Innovation at school: inclusion, autonomy and flexibility

Bruges (Flanders – Belgium)

ErasmusPlus-InServiceTraining

BRUGES (Flanders - Belgium)

7-11 December 2020
CONFIRMED

Pre-Registration

Would you like to participate in this course next school year 2020-2021? Please make a pre-registration so we can keep you informed about this course.

Make your pre-registration

BRUGES (Flanders - Belgium)

7-11 December 2020
CONFIRMED

Final Registration

You want to confirm your participation for this course in the schoolyear 2020-2021?

Confirm your participation

Dates can be subject to change and are only final after official confirmation by the course provider.

CONTENT

  • Hosting partner

The hosting partner organisation is Eekhout Academy.

Eekhout Academy – University Leuven campus Kortrijk
Etienne Sabbelaan 53
8500 Kortrijk
Flanders – Belgium
PIC = 947859169

Eekhout Academy

  • What

HOW AUTONOMY AND FLEXIBILITY CAN ATTRIBUTE TO A BETTER QUALITY OF EDUCATION

The course is organized in the famous medieval city of BRUGGE ( BRUGES – FLANDERS – Belgium). Participants are lodged in a nice  hotel.

Belgium is a federal state where the competences on education are completely devolved towards the 3 Communities. The Flemish Community of Flanders has full and complete autonomy on the organization of its educational system and educational policy.

An exploration of the Flemish education system may be interesting, since the PISA results show that Flanders is a good performer in reading literacy, mathematical literacy and scientific literacy.

Furthermore the Flemish education system is based on a lot of autonomy for schools (School Boards). On the pedagogical level, this autonomy and flexibility is repeated for teachers.
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Recently a lot of schools are exploring and experimenting new ways of organising the school structure, the curriculum, teaching methods …

The course integrates input and background with study visits to schools in Bruges and/or Ghent and a visit to the National Authority (Ministry of Education or a National Network of School Boards) in Brussels.  At those moments a cultural programme is added to the course.

The communication and course language is English.

This international course focuses on:

  • The Flemish education system;
  • The role of autonomy in the motivation process of teachers and students;
  • How a (more) flexible school structure can lead to approaches toward diversity;
  • How a (more) flexible school structure can lead to better student results;
  • Changing leadership towards autonomy and self-regulating teams;
  • Several visits to schools with interaction with principals and teachers (Bruges and/or Ghent);
  • Visit to National Authority (Ministry of Education or a National Network of School Boards) in Brussels
  • Reflection and transfer towards individual education context of each participant.

The course is organised by a consortium of European educational organisations that worked together in previous international projects.
The trainers have a broad experience in school organisation, teaching and learning methods, motivation of students and international courses.

A course day starts at 09.00 h and ends at 16.00 h, with a break for lunch of 1 h.
On Friday we end at 15.30 h, allowing participants to catch the last airplane.

The first and last evening, the participants have the opportunity to join a cultural programme, welcome supper and farewell supper.

During the course week, there is a free period for personal reflection and transfer exercises.

  • Participants know and understand the Flemish Education System;
  • Participants know and understand the role of autonomy and flexibility in designing educational processes;
  • Participants get motivated by inspiring good practices on new leadership;
  • Participants understand the role of autonomy in the motivation process of teachers and students;
  • Participants can develop educational packages (lessons) that include autonomy in order to motivate the students.
  • Participants understand how a (more) flexible school structure(s) can lead to better student results;
  • Participants can develop methods to use (more) flexible school structures in order to obtain better school results;
  • Participants build up awareness of the power of autonomy and flexibility;
  • During the school visit, the participants acquire insight in the implementation process;
  • During the school visits the participants learn from the teachers how to manage flexibility in the curriculum;
  • Participants learn to set up an operation plan imbedded in an holistic quality structure.

This mobility allowed me to know different realities and teaching methodologies in the Flanders Educational System.
This led me to acquire new skills in leadership, teamwork, motivation and time management, among others.
Inclusion, Autonomy and Flexibility are indispensable and urgent changes in our traditional education system to increase student and teacher motivation and achieve better results.
The theme was very interesting and made me wonder how much we have to change, to innovate in our schools.
The information was a lot and the realities discussed and observed are very far from my reality, which made it at some point confusing, but with the certainty that is the right way.
Doubts arise: Where to start? How to motivate the team? How to change the pedagogical practice in the classroom? How to extend to other schools? How to show parents that is the right way? And so many others…
Throughout the course, ideas began to get organized and there was a common thread.
I have learned that change has to be done slowly and we cannot expect everything to be in agreement and conditions to be optimal, otherwise we will never start.
In my case, I work in a kindergarten elementary school. We are six teachers and two educators. When we talk about connection, teamwork, dating, I see that we have to start there. There are days at my school that I don’t see some classmates.
I come with many ideas and a desire for change. Modify my posture in the classroom and with classmates. Each child is a child with different skills and difficulties than others who need to be respected and valued. Inclusion, Autonomy and Flexibility are indispensable and urgent changes in our traditional education system to increase student and teacher motivationand achieve better results.
Finally, I want to thank you for all your efforts to provide us with a very enjoyable and enriching work week.

Yours sincerely,
Dora N.
December 9, 2019

PRACTICALITIES

BRUGES

The course  is organized in Bruges (Belgium).  The historic centre of Bruges has been designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
The course sessions are programmed in a renovated abbey just outside the centre of the city and the participants stay in a nice hotel.

COURSE FEE

– We offer a flexible cost structure, allowing you to select the package that fits best your personal or school situation.
– For a detailed explanation, have a look at our ‘Cost Structure‘.

FUNDING

– You can request an Erasmus Plus grant from your national agency which will cover almost all costs of this course.
– We can guide you through the process of funding and application. To do so, you need the make a pre-registration.
– After pre-registration, we’ll contact you by mail and provide the application help.

There is a very easy train access from Brussels – Zaventem Airport to the city of Bruges. The train station is located at the airport on level -1  at a small distance from the arrivals hall.
The travel time from the airport to Bruges is about  90 minutes.
Some train connections require a change of train in the train station of Brussels (Brussel Noord, Brussel Centraal or Brussel Zuid).

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