European programmes are of great potential in raising both teachers and students awareness of European cultural diversity and providing knowledge and skills which are fundamental to their personal development, future employability and engagement in active citizenship life. These programmes will offer teachers opportunities of professional growth as well as personal development and will also promote the exchange of experiences, the transfer of know-how and the acquisition of skills needed for a corresponding field in the Host Organisation. Moreover, European programmes provide teachers with the opportunity to benefit in enhancing the level of linguistic, cultural and educational competence, by attending the courses being offered and learning from other countries’ experiences. Teachers’ training will enable them to facilitate students’ engagement in their own learning in class, with the aim of achieving better learning outcomes, making interculturalism visible and acceptable among students as well as acknowledging the importance of the English language as a medium of communication and promoting European values. As teachers play a vital role not only in children’s development but also in equal opportunities that everyone should have both in their past and future, it is of utmost importance to upgrade the educational methods used in class in terms of theory and implementation.
Our school project for European mobility and collaborations aims to provide a group of teachers with specialized training on the implementation of modern teaching methods and the use of digital tools in the classroom. The ultimate goal of both mobility programmes was to engage participants in sharing their experience and acting as multipliers of newly-gained knowledge in order to educate all teaching staff. A key requirement for achieving these goals was the teachers’ training on innovative teaching tools and tried and tested pioneering teaching strategies used in the classroom. These specific training programmes mainly focused on the improvement of quality in the teaching process through the use of innovative teaching tools and digital media. Having been exposed to different educational systems but also to different cultures and mindsets, the teachers acquired from other European countries good practices regarding the use of digital media and innovative teaching tools in their classrooms as well as international experience which they will then disseminate among educational community.