“Director – teaching staff meeting – learning and teaching as three areas of development” conference was held in Warsaw on November 16 and 17, 2016. Over one hundred directors of schools taking part in the “Learning Schools” Program (LES) from all over Poland shared their knowledge on actions supporting school development.
The conference was attended by directors taking part in the “LES” Program for the first time as well as those who have cooperated with the Program for many years and could share with the conference participants their experience in introducing formative assessment to their schools.
The participants were welcomed by “LES” Program Director Marta Dobrzyńska and PAFF Program Director Dr. Katarzyna Maniszewska.
Next, Dr. Jacek Strzemieczny, the President of the Center for Citizenship Education, presented objectives of the “Learning Schools” Program. “The director’s development and his contribution to the teachers’ work translate into the students’ results. Shaping the key skills of all students is a challenge faced by every teacher, every school and the entire educational system,” noted Dr. Strzemieczny.
During two days of the Conference the directors participated in plenary sessions and meetings in small groups. The meetings made an opportunity to discuss all questions that could arrive during the presentations and lectures as well as served as a forum for sharing experience and ideas on new strategies of improving the quality of teaching. They also allowed to discuss the methods of conveying a director’s concepts to the teachers they work with.
Those school directors who have experiences gained during their participation in the “LES” Program shared their stories during the panel discussion. They presented their views on teaching and development at the early stage of cooperation with the “LES” Program. They also spoke about the changes in their attitude that took place with time, as they were gaining knowledge. There were also examples which proved the thesis that most of schools face the same problems in their everyday work. The directors also advised how to use in practice the support offered by “LES”. On the other hand, Directors starting their cooperation with the program could learn in detail what the “LES” Workshops, the Teachers’ Internet Academy, the Comprehensive Development of School or Post-Graduate Leaders of Education Studies (SPLO), offered to them by the Program, were.
At the end of the Conference Prof. Jan Potworowski, co-author of mission and vision of SPLO and a lecturer took the floor. He invited the conference participants to ponder on what they found the most inspiring and what he should work on next year.
The “Learning Schools” Program is implemented since 2000 by the Center for Citizenship Education and PAFF. It is addressed to directors and teachers of schools of all types and levels and enhances changes aimed at improvement of effectiveness of teaching and learning. One of its key objectives is promotion and introduction to schools of formative assessment method and supporting the team cooperation of the teachers. The “LES” Club is an offer addressed to schools which participated in the Program activities and want to continue using its resources to work on further development, especially in the area of teaching and learning improvement based on the Teacher’s Work Practices.
