The ELA Blog

​Working in a team is not always easy: different personalities, miscommunications and an unclear definition of roles are all aspects that can negatively impact the efficiency of the group. For this reason, the aim of this course was to learn a variety of skills that can both ensure team efficiency but also promote a positive environment in the workplace. By participating in this course our participants got some input on how to become better team leaders and team members while working with colleagues. 
 
The new edition of the course “Effective Group Management” took place in Palermo from 7/04/2024 to 20/04/2024. The participants came from Poland, with Maria, Antoni, Joanna, Maria, Adam, Kazimiera, Kamila, Jadwiga, Ewa, and Ryszard from Stowarzyszenie Rozwoju Klaja.

​The course was aimed to approach a variety of aspects that can apply to working in groups and leading teams. To do that, we had to establish what differentiates a group from a team, in order to learn that not all groups are team. Participants discovered the gradual stages a team is confronted with and the characteristics of each one so they can be aware of the best strategies to surmount tensions among them. 

​Another topic the participants had to tackle was the importance of team roles. They applied this aspect through various activities to undergo the difficulties that imply working together when roles and tasks are not well specified. This can generate lots of confusion and deteriorate team cohesion. The participants took an individual test about leadership styles to understand which leader they are. The relevance of emotional intelligence and empathy was also highlighted to learn how to receive the emotional response of the individuals of a group and how to answer to it. It allows for avoiding unnecessary stress to the team and adopting a growth mindset attitude. 

​During the second part of the course, we focused on assertiveness and communication and looked at four types of behaviors in a team. It led us to the notion of conflict management and how to effectively lead a team thanks to the basis of communication and the establishment of boundaries and empathy. The participants had to make an introspection to understand their values and how they affect them. 
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Lastly, we confronted the themes of identity, prejudices, stereotypes, and discrimination. The aim was to confront the differences that can appear in a group, learn how to be aware of them and to break away from them by having critical thinking. 

The participants learned new strategies and tools they can apply in their teamwork, such as effective communication techniques, conflict resolution skills, and methods for fostering collaboration. Additionally, they explored leadership styles, emotions, and how to be assertive. The exchange of best practices, cultural activities and interactions among participants created a lively and enjoyable atmosphere.

Connecting with nature has had a significant positive influence on human cognitive, behavioral, and emotional development since ancient times. Even today, it's common to feel inspired, intimidated, or impacted by spending time outdoors or appreciating natural and urban landscapes. Outdoor education is an innovative teaching method that provides an opportunity to tackle two crucial issues in today's society:
delivering enduring, high-quality education and raising awareness about the importance of preserving our planet in the face of the daunting threat of climate change.
The new edition of the course “Outdoor education: a new way of teaching and learning” took place in Bologna from 07/04/2024 - 13/04/2024. The participants came from all across Europe, with Mihaela Szilagyi-Tomoiu, Luminița Ana Enescu and Luminița Cebotari from  Școala Gimnazială  Nr. 3 Cugir in Romania, Belén Cazorla Guirado and Lidia Baldán García from CEIP Madre de la Luz in Spain, Bettina Schroeter and Stephanie Schmidt from Stadtschule Travemünde in Germany, Eva Frgalová from Gymnázium Zlín Lesníčtvrť in Czech Republic, Pertti Hietanen from Mikaelin Koulu in Finland, Max Fabian from Feudenheim Realschule in Germany, Ludivine Bonneau from Madame in France, Mario Thüne from Landesamt für Schule und Bildung in Germany. Starting from the definition of Outdoor Education, we explored the diverse ways in which we can guide our students to come in contact with the outdoor, which doesn’t imply to be always in nature and forests. Indeed, we dedicated one part of the training to Urban Outdoor Education in the city. The participants learned to teach subjects like science, maths, music, art, language and more by testing activities which guided their attention to the surroundings.

Formative assessment is ranked among the most effective instructional strategies, with its ability to take place in all steps of students' learning process, from activating prior knowledge to monitoring progress, to feed-forward on the learning journey. With a mix of theoretical and practical activities, our participants can reflect on how to improve their awareness of students' understanding through effective and easy assessment and feedback strategies.
 
