{"id":167650,"date":"2024-05-13T16:37:22","date_gmt":"2024-05-13T14:37:22","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.erasmusmagazine.nl\/en\/?p=167650"},"modified":"2025-12-19T11:27:19","modified_gmt":"2025-12-19T10:27:19","slug":"joe-binetti-sees-education-as-a-liberating-art-form","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.erasmusmagazine.nl\/en\/2024\/05\/13\/joe-binetti-sees-education-as-a-liberating-art-form\/","title":{"rendered":"Joe Binetti sees education as a liberating art form"},"content":{"rendered":"

\u201cEducation can free you from your cultural background\u201d, asserts Joe Binetti, researcher at Impact at the Core, an innovation programme for education at Erasmus University.\u00a0 His parents enrolled him in an anthroposophic Waldorf school near Milan, where the emphasis was on the joy of learning. He came to understand his privilege again when he read Tara Westover’s memoir Educated<\/em>.<\/p>\n

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Joe Binetti.<\/span><\/p>

\n\t\n\n<\/svg>\n<\/span>\n\tImage by:<\/span>\n\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\tLeroy Verbeet<\/a>\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t<\/p>\n<\/figcaption><\/figure>

Growing up near Milan, Binetti was immersed in a culture-centric environment. His father read the newspaper, while his mother delved into books. Television provided the family with news. Binetti attended a primary school in Milan that embraced freedom for children to develop, inspired by Rudolf Steiner\u2019s principles. \u201cI could draw, explore art, work with wood and even knitted socks with five needles. Learning was fun; there was never the pressure of a test.\u201d<\/p>\n

The joy of learning waned in high school, where knowledge was tested rigorously. At university, Binetti began questioning the traditional methods of imparting information to students. He remembers a professor of Italian literature, specialising in medieval works \u2013 \u2018not the most captivating era in literature\u2019 \u2013 but it made Binetti realise how important the method of teaching was. The professor did more than just analyse Dante\u2019s work in a detached manner. \u201cHe brought in diverse perspectives, sharing personal experiences and emotional reactions to what he had read. It was truly inspiring.\u201d In the same lecture hall, Binetti also listened to a lecturer who simply read from a script throughout the session. Reflecting years later, he concludes: \u201cTeaching is indeed an artistic endeavour.\u201d<\/p>\n\t

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Number of books a year: A few books while on holiday.<\/p>\n

Last book read: \u201cThe last book I finished The Chosen by Chaim Potok. I\u2019m always reading a few books at a time. I\u2019m a bit chaotic. I always finish them, but there’s no set rhythm or routine.\u201d<\/p>\n

Favourite genre: fiction<\/p>\n

Main motivation: relaxation<\/p>\n\n\t<\/div>\n

Efficiency reigns <\/h2>

During his bachelor\u2019s degree in Humanities, Binetti went on an exchange to Scotland. There, he decided to incorporate his fascination for education into his study path. He stayed in Scotland for a master\u2019s in Education with the intention of later becoming a teacher in Italy. After a decade of getting a PhD and obtaining British citizenship, he finds himself in Rotterdam , where he assists teachers in reevaluating the design of their courses. While the organisation of education may vary among Scotland, the Netherlands, and Italy, efficiency plays a significant role in all three, perhaps more so than is beneficial for students, according to Binetti.<\/p>\n

Teaching is like painting <\/h2>

\u201cEducation has transformative powers\u201d, he says, \u201cit can change people\u2019s lives.\u201d This is also evident in Tara Westover\u2019s book Educated, which he bought in a bookshop in Edinburgh because of the title. Growing up in an isolated family in the mountains of Idaho, she, like her six siblings, initially didn\u2019t go to school, instead working in her father\u2019s business. Violence and abuse were prevalent in the family. Eventually, Westover managed to carve her own path, separate from her family. She educated herself through books, attended school and earned a PhD from Cambridge University.<\/p>\n

\u201cTara Westover is where she is today because she was open to teachers who were more than just sources of information. They encouraged her not to give up, and it was her mentor who encouraged her to start writing.\u201d As a teacher, you have influence, Binetti emphasises. The book also made him appreciate his own blessings.<\/p>\n

\u201cI realised once again that education contributes to self-development, that it can free you from your cultural background and family. Sometimes, I don\u2019t fully grasp how fortunate I am. I still have the opportunity to learn, to conduct research. That is both unique and immensely valuable.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\t

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