card number three with a graphic demanded for an extra explanation, because
learners had an own definition for comfort zone, notwithstanding it took more time to be
understood by them. I achieved New Acropolis’s outcome, which is respect different
identities and traditions. propose an integral education, which combines and unifies all the
branches of knowledge, “learning how to live”. It was also pointed by my peer in her
feedback “Assessment was aligned with course learning outcomes”

7. I decided to keep the order to engage more students, first discussed flash cards and after
they received a copy of Guzman's text. The goal of reading was starting the debate from
the author's statement "How can we conquer ourselves without courage?" The class though
reading was repetitive, as flash card number one involved similar question. Therefore, if I
repeat the activity, I should choose a text with a news questions to explore the theme from
a new perspective.
During the class, there were many difficulties, primarily because it is an informal
course, so there was no prerequisite. Therefore, I had to structure an activity that required
no prior knowledge.
I appreciated Anne review, during the process she helped me to align my outcomes and
organize my approaches. We contemplate all Wiggins (2012) points as good feedback, it
was transparent, actionable and friendly. I received useful suggestions about my approach,
and I corrected misapprehensions in my commands. It was a good opportunity to
understand how another teacher structure their class. As this class involved complex
philosophical questions, a second opinion helped me to make it more didactic and simpler.
5.4 Final Considerations.
The methodology used followed the constructivist theory, because this corresponds to
the ideals of New Acropolis in which classes promote meaningful experiences through
classes. In their site you can find it:
“Philosophy can bring together the sources of the past and the present in that global,
broad and integrating vision, so that it becomes a real force for progress, which seeks not
only to explore the paths of life, but to go deeply into its ultimate ends, and tries to combine
all aspects of knowledge and experience”.
New Acropolis’ principles.
Constructivism suggests that humans build knowledge and meaning from their experiences,
according to Carlile and Jordan (2005), learning occurs in the interaction between the learner,
the teacher, the course material and the learning environment. The lecture of the New Acropolis
was planned based on the theory of constructivism. In Table 03 below are the eight basic
characteristics of constructivist learning environments defined by Jonassen (1994) and the
respective activities developed to meet these assumptions in the New Acropolis.
Theory according to Jonassen (1994) Activities

8. 1. Constructivist learning environments provide
multiple representations of reality.
1 . There were used different forms
of language as written, pictures and
graphics during the class to stimulate
learners to make associations with
life.
2. Multiple representations avoid
oversimplification and represent the
complexity of the real world.
2 It was chosen as topics of the class
abstract contents such as
vulnerability, courage and comfort
zone.
3. Constructivist learning environments
emphasize knowledge construction inserted
of knowledge reproduction.
3 knowledge construction was done
through dialog.
4. Constructivist learning environments
emphasize authentic tasks in a meaningful
context rather than abstract instruction out of
context.
4 The reading of the text and the
questions on the cards correspond to
themes addressed by Bhagavad
Gita's book that parts of the program
offered by New Acropolis.
5. Constructivist learning environments provide
learning environments such as real-world
settings or case-based learning instead of
predetermined sequences of instruction.
5 Addressing the current
philosophical theme was chosen a
conference from Ted Talk. TED
conferences are a phenomenon in
the global community, welcoming
people from all disciplines and
cultures looking for ideas to change
attitudes and lives online and at TED
and TEDx events throughout the
year.
6. Constructivist learning environments
encourage thoughtful reflection on
experience.
To encourage thoughtful reflection
on experience was distributed cards
to learners.
7. Constructivist learning environments "enable
context- and content- dependent knowledge
construction."
A philosophical book that underlies
the class is part of the first stage of
the introduction to philosophy

9. course. This is called Take Action:
The Path of Heroes can be accessed
at the end.
It is available on
http://www.acropolis.ie/philosophy-
dublin/
8. Constructivist learning environments support
"collaborative construction of knowledge
through social negotiation, not competition
among learners for recognition."
The arrangement of the room
favored the sharing of different
perspectives of students.
Table 03 Constructivist theory and practice.
The activity was an opportunity to learn more about the values of the new acropolis
institution and the potential of philosophy to change attitudes and ideals. The work supervised
by a colleague contributed good ideas, such as the idea of anticipating content before class, will
be incorporated into upcoming lectures. The feedback was a great opportunity to improve the
teaching practice, as the, I could recognize flaws in all phases of the elaboration of the class.
The biggest difficulty in the development of the class was the lack of prerequisites, so
there were students with different levels of philosophical knowledge, probably two classes
would be enough for a deeper discussion and reflection. The class followed the proposed
planning and contemplated the pedagogical assumptions of constructivism. Student input was
essential to the development of the class, although most had difficulty interpreting some issues
due to the reduced time, they were responsible for the success of the proposal. Thus, it is
observed that constructivism theory can be the basis for not only a formal teaching in schools
and universities but also employed in informal learning spaces.