25 Good educational practices in Europe

¿What can we learn from other educational systems?

25 Good practices in Spain, Finland, Estonia, Croatia and Germany

Antonio Vicente Buendía (antoniovicentebuendia@gmail.com). Headmaster of IES Sabina Mora (Roldán, Murcia)

Fernando Vera Gallego (fernando.vera.tecno@gmail.com). Etwinning Ambassador and FCL Ambassador. Technology Teacher in IES Sabina Mora (Roldán, Murcia)

FACTS AND FIGURES ABOUT FINLAND

THE SECRET OF THE EDUCATION IN FINLAND

THE FINNISH EDUCATIONAL SYSTEM

• Since 1995 in the European Union.
• It borders Sweden, Norway, Russia, Baltic Sea, Gulf of Finland and Gulf of Botnia.
• Capital city: Helsinki.
• Population: 5.471.753 inhabitants.
• Area: 337.030 km2.
• Population density: 16 hab/km2.
• Languages: Finnish, Swedish (5%) and sami.
• Currency: Euro (€).
• Per capita GDP: 46.601 $
• % GDP for education: 6.5%

• Universal, public, free and non-selective system.
• The schools are not compared in rankings.
• High autonomy of the teachers (no inspection).
• It has dropped in the OECD PISA report 2012 (12th).
• New curriculum approved in 2012.
• Suppresion of subjects.
• Project-based learning.
• Problems to face migration/unemployment.
• Stability of the educational system.
• Almost 50% pupils can have support lessons (not only pupils with problems).
• Low stress levels in the classroom, compared with other countries (as South Corea or Singapur).
• Most of the pupils are amongst of the average (and the average is very high!)

WE LISTEN TO THE OPINION OF A FINNISH TEACHER

Tuomo Koistinen - Physic Education teacher in Vaala

SELECTION PROCESS OF THE TEACHERS STAFF

"PENSIONER" STUDENTS

FREE EDUCATION

• Qualification of Upper Secondary > 9.
• Each university does an interview (where they assess the communication skills, vocation and other abilities).
• Only 12% of the applicants access to Teaching studies. For secondary stage, the % is higher.
• The teachers are directly recruited by the school.
• The best teachers are in Primary school. The headmaster chooses the course/group for each teacher.

• The state gives a "pension" to the students to go to study to another city.
• When the student graduates, he returns bit by bit these funds.
• 300-400 € per month. For hosting and living expenses.
• Duration: 5 years.

• Compulsory and free education between 7 and 16 years old.
• In preschool and primary school the books and school materials are free.
• They pupils have a hot meal per day (free).
• Free transport for students that live > 5 km. from the school. Many of them live very far away!
• Public education (the private is 1%).
• Adult education is the only educational stage that may not be free.

• Teachers are highly esteemed (at the level of doctors and pilots).
• Authority in the school and society.
• Gross month salary 4.000 €.

CIRCLE OF TRUST

FLEXIBLE SPACES

ERGONOMY

• Moveable walls-boards.
• Folding screens.

• They invest in furniture that take care of the the good postures and ergonomy in the classroom.

At the beginning of the lesson, the teacher sticks the names of the pupils inside a circle with 3 levels:

- Centre. Less autonomous pupils. They must be kept close to the teacher.

- Intermediate. The most of the group. They can sit down at the back part of the classroom.

- Peripheral. More autonomous pupils. They can do their task wherever/however they prefer (even outside of the classroom)

• Collaborative lessons. Several teachers work at the same time in the classroom.

OPTIONAL SUBJECTS

EMPHASIZING THE REST PERIODS

FAMILY ENGAGEMENT

• Cooking lessons
• Fishing lessons
• Hunting lessons.

• Children go to school since they are 7 years old.
• 15 minutes-break between lessons.
• No homework.

• Good connection among family, school and public ressources.
• Families go to the library at weekend.
• Finantial support for work-life balance.

ESTONIAN EDUCATIONAL SYSTEM

FACTS AND FIGURES ABOUT ESTONIA

• Since 2004 is a member of the European Union and NATO.
• It became independent from the Soviet Union in 1991.
• Estonia borders with Latvia, Russia, Baltic Sea and Gulf of Finland.

• Reform of the educational system and curriculum in 1996.
• Free compulsory education.
• Levels:
• Preschool: from 0 to 7 years.
• Elementary: from 7 to 16 years.
• Secondary and vocational: from 16 to 19 years.
• grade: > 19 years.

