International

Comparative CPD

Documentaries

A headteacher in Mexico uses leadership techniques from the UK

Headteacher Alfonso Tirso Arroyo takes part in a pilot project to develop standards for Mexican school leaders, transforming his own role as headteacher. Alfonso, inspired by exchanging ideas with UK headteachers, has implemented a series of organisational strategies at Escuela Secundaria Industrial Tecnica No.105, to get teachers, pupils and parents used to collaborating in small groups. At No. 105, there are now pupil monitors and recycling projects; and first grade teachers across all subjects are holding regular sessions to discuss issues students may have. Change is never easy, but gradually Alfonso is managing to transform relationships and his own role as headteacher. This video is part of a series looking at inspirational headteachers and the positive effect their leadership has had on the schools they've worked with.

... in Xalapa, Mexico - The Five Standards and the School Community

A Mexican headteacher implements new standards for school leaders

Follow headteacher Maria de la Cruz Galan Raymond through a typical day at her primary school in Cordoba, Mexico, as she implements a new set of standards for school leaders. Maria is taking part in a pilot project to develop standards for school leaders. The standards cover all aspects of school leadership, and inform how Maria interacts with parents, teachers, pupils and the local authorities. She now holds drop-in sessions for parents, regular meetings with the Parents' Association, collaborates with local authorities to raise pupils' self-esteem, and makes time to monitor and evaluate the quality of teaching and learning. The strategies are already having a measurable impact on the schools' results, and Maria has rediscovered her passion for the job. This video is part of a series looking at inspirational headteachers and the positive effect their leadership has had on the schools they've worked with.

...in Cordoba, Mexico - Five Standards in One Day

A look at school leadership in Cosoleacaque, Mexico

Headteacher Clara Isela Martinez Gomez explores the knowledge and attitude that define school leadership through a pilot scheme at her small primary school in Cosoleacaque, Mexico. Since working on the pilot project to develop new standards for school leaders, Clara has been inspired to reassess her leadership style, and this has had a knock-on effect on every aspect of school life. Clara has implemented both an open-door policy for parents, welcoming both their support and scrutiny, as well as shared-leadership strategies which encourage class teachers to run their own projects. The standards are also being shared with other headteachers, through an innovative local network that brings together representatives from rural and urban schools. This video is part of a series looking at inspirational headteachers and the positive effect their leadership has had on the schools they've worked with.

...in Cosoleacaque, Mexico - Interpreting the Five Standards

A profile of the work of an inspirational Brazilian headteacher

Headteacher of Escola Maciel Pinheiro in north-east Brazil, Lucia de Sousa Periera, is a strong leader who instills respect in the school despite its situation in a bad neighbourhood. Lucia has introduced a student union and school council, and the school recently came third in the region in the national exam for secondary education. Lucia was chosen for an international school leadership project and visited schools in England. As a result, she has introduced classroom observation to her school, something which is not generally done in Brazil. We watch her progress. This video is part of a series looking at inspirational headteachers and the positive effect their leadership has had on the schools they've worked with.

...in Recife, Brazil

Revolutionary principles of a Brazilian headteacher in practice

During his 13 year headship at Escola Jose Leite Barros in north-east Brazil, Antonio Fernando Santos Silva dramatically transformed the school into a successful institution. Escola Jose Leite Barros is now a democratically-run institution, with committed staff and a focus on school self-evaluation. Coordinator of 65 schools in the region, Antonio has also visited schools in England as part of an international school leadership project. In this video, we see an English teacher observing a history teacher as they deliver a class about Brazilian presidents, followed by the feedback session - a discussion among teachers in the staffroom. This video is part of a series looking at inspirational headteachers and the positive effect their leadership has had on the schools they've worked with.

...in Tacaimbo, Brazil

Zircus Eldorado visit Cristoph Tornee school in Germany

The Christoph-Tornee School in Germany caters for pupils with mild to moderate learning difficulties. This week, the have some rather unusual visitors. Zirkus Eldorado is a traditional family-run circus that offers project weeks to schools. They've pitched their big-top on the field next to the school and will spend the week teaching staff and pupils a variety of circus skills, improving the pupils' coordination and self-confidence. The circus theme is carried into classroom lessons, which include writing poems and stories, making decorations for the tent and preparing music to accompany the acts. Follow three pupils as they work towards their gala circus performance in front of friends and family, with the theme helping to link different curriculum areas and create excitement.

A Very Special Circus

See how history teaching varies within a post-conflict country

This video reveals the importance of history in shaping national identity, by looking at how history is taught in Bosnia. Memories of conflict are still very fresh in Bosnia, where children grow up learning a very one-sided account of their history. In towns of multiple ethnic groups, schools are divided. In the same building, Croat children are taught in separate classrooms from Muslim children. Schools teach history from different national curriculums, providing differing views of the past. And although Bosnia is currently peaceful, this situation could drive a wedge between ethnic groups by reinforcing differences. The video also raises the question of how much of our own country's past we simply accept.

Bosnia - Teaching History

Explore the importance of performing and visual arts in Cuba

This video explores how performing arts, visual arts and cultural learning are taught in three Cuban schools: a primary, a secondary and a school for young art instructors. The importance of teaching performing and visual arts is a legacy of the 1959 Cuban revolution. Today, the Cuban government continually looks for new and better ways to deliver arts education. Learn about the sophisticated support that televised classes on Cuba's educational channel provide. Young art instructors are trained from the age of 14 to teach music, dance, drama and the visual arts in primary and secondary schools across the country. Cubans believe that school should be the cultural centre of the community. It should be a place where young people can learn about their cultural heritage, and develop the skills to express themselves creatively.

Cuba - Performing Arts

A Finnish primary teacher visits a south London state school

Johanna Oikarinen, who teaches at a suburban primary school in Helsinki, spends a week teaching a Year 3 group at a multicultural south London state school. Johanna has never taught in England and she'll begin by using the school's lesson plans to teach literacy and numeracy in the morning and other subjects in the afternoon. It will be a huge culture shock for Johanna, but by the end of the week she'll gain a greater understanding of why Finland are top of the international rankings and so far ahead of England in primary education.

Finland Comes to England - Primary

Learn how French schools uniformly teach handwriting

An educational philosophy encompassing all creative subjects backs up the teaching of handwriting in France. The French believe that giving children the ability to write will free their minds to perform creatively throughout their lives. So they teach handwriting as a subject in its own right. And they teach handwriting in a uniform way throughout primary schools, using traditional calligraphy to produce a distinctive, ornate hand. This programme visits a school in Lyon to see how students in Year 1 and Year 6 develop this ability.

Professional Development for Quality Teaching

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