Green School Bali is honoured to have Dr. Philip Zimbardo, Professor Emeritus of Psychology at Stanford University, visiting our school this November. He led a series of workshops on his latest project, the Heroic Imagination and sat down with teachers and students of Green School to promote heroism and to train educators in the heroic imagination curriculum.
Our High School students and teachers with Dr. Zimbardo
“Getting to learn from world renowned psychologist, professor, and author, Philip Zimbardo, was an incredibly unique and inspiring opportunity. While he was at Green School, I was lucky enough to participate in the Heroic Imagination training seminar that he held for Green School teachers. The insights offered in his course prompted enthusiastic questions and dialogue between Dr. Zimbardo and all participants. I left feeling excited by all of the new information and thinking very hard. As a soon to be graduate and future psychology student, I am incredibly grateful that Green School, Ibu Emily, Ibu Leslie, and Dr. Philip Zimbardo made this one of a kind educational opportunity possible.” – Maya Hurd-Lücker, Grade 12.
Capping off Dr. Zimbardo’s visit on the beautiful island of Bali, Green School organised an exclusive movie screening of his yet-to-launch Hollywood movie, ‘The Stanford Prison Experiment’ and an island-wide community lecture on ‘Transforming Evil to Heroic Goodness’, led by Dr. Zimbardo himself. The lecture got overwhelming response and drew over 350 participants who spilt out onto the assembly hall of Green School.
Starting off his lecture, Dr. Zimbardo shared his personal experience growing up in the ghetto of the South Bronx. He questioned why and how good individuals turned bad and became corrupted evil-doings. He then explained about his controversial experiment conducted in 1970’s, ‘The Stanford Prison Experiment’; an experiment that in the later years has a profound impact on the world of social psychology and his Heroic Imagination Project.
He shared how he has shifted to wonder if (and how) ordinary people can become ‘everyday heroes’. He established a non-profit corporation in San Francisco, The Heroic Imagination Project, whose mission is to explore and encourage heroic action from people of all ages and nations by internalizing and acting on a vibrant Heroic Imagination. His project teaches people how to overcome the social and psychological stereotypes and to promote the well-being of others for a better tomorrow. He believes the habits of acts of heroism can be learned and become a lifestyle.
Green School is so privileged to have him teaching our young generation how to stand up, speak out and act courageously in challenging situations as the everyday heroes that they are. Dr. Zimbardo’s visit gives our community a chance to reflect on a very important reason why so many of our families chose Green School, for its inspiring and encouraging community.
We wish him success and happiness as he continues to travel the world cultivating heroes.