Teacher development via Pestalozzi programmes - “Teacher dilemmas: how to set goals for and evaluate the development of transversal attitudes, skills and knowledge.”

Introduction

The Pestalozzi Programme of the Council of Europe is based on co-operation in the field of teacher education and training.  It offers Education Professionals opportunities to learn together, exchange experiences, reflect collaboratively on practice and develop workable answers to challenges based on Council of Europe values in the multicultural societies we live in.  Precisely, it aims at an increased awareness of the key role of education in promoting respect of human rights and democracy.

The training course “Teacher dilemmas:  how to set goals for and evaluate the development of transversal attitudes, skills and knowledge” which took place in Tartu, Estonia on 13 - 15/11/2014 had a two-fold aim: to support the ongoing work in the Coe Pestalozzi Programme in developing a tool kit for the evaluation of transversal attitudes, skills and knowledge and support teachers’ ability to reflect and analyse their teaching and learning process.  There were twenty participants from Estonia, Greece, France, Portugal, Serbia, Slovenia, Russia, Poland, Rumania, Italy and Cyprus. Notably, this has been my first participation in a Pestalozzi programme.  

Activities

The training comprised presentations of theoretical framework and practices and group work sessions, the latter of which took the greater part of the training course.  Specifically, presentations preceded group work sessions, the former of which gave the theoretical background for the group activities to follow - The Pestalozzi/EWC framework for evaluation of TASK, Assessment instruments for transversal competences in citizenship, E-environment (study material and collection of tools and good examples) on formative assessment (http://www.curriculum.ut.ee/en/programme). 

The small groups consisted of different participants in most activities, thus, providing opportunities for collaborating with more participants and learning about their culture. Interestingly, at the end of each group work activity, each group presented their work to all others; as a result, all work was shared. 

An important aspect of the training was for participants to work with the tool named “How interculturally competent are you?”  It was created by 30 educators/teachers and is available at the following link: http://www.theewc.org/uploads/files/ICTool%20v%203%200_EN%20(2).pdf. Specifically, this tool is a survey which comprises three parts: Attitudes, skills and knowledge.  This tool aims at helping teachers to look deeper in themselves, their intercultural competence, recognize their strengths but also those aspects that need further development. I highly advise all teachers and other educators to answer it! 

Moreover, a group work activity of immense importance was the selection of one value and one competence as the most important and justifying our choice.  Parallel, there was work on the subject of citizenship; the characteristics of a good citizen, citizenship via the curriculum, transversal competences and assessment (Who assesses, How he/she assesses, How he/she uses the results of the assessment, How the assessment results are interpreted).  In relation to this, one of the group activities was the assessment of participation in voluntary action. Such assessment emphasizes the need for assessing students’ performance in multiple aspects of their work and move beyond conventional tests.

From that point, there was a shift to Formative assessment and to student centred assessment practised by the participants. Interestingly, the activity was initiated by the trainer handing paper cards with samples of assessment  whereby the groups had to put them in categories –Summative or Formative assessment; some of them could go in both categories.    

The group dramatization of teacher dilemmas was a huge success as our reflection on our learning combined with creativity.  All groups dramatized one dilemma and that comprised an activity which was impactful, interesting and great fun. This conviction indicates that dramatization is a great technique to use in the EFL class.

Learning outcomes

The training has enhanced the importance of competences in learning and parallel, the need for their assessment. The whole workshop has been an ongoing collaboration and interaction between participants and has proven to be a lifelong learning experience.  

 Meanwhile, it has driven its participants into reflection on their teaching approach and practices so as to question themselves whether they are interculturally competent, and in case they are not, what it requires to become one. 

In the case of Cyprus’ curriculum, it has shed light to the values and competences which comprise one of the three pillars of the curriculum; it has given direction to unfolding transversal goals of the curriculum so as to analyzing them and developing  assessment tools for them. Reflecting on my work, I can say that I develop as a teacher through participation in training that leads to the application of knowledge and new skills into my teaching practice and through my interactions with other educators/teachers. I point out that the fact that the material and final reports of the Pestalozzi programme are posted on the website, gives all of us accessibility to what I consider valuable material that can contribute to our Professional Development.  

The presentations of teachers and trainers are posted on the website http://www.curriculum.ut.ee/en/pestalozzi-workshop and the participants’ group work presentations on the blog http://pest-prog.ning.com. Interestingly, resources and materials from other Pestalozzi courses are available at the following website:http://www.coe.int/en/web/pestalozzi/home