Always something to learn publié le 06/06/2024

All started in 2022 when vocational school Le Verger’s staff decided to get involved in the Erasmus+ application file. The whole process has been carried on till now, thanks to the certification our vocational high school received in 2023.

With the opportunity of five job-shadowing mobilities, the question was not where or when to go but who may go and which goals could be targeted.

April 2024 - Flight to Nicosia, Cyprus, for a week. This time, the goals were related to promoting educational and school practices and thinking of an international openness between schools through the observation of teaching and learning strategies, considering the creation of a project between the teachers and their students, whether virtually or not.

After a brief welcome and meeting with the colleagues from the Languages, Maths, Maintenance and Sports Departments, it was possible to attend some lessons, showing that students mostly attend Cypriot-spoken vocational courses and for Maths and Sports, it was mostly Greek-speaking moments. Considering foreign languages, if English is tolerated, it is neither easy nor comfortable for French as far as students are concerned, and for teachers, who thus need to find fun practices.
Keeping in mind the idea of French students’ internships in Cyprus, the first priority was thinking about a project or how studying together can help both countries in developing language skills and open mindedness. Meanwhile, with the Cypriot colleagues, the five French teachers got involved in considering methods of implementation, evaluation and sharing on the field to work on : vocational field, sustainable development education, culture…

Each became familiar with one Cypriot favourite teaching technique that promotes both learners’ success and engagement : working on a project, because it is real, because it makes sense and it allows students to express themselves and use the multiple intelligences they have. They were grateful to discuss this point with a teacher, whose job is to guide students, who is always ready to hear their doubts and answer their questions about future life.

Throughout their experience, French teachers were reminded that wherever they teach, what matters is their first mission : ensuring students’ well-being and success. The African proverb, reading “Alone we go faster, but together we go further”, perfectly highlights the will to create a French-Cypriot project.

To go further with the extended metaphor, the collaboration on a global topic, i.e the education for sustainable development, was chosen because on this question, the help of a collective intelligence is highly needed. Next step now : setting up a teaching partnership on e-Twinning as well as, fingers crossed, French students’ internships in Cyprus.