Ranking the World’s Educational Systems

from: http://www.edudemic.com/learning-curve-report-education/

My course

This is the description of the course I am going to attend:

Structured Study Visit to Schools/Institutes & Training Seminar in Iceland

This course is included in the Erasmus+ programme. English Matters'  Personal Identification Code (PIC number): 947992544.

Country of Destination: Iceland.

Training venue: Reykjavik.

Duration (days): ): 7 training days (from Sunday to Saturday).

Language of communication: English.

Dates:

• 24-30 April, 2016

Description: This programme efficiently combines pedagogic visits to schools/institutes and structured training activities. That is why this programme is implemented during the academic term, when schools and institutes can show the vibrancy of their daily life and operation. Although this activity should be included as a structured course in your application to Erasmus+, you should be aware of a rich job shadowing/observation element present in this programme: English Matters will select a number of educational institutions related to the participants’ profile and educational level so that they should benefit better from a wider selection of good teaching practices. This model has shown to be highly satisfactory for both the visiting teachers and the institutions visited. Everyone participating in this experience will receive maximum benefit from it.

Participants will enjoy opportunities to meet and interact with teachers, head teachers or principals, experts, advisors, etc.; to discover educational institutions in a variety of sectors (primary, secondary, vocational, adult lifelong learning, etc.); to experience a powerful and unique school culture; to observe innovative approaches to learning; to network and possibly form reliable partnerships leading to possible Key Action 2 projects, etc. This will support the European Dimension in Education within a sense of community. The training seminars will help participants to better enhance their learning in a friendly forum for discussion and exchange about education systems, the culture of the host country, and educational topics of general interest, through workshops and lectures. Also, the cultural study visits will enhance participants' experience by providing access to exploring significant landmarks of archaeological, geographical and historical interest. 

Our Structured Study Visit to Iceland will provide a most interesting insight for teachers in Europe. The Icelandic Education System and its schools present most interesting features: more than 90% of students and teachers manifest to feel very happy at school. Probably this is owed to the fact that schools really focus on student happiness, student-centered learning, and on developing student-teacher relationships. Teachers care about their students' wellbeing and there is a lot of respect between students and teachers. The whole society and their teachers know how to make teenagers part of the community and are very interested in helping their students succeed. Probably it is not by chance that Iceland has 100% literacy rate. Our Structured Study Visit to Iceland will also provide insights into a singular literature (e.g. from Sagas to Halldór Laxness) and invaluable hands-on experience of a unique natural environment (e.g. the Mid-Atlantic ridge which can easily be viewed at Thingvellir where the scientific theory of the tectonic plates was evidenced). The geysers at Geyser, the impressive waterfall at Gullfoss and other fascinating landforms might be useful for participants to bring to their students authentic resources to develop geography, geology, literary, social and historical topics about a land of fire and ice with a most intense volcanic activity and the largest renewable internal freshwater resources per capita in the world. Probably their crystal-pure air and hot water delivered to all Icelandic households straight from the earth's volcanic bowels make a most beneficial contribution to the Icelandic wellbeing in a society where life expectancy for men is the highest in the world, and not far behind for women.

Thank you, Europe

I am of those who start crying whenever they see the European flag, let alone when they hear Beethoven's Hymn to Joy.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jo_-KoBiBG0

I was born in the Europe that was still recovering from the destructions of WW2, in the Europe of boundaries and currencies.
Despite all this, I think I was not the only one who felt part of a bigger picture. We felt European, and very proudly so.
I am still surprised when I contemplate so many differences in such a small portion of the planet: climates, languages, musical traditions. Differences that are our strength.
In my days, we had an incredibly powerful instrument that could make us feel part of the whole. I belong to the generation that discovered the unlimited delight of crossing boundaries, showing our passports every other day, changing currencies day in day out, on the routes of the Interrail.
Who knows if today the people who travel around with the Interrail feel the same exhilaration we felt those day when we travelled along the invisible limits of the forbidden places behind the Iron Curtain, trying to take a sneak peak of whatever looked to any extent different from us.
I still feel the same desire to discover what is behind the corner, just a few steps from where I stand.
Embarking on the Erasmus project is like starting that trip again.
Once more feeling part of a greater picture.
Thank you, Europe, for offering us this possibility.

Preparando Erasmus

Questo blog è rivolto ai colleghi, ed in particolar modo ai colleghi che sono come me coinvolti nel progetto di mobilità internazionale Erasmus+ KA1.

Immagino che il blog possa essere utile a quanti vogliano utilizzarlo come primo passo nella disseminazione della propria esperienza.

Lo immagino inoltre come metodo semplice per dare e scambiare comunicazioni.

E' la mia prima esperienza in questo campo, quindi scusate tutte le imperfezioni del caso.

Nel prossimo post metterò le istruzioni per aprire anche voi un blog simile, nel quale potrete postare tutte le informazioni relative al prima-durante-dopo della vostra esperienza all'estero.

Incrocio le dita e provo a pubblicare.

Buona avventura a tutti!