At the end of October we hosted the kick-off meeting of the Erasmus+ project Creating the Network of Excellent ULCA Schools (NELCA) at HARMONY ACADEMY. The event took place on 26-27 October 2023 in Little Berlin in the centre of Trnava. The 25th international project developing the Learn & Lead strategy and vision for innovation got off to a great start! All project partners were involved in the writing of the project under the professional auspices of our organisation's team and coordinator - the Faculty of Education of the Catholic University of Ružomberok. In the project we cooperate with primary schools, universities and teacher training centres from Latvia, Northern Macedonia, Slovenia, Lithuania and Slovakia.
The project, which we call NELCA for short, is a continuation of a project that ended last year, called ULCA. ULCA is an acronym for "Upgrade with Learner-Centred Approach", which means "move up a level with a learner-centred approach". Its aim was to implement the Learner-Centred Approach (LCA) in schools. In introducing this key pedagogical philosophy into the operation of schools, based on our personal observation at Harmony Academy, we linked it to the management approach of Learn & Lead, building a solid foundation for transforming schools from within - through the transformation of its teachers. As part of this project, we traveled, created and learned a lot with our partners. One of the most powerful moments was two sessions of the LCA summer school for our partners' teachers, where they were trained in both key approaches and embraced them as their own. We have trained not only LCA teachers but also the first LCA teacher trainers who will implement the new, ongoing NELCA project to the fullest.
In addition to teachers, the NELCA project also focuses on school managers who believe in the idea that successful lessons are those where students feel comfortable and teachers have a space for self-development.
At the first meeting we set the dates for regular meetings, funding, how to report the work and other technical matters. The meeting was held in a friendly atmosphere, full of inspiration and creativity. In one part we co-created many adjectives like "higher, closer, deeper, more creative, wiser, happier, more inspired, more interconnected, safer, funnier, more engaged, stronger, more experienced..."
What is waiting for us?
The whole project process is divided into five sections, which will be worked on by all participating organisations throughout the project.
WORK PACKAGE 1 - Project management, governance, dissemination, quality control project website
WORK PACKAGE 2 - Establishment of the International Association of Innovative Teachers and Managers of ULCA Schools and an online interactive tool for teachers, assessors, trainers and managers
WORK PACKAGE 3 - Engaging leaders, managers and administrative staff in ULCA schools , two new courses for leaders/managers and guidance for ULCA school leadership
WORK PACKAGE 4 - Three new blended-learning courses for teachers to develop digital skills and creative LCA methodology and e-learning platform
WORK PACKAGE 5 - ULCA processes for monitoring teachers in action
In conclusion, we can say that we had a lot of discussion, brainstorming and those exciting moments at the beginning of the project, when the creative idea finds its connection with the participants, who give it a tangible form.
NELCA is poised for success because it has dedicated, passionate and good people on its team who are agents of change for their teams, their schools and our society. Jana Chynoradská
