L’attesa: progettare la relazione

This essay examines the topic of “waiting” from a pedagogical point of view, with special attention to its impact on the developmental phase of adolescence and young adulthood. The subject takes its place in a broader debate on the role of temporality in the educational relationship. Starting from the etymology of “waiting”, the author focuses on the need of promoting an educational culture of waiting by means of two pedagogical goals: giving relevance to the ability of paying attention; believing in the resources and potential the other has so as to give value to the educative significance held by intention and project. Education is based on the presence of adults engaged in the process of growth and is played also on the social dimension of expectation and its relationship with hope. The final aim of this essay is to propose some activities for teaching teenagers the value of waiting since learning to wait is one of life's most important skills.