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Using the low performance of Greek students in the PISA international programme as a starting point and facing the fact that students in Greek schools are supplied with skills which do not correspond with the needs of our age and that there is a gap between secondary education and the job market, Assiros Upper High School decided to carry out a holistic project for the development of the organisation that will pervade the whole of the school community (administration, personnel, students, parents, local community) and that aspires to function as a case study for other schools in the future.
administration, personnel, students, parents, local community |
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Finding ourselves on the verge of yet another educational reform for a “New Upper High School”, we deemed it necessary to redetermine the kind of school that we want and the reason why we want it that way. The aim of the project is to re-evaluate the school (and, inferentially, the Greek educational system at the level of High School) as well as to improve it with respect to three specific domains: new spirit in management with a vision and long-term planning, the connection of the school with entrepreneurship and experiential learning.
management, enterpreneurship, experiential learning |
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The “A school in progress” project is divided into two sections, one for each year of implementation.The first year (2018-19) will be dedicated to the comparative study of European educational systems. More particularly, the educational systems that will be examined via courses and job shadowing are those of:
a) a country in Northern Europe (Finland)
b) a country that has successfully managed to confront its financial crisis (Ireland)
c) a Southern country continuously improving in the Pisa programme (Portugal)
The activities selected for study are as follows:
1. "Structured Educational Visit to Schools/Institutes & Training Seminar in Ireland",
by “English matters”.
2. "Job Shadowing", by the ACJI Informatics and Training organisation.
3. “Coaching strategies for schools. Turn change into lasting educational benefits",
by Euneos.
a) a country in Northern Europe (Finland)
b) a country that has successfully managed to confront its financial crisis (Ireland)
c) a Southern country continuously improving in the Pisa programme (Portugal)
The activities selected for study are as follows:
1. "Structured Educational Visit to Schools/Institutes & Training Seminar in Ireland",
by “English matters”.
2. "Job Shadowing", by the ACJI Informatics and Training organisation.
3. “Coaching strategies for schools. Turn change into lasting educational benefits",
by Euneos.
During the school year, eTwinning projects will be used, so that students may be involved as well and, additionally, so that communication with the educational systems of these specific countries precede the actual visits.
Open Day I will be held at school in June 2019, a seminar devoted to European educational systems with guest speakers bearing various positions in education, students and teachers. An open discussion among all parties will follow, focusing on the identification of the perennial pathologies of the Greek educational system and the highlighting of good practice
Elements that are presently missing in our own educational system but have been widely used in those of other European countries are the connection with entrepreneurship, experiential learning and management with a vision and long-term planning.
Open Day I will be held at school in June 2019, a seminar devoted to European educational systems with guest speakers bearing various positions in education, students and teachers. An open discussion among all parties will follow, focusing on the identification of the perennial pathologies of the Greek educational system and the highlighting of good practice
Elements that are presently missing in our own educational system but have been widely used in those of other European countries are the connection with entrepreneurship, experiential learning and management with a vision and long-term planning.
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On the basis of these domains, during the second year of implementation teachers of the school will attend the following structured courses:
1. "Teaching Entrepreneurship and Leadership Course for Teachers", by IFOM. 2. "Reading the cities" by EU Courses. At the same time, students of the Second Grade will carry out a virtual enterprise project and students of the First Grade will adopt techniques of experiential learning on an experimental level, on the subjects of History and Literature. |
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June 2020 will see the organisation of Open Day II, where the products of our project will be presented and the positive results, as well as the problems that arose, will be highlighted. The main point will be to evaluate whether the present project can function as a prototype for the improvement of the quality supplied by
a school organisation. The evaluation of the present situation, the acquaintance with the European experience and the undertaking of action with particular changes that may adopted at the level of the school unit constitute elements that are indispensable, if the meaning of school autonomy is to be of substantial importance. |
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Five teachers will be involved in the movements requested, including the headmistress and teachers of various ssubjects. The impact of the project for the participants will be the boosting of their professional profile and the feedback on their work.
The outcome will be equally significant for the students, provided that their participation in the project will make them feel that they are transitioning from the school of photocopies to that of creation. As far as the management is concerned, the inspiration and the vision are expected to overshadow the drawbacks of bureaucracy. |
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With regard to the local community of Assiros
and the wider community of west Thessaloniki,
the “A school in progress" project will be successful
if it showcases Upper High School
not as the obligatory bridge to University that it is now,
but as a place of preparation for the workplace
and for lifelong learning, ultimately for life.
and the wider community of west Thessaloniki,
the “A school in progress" project will be successful
if it showcases Upper High School
not as the obligatory bridge to University that it is now,
but as a place of preparation for the workplace
and for lifelong learning, ultimately for life.
