Staff from Kaagvere School in Estonia have learnt new approaches
to teaching during a visit to The University of Northampton.
Four teachers from the school spent ten days in Northamptonshire
as part of a new project to improve the social and emotional
development of students in Estonia. The project is being run in
collaboration with the Centre for Special Needs Education and
Research (CeSNER) in the School of Education at the University of
Northampton.
The visitors attended workshops at the University, and worked
with local teachers and students.
Workshops looked at the use of creative group work approaches
and developing social and emotional aspects of learning, and
included ways to integrate these approaches into the social
curriculum of the school. These are new techniques for schools in
Estonia.
Pictured above: (l-r) Lii Kaudne; Reet Kurvits;
Barry Groom, Senior Lecturer with CeSNER at The University of
Northampton; Ivi Mark; and Merli Tähnas during the visit to
The University of Northampton
Kaagvere is a residential school for girls aged from 11-17 years
old with emotional, social, behavioural or delinquency problems.
The school received a grant of 750,000 Euros from the European
Union Social Fund in October 2009 to help them deliver more
effective methods of working with these young people and to address
their difficulties.
Barry Groom, Senior Lecturer with The University of
Northampton's Centre for Special Needs Education and Research
(CeSNER), has been working with the school for several years.
Barry said: "The University has developed very successful
relationships with several schools in Estonia .
"We offer a range of advice and consultancy based on our own
experience of working with young people that have challenging
backgrounds."
Barry will be visiting Estonia in March with a number of
students that have volunteered to work in the school.