School Education Gateway newsletter 3/2019 - September View this email in your browser
SEG - Newsletter

What does your school look like? Join the survey on learning environments

A change in space can encourage collaboration or allow direct impact with the topic of learning. But how common are adapted learning environments?

A school’s learning environment plays a crucial role in teaching, learning and well-being, for both students and teachers: research shows that the learning environment can affect student progress by as much as 16% over a school year. The integration of digital technologies and collaborative, outdoor and informal learning call us to rethink school spaces across Europe.

Please tell us about your school, or a school you know well: is the learning environment fit for purpose? Does it support innovative teaching and learning? Join this short survey on learning environments in 23 languages (set your language in the top right menu).

Don’t miss the results of our previous surveys, now available on School Education Gateway: parents, bullying in schools and mental health and wellbeing in schools.

Teacher Academy focuses on mentoring

At the start of the school year, the Teacher Academy focusses on mentoring, with a dedicated MOOC as well as a one-hour webinar on the topic.

Mentored teachers are more effective, happier, and more successful. Therefore, it is important to explore how mentors can support and develop the work of teachers. If you wish to develop your knowledge and skills, why not start with the upcoming Teacher Academy online course and webinar?

“Mentoring in Schools” is a short online course that offers strategies and tools for effective mentorship. In four modules, participants will learn about different mentorship approaches and how to facilitate collaborative conversations, effective lesson observations, and the use of video and online tools. It starts on Monday 23 September: find out more and register here!

The webinar “Mentoring early career teachers - A strong foundation for the profession”, will take place Thursday 26 September at 17:00h CEST. Find our more and sign up on our website.

JUNE: ENVIRONMENT AND OUR WORLD

Greta Thunberg inspired students to demonstrate, but we can also support debate and develop knowledge and understanding within schools. Professor Anna Rabajczyk even argues “ecology must become our nature, not a choice.” An interdisciplinary approach throughout the year is necessary – a call supported by Berlin students protesting for a climate curriculum and the Environment Online community. Yet (school) projects on this topic are a great start and also let teachers learn along with their students.

JULY: PARENTS

Parental engagement is a challenge for many schools, but action is important: parents have a big impact on learning outcomes of their children. Their involvement should go beyond helping with homework, and it’s the teachers’ responsibility to offer them the opportunity. Plenty of inspiring example projects are available, including eTwinning projects involving families. Doing so, it’s important to follow the parents’ rhythm, instead of forcing them into the school’s target schemes.

AUGUST: BEGINNING TEACHING

The teaching professions is vital to the future of society. Still, new teachers are particularly vulnerable to early dropout from their own profession. As a way to counter this, the education sector as a whole could move to narrative pedagogy in order to amplify teachers’ stories and help their professional development. On a day-to-day basis, teachers may also benefit from projects promoting knowledge sharing and support systems. Also, different forms of leadership can help.

The School Education Gateway is funded by Erasmus+, the European programme for Education, Training, Youth and Sport. It is operated for the DG Education and Culture of the European Commission by European Schoolnet, an international partnership of 32 European Ministries of Education. The School Education Gateway is linked to eTwinning, the community for schools in Europe.
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