In Portugal, 29 schools, 83 new teachers and 49 experienced teachers accepted the challenge and tested the teachers‘ induction programme from January to July 2023!
The induction programme humanizes the role of a teacher in the school.
In the aftermath of the close of the school year, the implementation of the LOOP induction programme reveals to be a success and Portuguese teachers value the opportunity they had to take part in the process.
The planning of the implementation of the LOOP programmes started at the end of the school year 2021-2022 and beginning of 2022-2023, with a set of meetings that DGAE, INOVA+ and Casa do Professor had with principles from schools from the North and South of Portugal.
In Croatia, shortly after the beginning of this year, the implementation phase of the programs in a real environment began. We contacted more than 200 teachers and schools across Croatia to join the project. We conducted surveys, worked with focus groups, and interviewed primary and secondary school teachers.
Slovene new teachers and their mentors enthusiastically engaged in field trials.
In a bold move to improve educational practices, Slovenian Ministry of Education, Faculty of Theology of the University of Ljubljana and National Education Institute Slovenia, has recently initiated a series of field trials in participating schools and kindergartens across the country. The pilot programme, involving over 350 new teachers and their mentors, aims for better educational policies and more efficient immersion and progression in the teaching career.
The programme’s initial roll-out has taken place in the capital city of Ljubljana and later in the second city of Maribor respectively. Teachers and mentors have been meticulously trained in the new methods and are keen to implement these in their classrooms. The first impressions from the ground are encouraging – teachers are reporting better and improved engagements, while mentors have expressed satisfaction with the programme’s robustness and effectiveness.
The next steps for Slovenian programme involve monitoring and evaluating these initial trials’ outcomes. Data will be collected and analyzed to ascertain the effectiveness of the innovative approach methodologies, guiding adjustments and improvements. Plans for a country-wide expansion on permanent basis are set to be contingent on the results from this pilot phase, as the feedback and results obtained from these trials will be pivotal in refining the programme’s next iterations. As the country eagerly awaits the outcomes, the educational community is already applauding the initiative’s progressive approach.
In October 2022, the schools for the pilot phase implementation of the LOOP New Teachers’ induction program in Greece were selected. A total of 80 schools participated, with 30 in the experimental group and 50 in the control group, from all the levels and many regions in the country. Out of these schools, a total of 166 experienced teachers participated as mentors, along with 197 new teachers.
During the period of November and December, all participating teachers attended training sessions for the program. A total of 14 such training sessions took place, involving different groups of mentors and new teachers.
After the Christmas break, specifically from mid-January 2023 until June, i.e. the end of the 2022-23 school year, the pilot phase of the LOOP New Teachers’ Induction program was implemented for six months. During this pilot implementation, mentors and new teachers collaborated to implement the Program, which was developed in the previous phase of the project. The program consisted of 14 units, and schools were provided with a comprehensive guide and materials for all these units.
The LOOP program fills an important gap in the Greek educational system, where the introduction of the mentorship scheme is very recent, offering a comprehensive support program for mentors and the induction of new teachers into the profession.
The main conclusion that emerged from the pilot implementation of the LOOP program is that there is a need for a structured program that supports the relationship between mentors and new teachers during their induction phase into the profession. The experience of the pilot implementation showed that when educators and schools are properly supported, they can achieve significant outcomes. All participants in the program expressed the opinion that they would like to see the LOOP program adopted in the future as a national policy for all schools in the country.
The implementation in Catalonia (Spain) of the Teachers Induction Programme was carried out with 21 mentors and 24 new teachers from 7 educational centres from all over our territory. They are, on the one hand, nursery and primary schools and, on the other hand, secondary schools. The schools/institutes that participated in the project were: “El Torrent de las Bruixes”, Escola “La Mercè”, Institut “Joan Oró, Institut-Escola “El Temple”, Institut “Antoni Martí I Franqués”, IE “MdD Portal”, and the school La Canaleta”. Todos los centros están situados en Cataluña, en la provincias de Barcelona, Tarragona y Lérida.
