Teacher Well-Being and Diversity: Managing language and social diversity in classrooms Erasmus Project

Project Title

Teacher Well-Being and Diversity: Managing language and social diversity in classrooms

Project Key Action

This project related with these key action: Cooperation for innovation and the exchange of good practices

Project Action Type

This project related with this action type : Strategic Partnerships for school education

Project Call Year

This project’s Call Year is 2016

Project Topics

This project is related with these Project Topics: Health and wellbeing; Intercultural/intergenerational education and (lifelong)learning; Quality and Relevance of Higher Education in Partner Countries

Project Summary

Many schools are unprepared for changing context in terms of managing language and social diversity in the classrooms and many teachers are increasingly overwhelmed by the challenges. As a result, both teachers and children might drop out of school, or their ability to perform adequately at school might be significantly reduced.

The overall aim of this Erasmus+ project is therefore to enhance teacher well-being by strengthening teachers’ capacity to manage linguistic and social diversity in schools. The EU Commission’s report on how to prepare teachers for diversity states that teachers must be effectively prepared to embrace the benefits of diversity for schools and students (2017). The experiences gained through the activities implemented in TWBD partner schools reveal that in order to embrace diversity, we must also simultanously acknowledge the challenges and complexity of diversity. This way supporting teachers in seeing and making use of the resources of diversity became an effective strategy to reach project objectives:
• Develop strategies that promote teacher well-being in schools in order to promote quality education for all children.
• Improve and strengthen the understanding of social and lingual diversity and teacher well-being in teacher training curricula.
• Foster scholarly collaboration through joint knowledge exchange, publication and dissemination of findings.
• Inform policy and advocacy debates through joint learning forums and media.

The collaborating partners in the project are higher education institutions (HEIs) and schools in South Africa, Denmark, Ireland and Norway. In these countries, project members have explored teaching, learning and research in the fields of multilingualism, inclusive education and health promoting schools. There are 10 participating organisationa – five HEIs representing departments of Teacher Education and Early Childhood Education, four primary schools and one high school representing communities of professional practice. The departments of Teacher and Early Childhood Education cover a wide range of project relevant research areas.

The South African university and school partners did bring much added value to the project in terms of experience and research on a teacher well-being community outreach programme implemented in Schools over the years 2007 – 2012.

By focusing on the teacher, this project differ from many educational projects as their focus is on the learner or student. Project main results and activities can be summarised as follows:
Capacity building of teachers and teacher educators in multilingualism was achieved through the sharing of innovative pedagoical methods, tools and strategies amongst the project partners. Teachers have been trained in seeing and making use of the resources of multilingual and social/multicultural diversity. Coping strategies focusing on the teachers have been tested and are increasingly involving more teachers. These are key to a sustainable inclusion of all learners in the school.
Improvements in collegial cultures and the building of teacher and learner resilience in partner schools: trust needed for professional sharing of practice is enhanced and space for staff reflection and well-being activities has been created. Changes in school environments indicate improvements in terms safety, communication and respect amongst teachers, learners and parents.

Added value to the project was also achieved through teachers and teacher educators benefiting professionnally from engaging in communities of professional practice, networks and partnerships at local and international level. Key project members have published articles and presented project results at a large number of conferences globall . Project focus on teacher well-being activities and results have been published in local newspaper, online forums and HEI online newspapers. .

Impact of the project on participants and participating organisations directly involved seem high. The project represents both unique and complementary significant contributions to other projects assisting teachers in dealing meaningfully with the new educational challenges. Project results have been shared with other primary and secondary schools in the immediate network of project schools.The concept and methodology of TWB are being utilised in the teacher training of all participating HEIs.

Longer term impact of the project is enhanced through future conference presentations, new or revised teaching modules at all project HEIs. Project results and materials, such as the Handbook for novice teachers and Manual for TWB curriculum in primary and secondary schools, are accessible on the Erasmus+ e- platform and the project’s website.

EU Grant (Eur)

Funding of the project from EU: 294989,75 Eur

Project Coordinator

OSLOMET – STORBYUNIVERSITETET & Country: NO

Project Partners

• PROFESSIONSHOJSKOLEN UCC
• Kampen skole
• UNIVERSITY OF THE WESTERN CAPE
• LOURIER PRIMARY SCHOOL
• Skovbrynet Skole
• UNIVERSITY OF LIMERICK
• St. Nessan’s Community College