The Whole School Approach to sustainable development contains different fields of change that should be addressed to grow as a sustainable school. Professional development is one of these and this was the central focus of our project meeting in Finland last June.
As introduction Hilda Weges from the Dutch partner INTREEGUE presented some inspirational ideas and good practices of professionalization of Dutch VET-schools. Her main message: teachers should not only present and tell about sustainable practices but also need to act and show it themselves in their own behaviour. And that is why professionalisation of teachers and practice coaches is so important! They don’t learn it by themselves.
To realise the Sustainable goals also means that we have to change our behaviour. New competences and skills are therefor needed to realise these goals. The partners of In the European Inner Development Goals project have thought about these new skills. In this Inner Development Goals film you will learn more about these goals.
VET-schools in the Netherlands have different kinds of strategies and organise all kinds of activities to teach their teachers these new kind of skills and let them learn about sustainability and latest developments at the labour market.
First of all it is important as school to develop a vision and strategy about professional development of teachers and practical coaches to make sure that these activities are not short term projects but really imbedded in the school organisation and planning.
In line with the vision and strategy schools can think of the following actions and measures:
- Set up a Manifest Sustainable Knowledge Sharing in which the principles for sustainable development and sharing of knowledge are described.
- Set up a professionalization cycle: intake training needs, discussing interim results and adjustment on the way.
- Set up an online expert platform where teacher can share knowledge and ideas. E.g through Microsoft Teams, LinkedInn or….
- Add ‘Learning for sustainable development’, the SDGs, the Inner Development Goals into your professional development program and make them compulsory for new teachers.
- Set up an intervision group with professionals, managers, or other employees who share a common challenge or problem and find solutions together.
- Encourage teachers to participate in symposia, workshops and masterclasses in sustainability that are offered by third parties.
- Start Learning Labs for Sustainable development for teachers to inspire them to set up new teaching and didactical methods.
- Organise expeditions to innovative sustainable locations and businesses. Encourage teachers to do an internship at innovative sustainable businesses.
- Organise Green Ted talks during lunchtime.
- Send Inspirational mailings with good practices on regular basis.
Are you interested to use the presentation. It can be downloaded here.
[Picture Pixabay – Gerd Altmann]