Prof. Andrzej Blikle and representatives of Youth Climate Strike were the guests of the Learning School Education Leaders Academy conference held in Warsaw on November 7-8, 2019.
The Learning School Education Leaders Academy (LES-ELA), that is a post-graduate course for school principals based on experience of PAFF’s Learning School program and Post-Graduate Course for Education Leaders experience, financed from the funds of European Social Fund Operational Program Knowledge Education Development and managed by the Center for Citizenship Education Foundation, has completed its tasks. As a summing-up for that 2-year-long program, a series of conferences allowing to share good practices by the program participants was held.
The last in that series was a conference held in Warsaw on November 7 and 8, 2019. Its participants, 200 advocates of Learning School idea, met to sum up their participation in LES-ELA and discuss current challenges faced by teaching councils and school principals.
The conference opened with the lecture on the concept of “turquoise organization” of companies given by Prof. Andrzej Blikle. That concept became an inspiration for management of educational institutions to introduce changes in managing their establishments. Over two days of the conference there were plenty of workshops on effective teaching, students’ active work at classes, teaching councils’ activities, etc. Additionally the participants could share their knowledge and experiences and give each other practical tips.
An important item on the conference agenda was the meeting with representatives of Youth Climate Strike moderated by founder of the Center for Citizenship Education Foundation Dr. Jacek Strzemieczny. The discussion was participated by students who spoke about young people involved in social activities, and how important discussing climate change at schools is.
The main subjects at the second day of conference were school as a community, and its involvement in local community life. Principals of schools in Inowrocław and Warsaw presented solutions implemented in their establishments. Also, the “Tandem. Mentoring 55+” project implemented by the PAFF Third Age Universities and based on partner relationships of representatives of two generations – adults 55+ and children at the age of 8-13 was presented. The success and experience of that initiative were shown at the example of Elżbieta Sołtys Preschool and Educational Institutions Complex in Ostrowiec Świętokrzyski.
The Learning School Education Leaders Academy is a three-semester post-graduate course for school principals from Mazovieckie and Świętokrzyskie provinces, aimed at improvement of learning and teaching quality on the basis of development of students’ key competences. The course was run in the years 2018-19 and attended by 800 education leaders. The project was managed by the Center for Citizenship Education Foundation in cooperation with Collegium Civitas and The Maria Grzegorzewska University from the funds of European Social Fund Operational Program Knowledge Education Development. The Polish-American Freedom Foundation was the partner in that program.
