School innovation in Europe: student-centred and game-based learning to support student engagement and development at the Open School in Miskolc

Since the mid-1990s, the Open Door school is strongly devoted to the Step by Step programme (SbS), which became the main driver to implement innovative approaches in the school. The SbS programme involves student-centred and game-based learning, with constant feedback. The school also organises two whole-school project months per year that end with a presentation day, often open to the wider public and parents. Classrooms are arranged according to different aspects of learning. As part of the innovation, the school applies “morning circles” which are involved around a certain theme. Each child learns to speak in a way that is to the point, and gets the chance to express what he or she thinks and feels. It’s also a useful approach to compensate the stress that students might have brought from home.