Events

The wellbeing of the school community is built through the participation of each of its members. How can teachers, through pedagogical means, and principals, through their leadership, influence the wellbeing of the school community, foster inclusion, and promote agency?

Wellbeing is not something to be addressed only when things go wrong—it is something that is built every day. Wellbeing in the daily life of schools responds to the growing need to support pupils’ holistic development—physically, psychologically, and socially. Research shows that wellbeing and motivation are significantly influenced by the experience of inclusion, the feeling of being able to cope with work and assigned tasks, and a sense of sufficient autonomy, for both pupils and staff. The aim of the seminar is to explore the importance and synergy of wellbeing, learning, inclusion, and school culture from the perspectives of everyday pedagogy and leadership in schools.

In Finland curriculum covers all areas of schoolwork, the school culture and wellbeing. It describes the main principles and guidelines for providing education and organizing teaching, learning and wellbeing. It includes also all subject syllabi. Finland´s basic curriculum is future-oriented and one of the main goals is to provide tools for solving possible future challenges. In addition to the subjects, special features include transversal competences and multidisciplinary learning modules. The presentations and speeches of the seminar are based on these starting points. Legislation and the national core curriculum have been reformed in Finland regarding learning and school attendance.

The seminar will examine the connection between wellbeing, learning, and inclusion in relation to the curriculum and legislation through keynote speeches and workshops. School visits offer an opportunity to make observations firsthand and to hear from teachers and principals about their practical experiences and implementation methods regarding how an inclusive school culture is reflected in everyday school life. The seminar will feature previous Erasmus+ projects implemented on the thematic of the seminar. The seminar includes one session dedicated to facilitated planning of future cooperation in the context of the Erasmus+ programme. Inclusion and diversity is one of the key priorities of the Erasmus+ programme and keeping this in mind, the seminar aims to support formation of new networks and projects on this priority.

Theoretical foundation: Ryan & Deci 2000, Self-determination theory; The Salamanca Statement and Framework for Action on Special Needs Education, 1994

Joint sessions for teachers and school heads/principals:

• Participants will gain research-based knowledge about the connection between curriculum-based learning and wellbeing, the reform of learning and school attendance support in Finland, and especially the theoretical foundation of an inclusive school culture, which is a key objective of the reform.
• Through school visits, participants will become familiar with how inclusive school culture is applied and manifested in everyday school life. These visits will allow participants to observe how the connection between learning and wellbeing is practically acknowledged, lead and implemented in Finnish schools.
• Peer learning and exchange of practices from different countries will take place during workshops and informal discussions among seminar participants.
• The participants will establish networks and find partners for transnational cooperation possibilities offered by the Erasmus+ programme.

Sessions targeted at teachers:

• Participants will understand how school culture and structures can support students’ wellbeing.
• Participants gain concrete examples of how wellbeing can be integrated into teaching and shared school activities such as meals, physical activity during the school day, breaks, and timetabling.
• Participants will also engage in practical workshops led by experienced Finnish teachers, focusing on subject-specific approaches to fostering wellbeing and inclusion, and how to support emotional and interaction skills through everyday pedagogical practices.
• Participants will reflect on their own practices and identify areas for development.

Sessions targeted at school heads/principals:

• Participants gain perspectives on leading the school´s inclusive operating culture and developing the wellbeing of pupils and personnel.
• In joint workshop sessions, participants will discuss various practical solutions that promote the building and leadership of wellbeing at school.
• Participants will reflect on their own practices and identify areas for development.

The seminar is open to applications by class teachers, subject teachers and special education teachers in primary and lower secondary education (teaching pupils of 6-15 years) and school heads/principals of such educational institutions. Representatives of upper secondary education cannot apply nor be selected, not even if there were pupils of the requested age group.
One teacher and one school head/principal per participating country are being selected to participate. Altogether 30 teachers and 30 school heads/principals are expected to participate in this seminar. 
Both newcomers as well as experienced stakeholders to the Erasmus+ programme are invited to apply. Good command of English language is expected of all participants.