Category Archives: Advanced trainings

European Workshop in Bremerhaven and International Conference in Braga

We welcome our new beginning teachers in Bremerhaven with a Europe workshop called „Europäische Lehrkräfte als Vorbilder für lebenslanges Lernen, demokratisches Denken und gemeinschaftliches Handeln”. The workshop deals with the results of the EU-funded LOOP project (No. 2020-1-PT01-KA201-078764) and the implications for our school Schulzentrum Carl von Ossietzky - gymnasiale Oberstufe (CvO GyO).
Our participation in the LOOP project and especially in the international conference "Teacher learning through e-mentoring - a contribution to the future of Education" in Braga, Portugal significantly strengthens teacher collaboration within our school and with other European educators and stakeholders, as well.
The Erasmus+ team at our school has grown, the role of European values such as democratic thinking and collaboration further increases. We learn a lot about innovative teaching and learning approaches and discuss new concrete ideas of conceptual development potentials. Working on the LOOP project makes room for teamwork, critical discussion, creativity and participation. More teachers are involved in school development like digitalization, interdisciplinary and inter-grade projects and the revision of our school concept.  We specify our visions about teaching and learning and start to establish a European cooperation network. Let’s stay in contact as friends and, hopefully as project partners, as well:

Presentation for the Europe Day Workshop in Bremerhaven: PDF
Review of the international LOOP conference in Braga: YouTube
Learn more on the project homepage

Principal

We conducted an interview with the principal of our school as part of our project "Building a democratic school culture", which we carried out as part of the European Union program for education, youth and sports.

First of all, we would like to thank Mr. Ingo Beck for participating in the interview.

How did you feel about the fact that a project on "Building a democratic school culture" was carried out at your school? What do you think about this topic?

Democracy within school culture is the highest good and must be the highest priority in school development. For this reason, the event at our school was an excellent opportunity to reflect on this topic, evaluate and take in new impulses.

You have been working at this school for 19 years. In total, you have been principal for seven years. After all these years in education, can you say something about the deficits you see or feel in terms of democracy in the institutions you have led?

Cooperation between the boards was made much more difficult by the Corona period. Basically, a deficit is more likely to be perceived through the commitment of those involved, but not through the fundamentally given opportunities for involvement in the democracy process.

In your opinion, what tasks should administrators perform in a democratic school?

Act as organizer:s, administrator:s, and supporter:s.

As a school administrator, do you determine the decisions that are made at the school, or do you involve other stakeholders in the decision-making process?

We have a school law that we have to implement. Of course, how successful the results are here also depends a little bit on the commitment of the school management.

Do you solicit student input on applications that directly affect students (recess times, electives, social activities...)? Do you set up boards or committees where students also have the right to speak?

The committees are fully staffed with all the groups involved and there is freedom of expression and opportunities are to include voting rights.

Can you create a suitable democratic environment for your students, teachers and support staff in the school? Can you explain this with an example?

In any case - in the highest conference - the school conference, we are so occupied in voting on budget, study trips, mission statement, etc., that the parents and students:inside could outvote the teachers and thus an implementation of an idea would be blocked.

What do you think school governance should be like in an institution with a democratic school culture? Can you take action in this direction?

Is in place at our institution.

Who do you think has the leading role in creating a democratic school culture? The central government, the local government, or the school administration?

Only in a good interaction is this possible - laws, rules and room for maneuver on the ground.

Do you think that this and similar projects contribute to the creation of a democratic school culture?

Absolutely! It's a very good way to create a democratic standard at schools throughout Europe.

We would like to thank our guest Mr. Ingo Beck for participating in our interview and for sharing her feelings and thoughts with us.

