Teacher Training Courses - Course overview
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INSTITUTO POLITÉCNICO DE SANTARÉM
Teacher Training Courses
Teaching tolerance, diversity and active citizenship in the 21st century classroom
COURSE OVERVIEW
Every individual is unique, equally worthy and has the right to live according to their beliefs, customs, practices and established behavior rules. Globalization and migration have brought together people from different ethnic origins, religious backgrounds, beliefs, traditions and languages. However, sharing a common space does not automatically result in overcoming the boundaries of historically constituted communities; it does not necessarily involve opening yourself to Otherness, trying to understand differences, valuing diversity and building common grounds for dialogue. But we live together and we should not only tolerate this diversity, we should value it as an opportunity through which we can learn from one another in order to build stronger, more dynamic societies. Human rights, diversity, tolerance and non-violence related issues have become even more important considering the migrant crisis and the terrorist attacks round Europe and worldwide.
Schooling could play a key role in overcoming the historically developed negative attitudes to human differences. The realization of this role suggests that teachers have the relevant knowledge, skills and tools.
This 7-day course will empower the participants with the skills and knowledge how to organize relevant training sessions for their students so that they become more open-minded and accepting differences. The training course is the result of a three-year Erasmus+ partnership cross-sectoral school education project (Otherness) with Prosveta-Sofia Foundation being the project coordinator, and IPT Santarem – Portugal, AENAO – Greece and SCS Danillo Dolci – Italy, being project partners. The Otherness project developed a Teachers’ Manual comprising 48 training topics spread in 3 modules: Human rights, Diversity and Active citizenship. Participants will have free-access to the training topics in the Teachers’ Manual. Each topic is accompanied by several multimedia objects, e.g. animated cartoons, video clips, filmed drama performances and discussions, simulations, case studies as basis for discussions, interactive exercises, etc. Multimedia objects are ready-to-use materials meant to support teachers' work as mediators in the trainings they are expected to deliver after attending the course. The multimedia resources are described with the corresponding characteristics as learning objects in the Teachers' Manual.
After participating in the training course participants will be supported in the practical implementation of the newly acquired skills and competences. They are expected to deliver trainings to their students using the topics in the Teachers’ Manual which they will be taught how to use. We will provide mentors for all teachers who will be at the participants’ disposal during a 6-month-period after the training course.
MAIN OBJECTIVES
The course aims to support teachers in:
1. Getting the knowledge of basics in Human Rights, Diversity and Involvement education through the topics in the Teachers' Manual.
2. Mastering skills which will enable them to discuss with their students questions on existing notions of human differences in modern society and run relevant activities choosing from the ones suggested in the Teachers’ Manual considering the local context.
3. Getting to know non-formal education teaching approaches and start using them not only in the suggested civic education trainings but also in the routine teaching process.
4. Responsibly accepting a code of behaviour so that all their actions and interactions bear respect to Otherness and students’ individuality by participating in the course training sessions together with a diverse group of European teachers.
5. Learn more about the challenges Portuguese teachers have faced regarding the use of the Teachers’ Manual through the planned sessions with the involvement of Portuguese teachers who have piloted the training topics.
6. Learn how to work in international teams through the group and pair activities.