The training was conducted virtually due to the distance between the schools and the time availability of the teachers. All the training took place from February to July with a total of 7 sessions. In general terms, we can say that all the schools value the training very positively because they consider it an essential training for future teachers. Being a teacher is a complex profession and it is necessary to be accompanied during the first year in order to establish a solid practical basis for training competent teachers who are committed to education and today’s society. The materials generated in the LOOP project have been valued as useful instruments, not only for the training of new teachers, but also as elements of interest for the training of the school as a whole and for the individual and collective growth of all the teachers who form part of the school’s teaching staff.
In the recent Policy seminar implemented in June, participants were immersed in a two-part exploration of the challenges and opportunities set by the Teacher Induction and Mentor Capacity Programmes developed through LOOP project. The event, aimed at new and experienced teachers, brought together professionals from various schools to discuss the implementation of programs and the ways they impact their institutions.
The highest moment of the seminar was an eye-opening exchange of individual experiences and challenges faced by teachers in their respective schools. As teachers shared their struggles, they collectively envisioned how program implementations could be the catalyst for transformative improvements. It was an invaluable moment that emphasized the power of collaborative dialogue in shaping the future of education.
Main Conclusions
Empowering Young Teachers: The Teacher Induction Programme offers a sense of security and support for young teachers as they embark on their careers. It provides a contrast to the existing system, giving them a boost of confidence in their roles.
Mentorship Appreciation: Mentors that participated in the field trials felt that contributed to the smooth and efficient induction of new teachers and invented a new career pathway for themselves. Their experience is now more welcomed and appreciated, leading to a more enriched mentoring experience.
Strengthening Teacher Relationships: The project promotes a healthier and more productive relationship between experienced teachers, serving as mentors, and the younger educators. This enhanced cooperation fosters a dynamic environment for growth and innovation.
The second LOOP Greek Policy Seminar, which featured the presentation of the 2nd LOOP Policy Brief, was held on June 7, 2023, through a web conference tool (Microsoft Teams).
Organized by the Institute of Education Policy (IEP), the seminar was integrated into a larger event focused on teacher trainers, including teacher advisors, headmasters, and experienced educators, within the context of new Greek Curriculums.
The LOOP Policy Seminar held in Lisbon, Portugal, on May 19, 2023, provided valuable insights into the implementation of mentoring-based induction programs within the Portuguese educational context. The attendance was about approximately 25 participants, the seminar facilitated interesting discussions on the recommendations outlined in the Policy Brief.
The LOOP Policy Seminar in Slovenia, held on May 15, 2023, provided valuable insights into the implementation of mentoring-based induction programs within the Slovenian educational context. The attendance of approximately 15 participants, the seminar facilitated meaningful discussions on the recommendations outlined in the Policy Brief.
In May, educators and policymakers united to explore the transformative potential of reshaping the teacher career landscape. The seminar was co-organized with the Directorate General of Innovation and Training and took place as part of the grand 7th EDO Congress, uniting a diverse array of education professionals and key figures from education administrations.
The seminar adopted a symposium format under the title, “The Continuum of Teacher Training and Professional Learning: The School as a Cornerstone in the Journey to Becoming a Teacher.” This symposium was coordinated by Jesús Moral Castrillo, the current Deputy Director General for Innovation and Training at the Regional Ministry of Education.
A highlight of the symposium was the comprehensive presentation of the LOOP Project, a European initiative with the noble objective of harmonizing educational policies for the implementation of guidance programs tailored to educators entering the education system.
Moreover, the symposium hosted distinguished representatives from various esteemed university entities, who explored strategies to advance induction and training programs for mentors in Catalonia.
In specific:
Maica Gil (Department of Education) addressed “The Training Continuum in the Teaching Career.”
Xavier Chavarria and Elvira Borrell (Universitat Oberta de Catalunya) provided insights into “The Framework of Teaching Competences as a Beacon in the Stages of Professional Development.”
Patricia Olmos (Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona-CRiEDO) and Verónica Violant (Universitat de Barcelona) elucidated on “The Transition to the Teaching Profession: Inducteaching.”
Susanna Arànega and Juan Llanes (University of Barcelona) explored “The Construction of Teaching Identity and its Connection to Practice During and After Initial Training.”
When concluding the symposium diverse viewpoints and perspectives on the ongoing work in Spain were presented. The event provided an invaluable platform for the exchange of ideas and opinions to shape the future of educational policies.
