Comenius multilateral partnerships A trip worth-taking
Julie Gyftoula, M. Ed. in ELT 3rd Primary School of Zografou
Today’s agenda
● Breaking down prejudice ● How things get started ● Teachers: and now what? ● What do learners wait for? ● New roles for teachers and learners ● Change happens! ● School benefits ● Is it worth the pain?
Breaking down prejudice
One day the good news reaches our school and ‌ off we go!
It feels …. happy, confused, proud, innovative, willing to work, curious, excited, sharing, creative, responsible, motivated, committed, overloaded, full of ideas, useful, necessary ……
It needs planning ● Be flexible ● Plan your course of action ● Focus on the points which can offer great opportunities for your English class ● Arrange your own working schedule accordingly ● Try to match your teaching goals with the project requirements in other words find the perfect “alibi” ● Contact your colleague at the partner schools and talk about your cooperation, share your ideas!
It means decision making ● Where in my schedule does the project fit? ● Which school subjects should I engage? ● Which colleagues could I ask help from? ● What support do I need from the Head? ● Should I involve parents? ● Should I ask help from my advisor? ● Should I contact colleagues with previous experience? ● How can I exploit the project for my own professional development?
It means working in a team
The New School challenge (Μείζον Πρόγραμμα Επιμόρφωσης)
Work with your
colleagues Work with parents and the Head Set the ideal example for your pupils
It means bringing new ideas Work
in groups Exploit talents Share the work Re-invent “accountability” Establish new work routines
From a learner point of view
The learner at the centre of action
Try to trace your learners’ expectations and interests Plan according to your teaching needs Take advantage of the freedom you have to target your own audience Adjust the original plan to your learners’ needs
Απεικόνιση αποτελεσμάτων 13, 9% 25, 18%
, 0%
2
9, 6% 25, 18%
20, 14% 26, 20%
1
21, 15%
3 4 5 6 7 8
Σχέσεις γονιών-παιδιών Σχέσεις εντός του σχολικού περιβάλλοντος Σχέσεις μεταξύ παιδιών Διαχείριση ελεύθερου χρόνου Συμμετοχή στη σχολική ζωή Τι κάνουν τα παιδιά των εταιρικών σχολείων Δράσεις στο φυσικό περιβάλλον Μόδα, μουσικές προτιμήσεις
Upgrade your methods
Some ideas for action
Project work (make a poster, create the project corner) ICT at your service (web, e-mail, wiki, blog)
Newspaper, magazine
Communicate-exchange-enrich
As communicative as possible
Skype meetings
Pen pals Realia from the partner schools and countries Comenius webpage to publish your results and see others’ work Transfer good practice to your school
Two minds work better than one!
Reveal your school’s potential School
ethos changes Cooperation creates bonds Sharing
makes people richer Parents get involved Local community benefits The
school as a learning organization Learn together, grow better
Schools can change for the better!
Get innovative! Escape
the routine trap Try new methods Make use of the knowledge you gained in in-service training seminars and assess its value (do all things work?) Show the school stakeholders (pupils, parents) that you teach English and educate people at the same time Gain your pupils’ respect and attention
School can be fun!
Teachers …
Plan, make informed decisions, design material, monitor Achieve pupils’ involvement, trigger and preserve interest Decide along with the pupils, “respect” autonomy Facilitate Stream their work Promote good practice Encourage, praise, boost self-esteem Limit fear of failure Learn View the project as an opportunity for critical reflection
Pupils …
Search, decide, plan, assess Co-operate Undertake responsibilities Give and get feedback Use English for a real purpose Learn how to learn Communicate their culture Fill their cultural bank with new data Renegotiate their profile Appreciate their identity Take pride in showing their good side, strive to build a better image
Ninfa, a medieval garden somewhere between Rome and Naples
Thank you!