SLOVENIA'S 5 CORE VALUES

EXERCISE 1: Talking about moderation through story

"The right measure is the best measure in all things." Heziod

Purpose: Through talking about the story and the events that have taken place or will take place, pupils identify the right measure.

"Balance at the school picnic"

At a school picnic in a Slovenian village, pupils organised games, food and music. Žan was in charge of the desserts and initially wanted to bring lots of cakes to impress everyone, but realised that this would take too much money and food. Instead, he moderately chose a few smaller desserts to satisfy everyone. Also, the group of students who chose the music wanted to play only loud songs, but they settled on a moderate mix of calm and lively songs for everyone to enjoy. The moderation allowed the picnic to run in balance - food was not wasted and the atmosphere was enjoyable for all. However, once the pupils went overboard with the music and games, disregarding the others, the picnic became chaotic and some left disappointed. Moderation brought harmony and joy, while excess brought discord and loss of balance.

Questions for discussion:

• What made the pupils moderate or moderate their planning of the school picnic?
• Are you planning an event at home or at school? What are the elements of the event that could quickly go to one extreme or the other (too much or too little, too short or too long...)? What is the right measure for these elements?
• How do we know if we have chosen the right measure in a particular case?
• Think of an event where there really wasn't a proper measure. How did that manifest itself, what were the consequences?

Value: moderation as balance and responsibility in decisions that benefit the individual and the community.

EXERCISE 2: Living simply so that others can live simply

"Things should be as simple as they can be, but no more so." Albert Einstein

Voluntary simplicity means a personal decision to give up excessive wealth and make simpler choices in life. When we voluntarily choose simplicity, many of the traumas of others' wealth are removed. Because simplicity also means choosing the essential, it contributes to the quality of life.

Target group: children 6+, employees

Purpose: The activity focuses on personal reflection by professionals, children and parents on what can be taken away, discarded, simplified in their personal and family life to create the conditions for a decent and simple life for other people in the neighbourhood, the country and the world at large. It is a kind of inventory of our life in a consumer society that imposes on us the use of many things that are more or less unnecessary.

Flow: This activity is more about personal questioning and decision-making. This personal questioning is introduced in the classroom through discussion. The questions should be helpful:

1. Which things we buy can we do ourselves relatively easily? Some ideas: baking bread, making washing powder, various repairs (cleaning drains, replacing the seal on a tap or toilet, etc.).
2. What are some of the things we buy now that we can eliminate because they are unnecessary, or replace with simpler ones?
3. When we buy products (especially technical products: phones, computers, household appliances, cars, etc.), we define exactly what we need before we buy. When we buy, we look for a product that meets our requirements and has as few features or elements that we do not need as possible. 
4. How to reduce packaging waste? We buy products where they can be obtained without packaging. We refuse extra packaging and carry reusable bags or baskets.

For younger children, we are more specific and ask specific questions, wait for answers and encourage reflection, while for older children we just guide the conversation. For adults, we can also put questions in writing and guide them to think in silence and then encourage them to share their thoughts.

Finally, we focus the conversation on concrete acts of simplicity that individuals will strive to achieve.

EXERCISE 3: (In)moderation

"Moderation is the best guide to life." Cicero

The word "moderate" means "in moderation". We do things in moderation; we do things in moderation; we speak in moderation, we eat in moderation. Moderation, then, is defined by doing things in moderation in different areas of life and action. So what is right moderation? Something between the minimum and the maximum? That's for sure. But what if we do not know what is the minimum and what is the maximum. The right measure can often be in line with the right needs. The right measure for food is as much food as we need to live a healthy life, to develop in a healthy way. What is the right measure for clothes, for living space, for travel... There are no exact answers, of course, but once we start asking ourselves about it, we are well on the way to the right measure.

Target group: children up to 6 years and teachers

Purpose: Everyone has an area where they have too many material possessions, or do or enjoy too much of something. So everyone can be intemperate in a certain area at a certain time. With practice, we recognise this intemperance and reflect on it. 

Flow: For different ages, let's talk about different (im)moderations:

• How many toys do you have? We can also focus on specific types of toys (teddies, toy cars, balls, etc.).
• How many shoes or gym/sports shoes do you have?
• How many clothes are in your wardrobe?
• How many cosmetic tools do you have?
• How much time a day do you watch TV or use your computer, tablet or phone?
• How many sweets do you eat a day?

We ask individuals: 

• If you decided not to increase the quantity of these goods (toys, shoes, etc.) or do more of them (eat sweets, use electronic devices, etc.), what would you have to do to achieve this?
• Is it too much, too little or just right?
• How do you know? What yardstick do you use to judge your own moderation?
• Do you know someone who has or does significantly less of this, but is still happy and content - and doesn't miss or need more?

EXERCISE 4: Lonely hut in the mountains

"He who is content with little finds a table set everywhere." German proverb

At certain times, or during certain experiences, we realise that we need very little to survive. This does not mean that our lives are therefore of less quality or that we lack essential things. It is at such times that we realise what is essential.

Purpose: With thought and planning, we make a list of essentials for a week of living in solitude.

Target group: children 11+, teachers

Flow: 

1. Imagine going alone for a week to a secluded cottage with only a footpath leading to it, which is about 5 hours' walk away. The hut is in the middle of a forest. There is a wood stove in the hut on which you can cook. There are two cooking pots, a wood saw and an axe. There is also a bed with a mattress, a chair and a small table. That's all there is in the hut. You go in spring, when the nights and mornings can still be quite cold (10 degrees).
2. You will go to the hut with your backpack. You can carry a maximum of 15 kg for the 5-hour walk.
3. Talk about how you decided what to take, or what essentials you couldn't fit in your backpack. 
4. Make a list of everything you will take with you to spend several days in the hut. Estimate the weight of all items; the total weight should not exceed 15 kg.

EXERCISE 5: Wealth or modesty

"You can be modest but not wise; you cannot be wise if you are not modest." Chinese proverb

Wealth and modesty are categories that are not necessarily mutually exclusive. Someone who has great material wealth can live quite modestly. Another person with minimal wealth may be quite immodest or extravagant.

Purpose: The exercise leads to a reflection on modesty as a virtue and why to be modest.

Flow: 

• We ask the children why they think Buffett stayed in the house, what it means to be modest, whether they themselves are modest, what modesty brings to a person and to society in general.
• We ask students what kind of house they would build or buy if they had €100 million. They can also get a piece of paper and draw this house to represent everything in and around it. They can also work in small groups (2-4 students).
• Students present the house and tell why they chose it, how they would use each room, etc.
• Introduce Warren Buffett, one of the world's richest men, with a fortune of more than 100 billion US dollars. He still lives in the 1921 house he bought in 1958. Compared to the homes of some other millionaires, it is quite modest. We can also show them the photographs that are available on the Internet.

Content by Danilo Kozoderc