LOOP-Friends visit

10.03.2023. Since 2010, teachers and scientists from Portugal, Italy, Greece and Germany work with great commitment on the Erasmus+ -founded project LOOP – Scaffolding in Teachers Development: Mentoring and Mentors in Induction Programs (2020-1-PT01-KA201-078764) to analyse and strengthen the role of mentors in educational programs and advanced training programs. The common goal of the seven project partners is to improve the qualification of teachers all over Europe to tackle the great challenges of our time: Too many school dropouts, a lack of resources for inclusion as well as socio-economic and educational inequalities. For this purpose, the project partners develop digital educational- and advanced training offerings as well as a digital collaboration platform which empowers teachers to network Europe-wide and share experiences and expertise. Furthermore, international advanced trainings events, project meetings and a big international final conference provide opportunities to share experiences, discuss innovative learning- and teaching approaches and to define the role of Good Mentors. In this context, the Schulzentrum Carl von Ossietzky – Gymnasiale Oberstufe welcomed 16 guests who – via workshops, job shadowing and presentations – came to the conclusion that the federal state of Bremen provides exemplary and outstanding support- and qualification programs for teachers that significantly contribute to an appreciative and progressive school atmosphere. In many discussions, it becomes clear, that digital offerings and the Europe-wide exchange with colleagues are a surplus profit for teachers from Germany, too: Inspiration, motivation and the conduct of mentors as role models for life-long learning and as teamplayers are promoted. Learn more about the LOOP-project here (newsletter) and about the big final conference in Braga in July 2023 – digital participation is possible.

A visit to Schlierbach

05.03.2023. Jil-Marie Uekermann, Nils Wandrey, Ingo Beck and four students participated in choir and orchestra rehearsals for a week in Austria with the high school in Schlierbach! The return visit will follow in June!
Rehearsals were held at Zeillern Castle! Furthermore, the Adalbert Stifter Gymnasium in Linz was visited, which have a musical focus that also includes a cooperation with the Anton Bruckner Conservatory in Linz.

Source:
https://www.cvo-gyo.de/blog/erasmus-news-6

Overview of training content

Year 2023

  • "Digital classroom: Teach and learn digitally" - France
  • "CLIL in Practice: Focus on Ireland" - Ireland
  • "The 4Cs In The Classroom" - France
  • "Speak English Confidently With The Callan Method" - Croatia
  • "Pedagogics And Culture: Explaining Belgium And Its Education System" - Belgium
  • "Using Technology In The Classroom" - Croatia
  • "Introduction To The Finnish Education Model" - Finland

Number of personnel mobilities: 12
(Status: 25.09.2023)

 

Year 2022

  • "Class Room Management for Teachers: New Methodologies, Effective Motivation, Cooperation and Evaluation Strategies" - Spain
  • "Mindfulness" - Spain
  • "Leadership and Initiative – The Cornes Stones of Entrepreneurship in the Classroom" - Greece
  • "Digital media in cross-cultural projects: Management and Networking" - Portugal
  • "Fluency and English Language Development for Educational Staff" - Malta
  • "Introduction to film production with smartphone and tablet as a teaching tool or for creation of teaching materials" - Portugal

Number of personnel mobilities: 16

 

Year 2021

  • "Stress Management and Burnout Prevention" - Croatia
  • "Stress Management and Recognition: Key Strategies for Teachers" - Spain
  • "Inspiring Healthy Lifestyles to Learners" - Spain

Number of personnel mobilities: 8

 

Years 2019/ 2020

  • "Our prehistoric past – What do we learn from the past?" - Malta
  • "Stress Management in schools" – Greece
  • "Intensive English Language" – Great Britain
  • "How to maximise learning on field trips" – Malta
  • "Educational Management & School Leadership" - Greece

Number of personnel mobilities: 11

 

Ferragudo, the second!

Period: September 15 - 22, 2022
Topic: Introduction to film production with smartphone and tablet as a teaching tool or for creating teaching materials

Advanced training content

  • Conception of fictional and documentary films with treatment and screenplay
  • Overview of current video platforms and content strategies for building a social media channel with a video focus
  • Camera technology and filmic image composition in theory and practice
  • Sound technology and interviewing
  • Editing and dubbing of explanatory films and documentaries
  • Independent production of a short documentary
  • Ideas for using film production in the classroom
  • Intercultural networking with participants from different nations
  • Intercultural exercises in teams

Result
Short film about the training: "Film production [europeanseminars]".

Ferragudo, the first!

11.07.2022. Best regards from our team in Portugal for the Erasmus+ training "Digital Media in Intercultural Projects - Management & Networking.

Training content

  • Definition of project work in the framework of European exchanges with learners
  • Development of exchange projects with learners and school projects
  • Preparation and organization of exchange projects with learners
  • Consideration of different languages and cultures in project work
  • Digitality in Erasmus projects
  • Devices and apps in use
  • Project ideas with digital media
  • Dissemination of projects to the (school) public
  • Equipping intercultural projects with digital media
  • Making the seminar public at school: Digital and analog possibilities