The story behind HeartWise
It begins with a father, two daughters and one change of view: looking at education from the child’s level, in their shoes.
Yasmin Mubarak
Yasmin Mubarak is a father of two daughters, and everything he builds begins with them. Trained in psychology and educational psychology, with more than twenty years of experience, he founded Modern Learning Studio and the Finnish preschool in Colombo, works with universities and early childhood partners in Finland, has visited more than five hundred schools across the world, and was selected to join the Nobel Prize Teacher Summit in 2024. He believes the best things begin outside the comfort zone.
He believes a child’s heart is where learning begins.
We are not raising children to be successful. We are raising them to be whole.
Chapter by chapter, from his daughters outward
This is not a calendar of dates. It is the path of what matters to him, told in the order that makes the story easiest to follow.
Chapter 1Two daughters, one changed view
Becoming a father changed everything. Yasmin began to look at education from the child’s level, in their shoes.
Chapter 2Psychology and educational psychology
He trained in psychology and educational psychology. He wants to offer solutions to children, not only to describe their problems.
Chapter 3Modern Learning Studio
He founded Modern Learning Studio, which has supported children with potential for more than ten years: public speaking, communication, reading and the science of reading.
Chapter 4The Finnish preschool in Colombo
He started the Finnish preschool in Colombo for his own two daughters. He wanted the very best for them, and he did not want to compromise on values, so that early childhood stays play.
Chapter 5Into more than five hundred schools
He has visited more than five hundred schools, in Sri Lanka and other countries. His programmes, school visits and talks for children, teachers and parents have reached more than thirty countries.
For exampleSri LankaSingaporeMalaysiaIndiaDenmarkSwitzerlandFinlandAustriaItalyGermany
Chapter 6Universities and early childhood partners in Finland
He works with universities and early childhood partners in Finland. He has also attended many workshops and programmes in different parts of the world.
Chapter 7The Nobel Prize Teacher Summit, 2024
He was selected to join the Nobel Prize Teacher Summit in 2024. Teachers from all over the world gather at the Nobel Prize Museum in Stockholm, meet Nobel laureates and discuss changes in education.
Chapter 8HeartWise
Everything he builds begins with his daughters, and HeartWise is where that is easiest to see: books, curricula and tools that help every child feel safe, seen and brave.
Those years have been spent with children and teenagers, with parents and families, with schools and teachers, and with organisations, through workshops, talks and programmes.
Four beliefs behind the books
The beliefs he brings to his work.
Outside the box, outside the comfort zone
He thinks outside the box, and he believes the best things begin outside the comfort zone.
Heart first
Emotional wellbeing and emotional intelligence come first.
Nobody told me I can’t
Nobody told the bumblebee it cannot fly, so it flies. We are the ones who limit ourselves.
Time with his daughters
He loves spending time with them and joining their school activities.
The bumblebee that nobody told
There is a little story about the bumblebee. By the look of its body and its wings, it seems it should not be able to fly. But it flies, because nobody told the bumblebee that it can’t.
Yasmin tells it because it is how he began. If someone had looked at him then, they might well have said, “You can’t do this. You can’t get there.” He chose not to believe it. He believes we are often the ones who limit ourselves.
Wherever we are, whatever we are going through, even a financial crisis, when everything seems to work against our growth, we can keep moving forward. With a positive mindset, we can.
Nobody told the bumblebee it can’t.
A child does not need to be fixed. A child needs to be seen — and then taught, by someone who stayed calm and stayed close.
A small light for big feelings
In HeartWise the lantern is the picture of L.A.N.T.E.R.N., the path through a big feeling: Label, Accept, Notice, Take a pause, Empathise, Repair, Next step. It reflects the wish behind the work: to offer children something they can do, not only a description of the problem.
- 1Label
- 2Accept
- 3Notice
- 4Take a pause
- 5Empathise
- 6Repair
- 7Next step
Polaricx Education Ecosystem
Yasmin Mubarak is Founder & CEO of Polaricx Education Ecosystem and the creator of HeartWise. HeartWise is published by Polaricx Education Ecosystem, Colombo, Sri Lanka.
Polaricx Education Ecosystemwww.polaricx.com- Email ushello@heartwise.world
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