• Capital city: Tallinn .
• Population: 1.287.000 inhabitants.
• Area: 45.226 km².
• Currency: Euro.
• Per capita GDP: 17.908 $
• % GDP for education: 5.1 %

E-STONIA

ESTONIAN SCHOOL - KAAPA KOOL

• E-stonia. Some are referring to Estonia as the little European "Sylicon Valley".
• Skype appeared in Estonia.
• Greater 4G-network coverage in Europe.
• It takes 5 minutes to found your own online business.
• Any administrative procedure can be done online.
• Since 2005 they vote online for the elections.
• The ID card is renewed online.
• The income tax declaration is submitted online.
• Since 2000 the access to the Internet is a Fundamental Right.

"In the 1980s all the kids wanted to become a rock star, nowadays everybody wants to be an entrepreneur"

Aiki Jogeva, teacher

PROGRAMME PROGE-TIIGER

WE LISTEN TO THE OPINION OF OUR PUPILS

• Since 1996.
• Since 2012 they teach the kids to code-programme since Elementary grade.
• From 5 to 16 years.

• The intention is for children to change their status from "consumers" to software "developers".
• Advantage: logical thinking development, creativity.
• Examples:
• Preschool: Games (LEGO WeDo, Kodu Game Lab, tablets, animations software).
• Elementary: Kodu Game Lab, Logo MSW, Scratch, LEGO Mindstorms EV3, software to develop APP.
• Secondary: programming languages (JavaScript), robotics.

Amanda, María Dolores and Diego - 1st and 2nd Bachillerato

GERMAN SCHOOL

FACTS AND FIGURES ABOUT GERMANY

• The Lander have competences in education.
• Compulsory schooling from 6 years old (class 1) to 16 years old (class 10).

• Public and free education.

• Thematic classrooms

• Since 1958 is part of the European Union.
• It shares borders with Netherlands, Belgium, Luxembourg, France, Switzerland, Austria, Czech Republic, Poland, Denmark, North Sea and Baltic Sea.
• Capital city: Berlin.
• Population: 82.200.000 inhabitants.
• Area: 357.168 km2.
• Population density: 223 hab/km2.
• Currency: Euro (€).
• Per capita GDP: 47.200 $
• % GDP for education: 4.8 %

LEVELS

• Preschool: Kindergarten.
• Primary: Grundschule.
• Secondary: Hauptschule, Realschule, Gymnasium, Gesamtschule.
• Abitur ("University entrance exam").

REAL CASE OF A HIGH SCHOOL IN GERMANY

SCHOOL - LABOUR MARKET LINK

ETWINNING

Some examples of projects:

Friedrich Von Spee Gesamtschule

Who is my family?

Mirror, mirror

• Private web platform only for teachers.
• Collaborative projects.
• Communication/videoconference tools integrated in the web.
• Forum search to find partners for projects.

www.spbee.de - 1.300 pupils - 120 teachers

70% migration - thematic classrooms - lockers - 3 ICT rooms (15 PCs) - 2 technology workshop - 2 physics labs - 1 sports hall with climbing wall - multipurpose room

• 67% of the students do vocational school, 33% do University studies.
• 350 certified professions (services, trade, traditional jobs, "hightech").
• In Secondary, they have a plan of approach to the labour market:
• Class 7. Day in a job.
• Class 8. Visit to 3 companies.
• Class 9. Praktikum.

Etwi-chef

The very North meets the very South

FCL

Future Classroom Labs

Typical classroom

European Schoolnet (Brussels)

PRAKTIKUM / INTERNSHIP

DAY IN A JOB

• FCL is launched in 2012.
• "Rethinking teaching and learning"
• Boosted by European Schoolnet (EUN) from Brussels.
• Reorganise the traditional classroom.
• 6 zones + 1 interactive classroom.
• Classroom learning zones: interact - exchange - investigate - create - present - develop
• "Learning labs"
• Technology companies are involved.
• FCL Toolskit.

• The students spend 2 weeks in a company related to his/her expectations.
• They sign a contract.
• The SMEs collaborate with bigger companies.

• The pupils of class 7 (13 years old) spend a day in the job of a parent.
• Later they must do a presentation and show it in the school.

Future classroom (Setúbal)

fcl.educalab.es

fcl.eun.org

family doctor

sworn translators

politicians

teachers

psychologists

Primary teachers

biotechnologist

physiotherapists

pediatricians

DUAL TRAINING (I)

DUAL TRAINING (III)

DUAL TRAINING (IV)

- All the companies must offer it.

- Collaboration agreement among SMEs and big companies.

Benteler Steel and Automotive Company

- Training Center: 100 students. 2000 m2.

- Organization: workbenchs - 5 pupils and 1 supervisor - daily report.

- If you are late 3 times, the contract is over.

- Since la World War II.

- Also in Austria and Switzerland.

- Age > 16 years.

- 3 days in company + 2 days in school, or 2 months in company + 1 month school.

- Contract: 750 €/month + extra pays. 8 hours/day.

- Costs: 70% company + 30% school.

