St Monica School, Gżira, last year had the opportunity to participate in EU-funded staff mobility training on wide-ranging topics in various countries. These varied Erasmusplus mobility opportunities enabled our educators to opt for training according to their individual needs and interests, while also aligning themselves with the school’s objectives, namely enabling and encouraging the personal and professional growth of staff members through greater self-awareness and enhanced knowledge, and social and pedagogical skills.
Diandra Barberi (seventh from left) at the course ‘Promoting Creativity, Critical Thinking and Problem-Solving in the Classroom’ in Palermo, Sicily.
Louise Cucciardi and Emilia Buhagiar (first and seventh from left) at the course ‘Environmental Education’ in Heraklion, Crete.
Mariella Zahra (standing, first from left) at the course ‘Special Needs and Inclusive Education: The Italian Experience of Overcoming Segregation’ in Bologna, Italy.
Two educators visited Heraklion on the island of Crete, for training focused on environmental education and sustainability; another two staff members went to Palermo and Bologna, Italy, for training on creativity, critical thinking and problem-solving, as well as inclusion and diversity respectively; and another went to Tenerife on the Canary Islands, for coaching, team building and effective group management.
Another group attended training revolving around life coaching and self-awareness, in Nice, France; while a final group of educators visited Iceland, where they engaged in learning about pedagogy and play in the kindergarten years.
Rayana Fiteni, Andrea Cremona and Tracy Debrueres (third, fourth and fifth from left) at the course ‘Kindergarten Teachers Play to Learn More’ in Iceland.
Connie Said (standing, first from left), Monica Chircop and Jasmine Chircop (seated, first and third from left) at the course ‘Life Coaching for Happy Teachers: Happy Teachers for Better Students’ in Nice, France.
Besides the training and learning of new skills, the participants were exposed to new perspectives and made valuable international connections with fellow participants, promoting the development of a broader learning culture.
The participants also shared the awareness, knowledge and skills acquired during training sessions among all other members of staff, with the aim of promoting new approaches and methodologies in pedagogical practice throughout the school.
St Monica School, Gżira, thanks the European Union Programmes Agency and Erasmusplus for funding and enabling our staff to experience these invaluable opportunities for personal enrichment and professional learning.
Stephanie Borg is assistant head, St Monica School, Gżira.