Pedro De Bruyckere

Speaker
Dutch
English
Photo of Pedro De Bruyckere

Who is Pedro De Bruyckere?

The youth are like the weather: everyone has an opinion about them. And the same applies to the education system. Nonetheless, few people are better qualified to understand the biggest trends and expel the myths than Pedro De Bruyckere. This self-declared addict of popular culture is a researcher and pedagogue at the Artevelde University of Applied Sciences  in Ghent and Leiden University in the Netherlands. He has been studying the lives of young people for many years and conducts research into authenticity in the education system.

Pedro is an inspirational speaker who, with his enthusiasm and humour, never fails to give the audience – be they bankers, teachers or students - a special and educational evening. He examines the truth behind age-old myths, explains the biggest trends and provides specific tips for all those who deal with young people. You will certainly recognise the issues he raises and will be amazed at how he is able to dissect serious subjects with a sense of humour.

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    Is attention the new IQ?

    More and more countries as well as schools are banning smartphones at school. Pedro De Bruyckere reflects on why these devices are often disruptive to learning.

    At the same time, you also hear that technology can just help learning, right? In his contribution, Pedro brings a nuanced story about focus, technology and learning beyond slogans.

    Authenticity and youth

    Authenticity and youth: In a world full of choice, 'authenticity' appears to be one of the most important criteria for standing out in a flood of information. But what makes something real in the eyes of young people? Building on the work of Gilmore and Pine, among others, on the economy of experiences and his own research into perceptions of authenticity, Pedro De Bruyckere highlights how the interpretation of authenticity changed.

    Young people are the new employees: A lot can be said about the different generations and it really seems as if the youth today are completely different from previous generations when it comes to work. But is that really the case? Pedro De Bruyckere nuances what is or is not true about the new employee based on scientific research. Spoiler: they really don't seem that different at times.

    Youth culture and diversity: There is no such thing as the young person, they are all different. What is constant in youth culture, and which elements define diversity among all those young people? And most importantly, how can you reach them?

    Female teachers are more fun than male teachers and other myths about learning and education

    Talking about education is like talking about politics or the weather. Everyone has an opinion, although the basis on which opinions are based is rarely clear.  And when an opinion is shared by many people, it often becomes an intractable myth. How do you discover what’s true and what isn't? And how do you make sure that the right insights are applied?

    In his book and lecture, called Juffen zijn toffer dan meesters (female teachers are more fun than male teachers), Pedro addresses the craziest teaching myths and explains which statements should and should not be believed. He not only banishes all doubts, but also shows the sometimes harmful consequences when teachers actually apply these myths in practice. Does natural intelligence determine the success of a school career? Is homework useful, or should we get rid of it? You’ll get the answers to these questions and more during this lecture.

    Arm yourself against nonsense

    How often have you read “Research shows that…” or “It has been demonstrated that…”? However, this doesn’t mean that the statement that follows has actually been scientifically proven. Pedro has tackled various education-related myths in his book, Jongens zijn slimmer dan meisjes (Boys are smarter than girls), but, let's be honest: it sometimes feels like a losing battle. That’s why he decided to translate and revise the book When to trust the experts by Daniel Willingham. The book, and the accompanying lectures, define good science, how you can recognise it and why we are so susceptible to poorly substantiated and inaccurate claims. You can arm yourself against such nonsense in 4 steps, without becoming a scientist yourself.

    Class kit: tools for excellent teachers

    During this lecture, Pedro offers 10 very clear principles of education and learning. Why must children still learn things by heart?  Does more professional knowledge automatically make you a better teacher? What is the best way to get a whole class thinking?

    You cannot teach on the basis of a checklist. There are no ready-made recipes for ensuring that pupils follow a standard step-by-step plan every day and remember the required content at the end of the school year. Not everything produces the same result in the same way with everyone, or in the same context. However, that’s not to say that there are no effective tools available.

    With that in mind, in this lecture pedagogue Pedro looks for methods that actually work, and examines in which circumstances they work, for which target groups, and why. Klaskit (class kit) offers a practical insight into what learning entails and provides a clear overview among a plethora of contradictory ideas about education. Those who know how to give effective feedback, know the best way to establish a relationship with their pupils and know what a strong school vision can do, possess the tools needed to become excellent teachers.

    I was 10 in 2015

    The world appears to be changing continuously, and this is certainly not making the jobs of parents, educators and teachers any easier. While parents could once expect their children to have a better life than themselves, this is no longer a given these days.

    “Our children will probably be worse off”, is a commonly heard concern. What should children be studying, if some jobs will soon be replaced by robots? Where will our children live? What new challenges will they encounter?

    Pedro doesn’t have a crystal ball, but examines the most important trends that could have an impact on the lives of children and young people. In this way he answers the questions that adults have about their future. A teaching manual for the future.

    The youth of today

    The youth of today are very good, sir. But so very anti-social: always staring at screens… Or not? In any case, the new generation is different. They have grown up with a smartphone in hand, a computer next to their beds and a headset over their ears. But perhaps they are smarter and faster? More businesslike? Are they really too nice, not socially engaged enough? Or are they just engaged in a way that differs from past generations?

    During this lecture, Pedro paints a familiar picture of the youth of today. What is the best way to deal with young people at home, in the class and at work? This popular speakers adopts a very entertaining approach to dissect and dispel common myths about pop culture, the world of the youth and how they view, and are viewed by, parents, teachers and their first employer. And why you, as a guiding figure, should dare to give your opinion. A must for those who come into contact with young people - which means everyone! 

    Raising children in the social media era

    Facebook, Snapchat and WhatsApp are names that you see every day in the media and that young people seem to play with. But what do they use this ‘social media’ for? What are the opportunities? What are the dangers? Have our children now become screen zombies, or are things not that bad?

    During this lecture, you will discover that ‘social media’ is a lot more than just Facebook, and will learn, besides the role that these media play in the lives of children, tips on the best way to approach the subject as a parent, educator or teacher.

We give Pedro De Bruyckere a 10 out of 10 for his lecture.

Frank Van Paemel

School community B.O.S.

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The lecture by Pedro De Bruyckere was extremely interesting and well presented.

Brecht Ranschaert

Erasmushogeschool Brussel

We were very pleased with the lecture by Pedro De Bruyckere. It offered food for thought, and we only heard positive reactions.

Katinka Steen

IJD Brugge

The participants were very positive! Here is the feedback we received: ‘very good and very knowledgeable’, ‘Pedro De Bruyckere presented a charming and interesting story'.

Frederique Loones

Support and development officer, De Ambrassade vzw

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The participants were enthusiastic afterwards! The feedback we received was as follows: interesting, perfect for the identified issue, presented in a fascinating manner, and very useful.

Ronny Cos

Sports officer, municipal culture, youth and sports department