Through the project, we aimed to provide teachers with more tools to help students who lack motivation. We also sought ways to prevent situations where a student might lose motivation. We wanted to participate in training sessions that would help us develop as a team - to build an effective, functioning professional learning community under the guidance of a new leader. Our goal was to expand the collection of methods teachers could use to make their lessons more interesting and to plan their work more efficiently and time-effectively (for example, with the help of ICT tools). One of the objectives after completing all the planned training sessions was also to enhance the school's reputation by spreading the knowledge acquired in schools in the surrounding area and by sharing our learning experiences in a blog and local media.
Our school is small (75 students and 17 teachers) and is located on the periphery of Estonia. Therefore, we have limited financial resources to train teachers and to offer opportunities to students to study abroad. In a small rural school, a teacher has to perform various activities: usually teach several different subjects, participate in the school`s developmental activities, offer extracurricular activities, etc. The work is intense, stressful, and there is a high risk of burnout. The period of distance learning during Covid-19 was also very draining. The amount of time teachers spent on sick leave increased, and there was also a risk that some teachers might resign from their positions. Therefore, we saw the need for teacher training that would help them plan and conduct their work more effectively. Since a new school principal came on board in 2021, it became crucial to conduct team training. We wanted our team to work well together, with more cooperation and growth as a team. Since distance learning had increased student`s communication disorders and affected school attendance (many absences), we wanted to acquire new knowledge through training on how to also increase student motivation.