- Duration: from 2 to 3,5 years.

- 2 exams in the Chamber of Commerce. Bonus of 400 € if they pass the final exam.

WE LISTEN TO OUR PUPILS

PARENTS SCHOOL

PRIVATE DONATIONS

Bildungsbüro in Paderborn

Benteler Steel and Automotive Company

• "Supporting clubs". The parents' associations can give extra funds to the school.
• Maximum 60.000 €.
• Some companies donate hardware.

- Pilot programme in 2 schools of the del council.

- Pupils of class > 7 with a high risk of dropping out.

- Volunteer.

- Group therapy.

- 1 weekly meeting.

- Both pupils and parents attend it. There is a social worker.

- 10 pupils per group.

- In the meeting the parents speak about how the week was, and the social worker helps them to solve the problems.

- Duration. 3 months / 12 meetings.

Pablo López, student 16 years old

INTEGRATION PROCESS OF REFUGEES AND MIGRANTS

• When a refugee comes, he/she is registered.
• They are assigned a city.
• The Social Services are in charge of them.
• They are assigned a reference school.
• The pupils >10 years start to go to a school ("Bonifatius"), where they learn German language and German culture.
• They are in "Bonifatius" < 2 years, up to 16 lessons/week of German language.
• After these 2 years, they go to their reference school.

CROATIAN EDUCATIONAL SYSTEM

FACTS AND FIGURES ABOUT CROATIA

• Free Primary and Secondary educations.
• Primary education till 14 years old.
• Afterwards the pupils choose among Gymnasiums (high school), Vocationals Schools and Art Schools.
• It's possible to do Adult Education since 15 years old.

• Independent from former Yugoslavia since 1991.
• Since 2004 it's part of the European Union.
• It borders with Hungary, Serbia, Bosnia-Herzegovina and Montenegro
• Capital city: Zagreb.
• Population: 4.224.404 inhabitants.
• Area: 56.594 km2.
• Population density: 75 hab/km2.
• Currency: Euro (€).
• Per capita GDP: 10.400 euros.
• % GDP for education: 4,2%

WE LISTEN TO THE CROATIAN TEACHERS

LOWEST EARLY SCHOOL DROPOUT RATE IN THE EUROPEAN UNION

Early school dropout = % of pupils between 18 and 24 years old that do not go on studying after finishing compulsory secondary education.

Graph from Eurostat

Teachers from ELEMENTARY SCHOOL ZAPRUDE de Zagreb (Croatia)

HOW DO THEY GET THE LOWEST EARLY SCHOOL LEAVING RATES IN EUROPE?

ORGANIZATION OF EXTRACURRICULAR ACXTIVITIES WITH CLUBS, INVOLVING TEACHERS

• They do a long-term study of the personal situation of each pupil.

• Multidisciplinary approach: Educational Institutions, State Network of Employment Offices and Health System.

• Close tracking of the young people with risk of early school leaving.

CLUBS:

Debate

Hiking

Sciences

Sports

First aid

Recycling

History

Click on the next link and upload any good practice you have known from other educational systems abroad:

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WE LISTEN TO OUR PUPILS

BILINGUAL SECTION IN CROATIA

fernando.vera.tecno@gmail.com

antoniovicentebuendia@gmail.com

The bilingual section is organised as follows:

• Afternoon schedule.
• Out-of-school time
• It's lead by the teachers of the school.
• The families pay a part (symbolic) of the budget.

Alba, Helena (3º ESO), Antonio and Jamal (1º Bachillerato)

SPANISH LANGUAGE SCHOOL FOR FOREIGN FAMILIES

WORKING GROUP - HIGH SCHOOL AND ATTACHED ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS

• Developed with private funds.

• 40 teachers from the Secondary and Elementary schools.
• Goals:
• Make an easier transition from Elementary to Secondary schools.
• Share information.

• CEIP Hernández Ardieta and IES Sabina Mora (Roldán)

• Prior collection of information.
• 4 subgroups.
• 2 afternoons.
• Some good ideas:
• Changes in the methodology and contents.
• Visits of pupils and teachers.

COMPENSATORY EDUCATION

WELCOMING CLASSROOMS

• For pupils having a curricular gap > 2 years
• Disadvantaged social environment.

Small groups of children (maximum 8), newcomers from countries where they don't speak Spanish. They do an intensive work to acquire the basic skills to communicate in our language.

• The programme allows the pupils to be integrated into the group in the shortest time as possible.
• Maximum rate: 8 pupils/classroom.

PROJECT-BASED LEARNING

ACTIVITIES RELATED WITH EMOTIONAL INTELLIGENCE

We organise training about this issue in our school, it's open to any teacher, parent or pupil

"El Profundo Isaac" (Deep Isaac)