The new edition of the course “Effective formative assessment and feedback management in education​” took place in Palermo from 14/04/2024 to 20/04/2024. The participants came from all across Europe with Ángel and Antonio from Escuela Oficial de Idiomas de Cádiz in Spain, Róbert from Bethlen Gábor Általános Iskola és Gimnázium in Hungary, Klara and Guðrún from Nesskóli in Iceland. 

During the first part of the course, the participants were asked to explain their prior knowledge about the topic of formative assessment. First of all, the basis of what is the assessment cycle and the difference between formative and summative assessment was explained. To identify the characteristics of each of the assessments, the participants had to brainstorm their ideas together and answer digital quizzes to identify the differences between formative and summative assessments. This activity allowed them to share their point of view and discuss it while sharing their doubts about the course topic. 

​Another important topic in the course was the notion of feedback. It is one of the most challenging and central strategies of the formative assessment. To help the participants identify how to apply the feedback with their students, some group discussions and role plays were made to put into practice what they learned. The aim of it is to build constructive and effective feedback but also a mindset and an attitude towards the one who is receiving it. This led the course towards the importance of growth culture in the classroom, which is the key to not perceiving the feedback as a punishment but as an opportunity to improve and create collaboration among the students. 

​To apply the theory that has been explained until now, the participants were asked to discuss the main tools and types of formative assessment they could add to their teaching process. The most relevant digital tools were explained to allow the teachers to have an overview of how they can monitor real-time students’ progress and understanding of a lesson. These tools are also a way to run entry and exit tickets aiming the students to reflect on what they are learning more efficiently. 
 
If the feedback teacher-student is important, the students as self-resources for each other is central to contributing to the growth culture of the classroom. The participants explored this topic through practical strategies to promote peer learning and feedback. Thanks to their different teaching experiences, the participants could provide rubrics as a display of the assessment criteria the students should use to take ownership of their learning process. The importance of making the peer assessment process a safe process was also highlighted to preserve goodwill. 

​The topic of peer assessment and peer learning was the conclusion of this course. It is a very useful tool for students to cooperate and be committed to the learning process. This is also a way for teachers to evaluate the efficiency of their teaching practices and improve them. Self-awareness and self-motivation are the two keywords for both students and teachers, not only to engage the students in the learning process but also for teachers to be aware of how the students receive it.
 
During this training week, the participants reflected on their teaching practices, their intentions, and goals while doing so. The exchange of best practices and cultural activities with teachers from all over Europe created an enjoyable atmosphere in the nice city of Palermo. 

Discover more about this course at https://www.erasmustrainingcourses.com/formative-assessment.html
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This course focused on implementing positive strategies within the classroom. Participants were encouraged to consider their ideal classroom setting and were equipped with the tools for expert classroom management to upgrade their capabilities. The aim was to stimulate the creation of supportive classroom resources and cultivate a positive atmosphere for students.

The program “Effective Classroom Management Strategies for Teachers and Education Staff” held in Puerto de la Cruz in the island of Tenerife from 18/03/2024 to 23/03/2024, offered a new perspective on key topics and additional themes. This course was attended by Irene from Salgótarjáni Bolyai János Gimnázium in Hungary, Brian, Kåre, Bjarne, Kenneth , Kristin and Maria from NEXT kbh. in Denmark, Gabriella from BSZC Széchenyi István Bilingual technical School of Economics in Hungary, Małgorzata from Publiczna Szkola Podstawowa w Elgnowie in Poland.

A big initial part of the course was Social Emotional Learning (SEL), which helps people get better at understanding and handling their feelings, and also get what others are feeling. This skill makes classrooms a nicer place to be. After that, they talked about how Group Dynamics is a key element for keeping things relaxed and getting students involved and building their social skills. This is really important for stop kids from dropping out. We did all sorts of activities to get better at picking up on how different people act in a group, and to practice ways of including everyone.

Communication was big focus area of focus; they talked a lot about how it helps building a growth mindset and resilience. Using ICT tools turned out to be a big help for managing classrooms, especially in a flipped classroom setup.

​Lastly, They also covered Conflict Management; everyone got to think about their own ideas and assumptions, and learned how conflicts can actually be good learning moments if they’re handled in the correct way.

In our class management course, we prioritize feedback as the final crucial element for effective teaching. By exploring strategies like formative assessments and peer evaluations, we ensure educators can foster student engagement and enhance learning outcomes. Emphasizing the constructive nature of feedback, we empower instructors to adapt teaching methods, creating supportive environments that optimize student success.