Working with Comenius Networks

1. Working with Comenius Networks Pavlos Koulouris Ellinogermaniki Agogi

2. Individual, organisation Network Relation, exchange Netzwerk Δίκτυο

3. Comenius Networks • Part of the Comenius Action of the Socrates Programme of EC for Education

4. A century before the Enlightenment, one of the founding fathers of modern education said: “…only through education can man achieve his full potential and lead a truly harmonious life...” Johann Amos Comenius (1592-1670)

5. The Objectives of COMENIUS • To enhance the quality and reinforce the European dimension of school education • by encouraging transnational cooperation between schools, • contributing to the improved professional development of staff directly involved in the school education sector • promoting the learning of languages and intercultural awareness. • Help develop a sense of belonging to a broader and outward-looking European community • diverse traditions, cultures and regional identities • rooted nevertheless in a common history of European development.

6. enhancing the quality & reinforcing the European dimension of school education • Promoting transnational cooperation and exchanges between schools and teacher training establishments; • encouraging innovation in pedagogical methods and materials; • promoting the transnational dissemination of good practice and innovation in the management of schools; • developing and disseminating methods for combating educational exclusion and school failure, promoting the integration of pupils with special educational needs, and promoting equal opportunities in all sectors of education; • promoting the use of information and communication technology in school education and in the training of staff working in this sector.

7. promoting the learning of languages in school education • Improve the qualityof the teaching of European languages as foreign languages; • improve the pedagogical skills of language teachers; • improve the language skills of teachers of less widely used and less taught languages; • increase the diversity of foreign languages taught; • motivate all teachers and learners to increase the number of foreign languages they speak and improve the standard to which they speak them.

8. promoting intercultural awareness in school education • Promote enhanced awareness of different cultures; • develop intercultural education initiatives for the school education sector; • improve the skills of teachers in the area of intercultural education; • support the fight against racism and xenophobia; • improve the education of children of migrant workers, occupational travellers, Romanies and travellers.

9. Themes relevant to COMENIUS • Training of School Education Staff (initial and in-service) • Language Learning • Intercultural Education and fight against racism and xenophobia • Education for Children of Migrant Workers, Occupational Travellers, Gypsies, and Travellers • Education for Children with special educational needs (handicapped children) • School Management • Education Networks • Violence in School

10. School Partnerships (Comenius 1) • School Projects • promote transnational co-operation between schools • Language Projects • seek to increase young people's motivation, capacity and confidence to communicate in other European languages • School Development Projects • give school managers and teachers an opportunity to exchange experience and information

11. Training of School Education Staff (Comenius 2) • Promote the professional development of all types of staff involved in school education. • Supporting transnational cooperation projects and mobility activities. • All phases and aspects are covered: • initial training • induction • in-service training.

12. Comenius Networks (Comenius 3)

13. Comenius Networks (Comenius 3) • The main goal: • To create links between projects carried out by school partnerships and those relating to the training of school education staff. • Based on subjects of common interest • with the aim of promoting European co-operation and innovation in school education in various thematic areas.

14. A Comenius Network can be: • A platform to assist persons and institutions involved in Comenius to strengthen their co-operation, and to enable them to maintain and consolidate their European co-operation beyond the period of Community support for their specific projects • A forum for joint reflection and cooperation in identifying and promoting innovation and best practice in the thematic area concerned.

15. Comenius Network participants • Institutions currently taking part in projects, initiating new projects or having completed projects under Comenius 1 or 2 • Other organisations with particular expertise in the field concerned.

16. EA in Comenius Networks

17. Network for Multigrade Education MUSE (MUltigrade School Education) Comenius 2.1, 2002-2004 NEMED Comenius 3, 2004-2007

18. Network for Multigrade Education • Networking, at the European level, of educationists and school practitioners sharing an interest in multigrade schools, either as a field of research or as a space of educational practice that deserves attention and support • A trans-national network active in ten European countries

19. Studies the characteristics and the needs of multigrade schools • Promotes the upgrading of multigrade education in educational policy-making • Proposes ways to improve the education provided by multigrade schools • Offers support to multigrade school teachers • Fosters the development of communication among them • Regularly organises international workshops and conferences

20. The NEMED portal on the web

21. The working groups

22. A joint collection of resources

23. Comenius in the future In the Integrated Programme for lifelong learning (2007-2013), Comenius: • Addresses the teaching and learning needs of all those in pre-school and school education. • Develops understanding among young people and educational staff of the diversity of European cultures and its value • Helps young people acquire the basic life-skills and competences necessary for their personal development, for future employment and for active European citizenship.

24. Thank you for your attention!