Erasmus+ School Education: Mount Sion CBS
Erasmus+ Learning Mobility of Individuals projects are supported under Key Action 1 of the Erasmus+ programme. This action aims to deliver positive and lasting impacts for both participants and participating organisations. Mobility activities under Key Action 1 are designed to broaden perspectives, support professional and personal growth, and foster collaboration.
Mount Sion CBS is an inclusive secondary school for boys catering for students from a wide range of socio-economic and cultural backgrounds. Through their Erasmus+ project, Meeting the Needs of All, school staff sought to gain valuable insights into the latest methodologies and European best practices by collaborating with colleagues in Spain. Their focus was on courses and training in Inclusion, Differentiation, and Special Needs.
Read on to discover how this inspiring project equipped 30 teachers from across all subject areas with innovative strategies, methodologies, and resources that helped create meaningful and manageable inclusion and differentiation in their classrooms!
As part of their Erasmus+ project Meeting the Needs of All, Mount Sion staff participated in a series of mobility activities designed to enhance teaching practices and support their inclusive ethos.
Six staff members attended the 4C’s Course in Seville, Spain, focusing on Communication, Collaboration, Critical Thinking, and Creativity. This course was chosen for its broad relevance across all subjects and its applicability to the work of Special Needs Assistants (SNAs). In Tenerife, four staff members participated in a Digital Literacy Course to upskill in classroom technology. Additionally, three staff members attended a Multiculturalism and Interculturalism Course in Tenerife, selected to help staff support the school’s diverse student body, which includes over 46 nationalities. This training focused on fostering inclusion and best practices for multicultural education.
Teachers developed many organisational, communication and digital skills. Through the digital literacy course, they gained technical knowledge and resources that they were able to directly apply in the classroom and share with other staff.
The Four C’s course was brilliant and equipped teachers with new relationship-building strategies. Importantly, there was a big element throughout the courses that focused on teacher wellbeing. And I think that was a huge skill for our staff – to prioritise their own wellbeing while effectively catering to their students.
Sarah Kennedy, Teacher
Upon their return, staff delivered presentations and workshops during in-house training, sharing European best practices and demonstrating new tools and methodologies. Reflecting on the project’s impact on learners, teacher Sarah Kennedy highlighted how the training has boosted teachers’ confidence and equipped them with the skills to better support and accommodate all learners.
“We are learning European best practices, and it is just that confidence that [teachers] bring back to the classroom that sets our learners up. We have all learned to better accommodate every single learner in the class through attending courses, especially digital literacy.”
The Meeting the Needs of All Erasmus+ project strengthened inclusion, enhanced teaching methods, and fostered knowledge sharing, demonstrating the power of international collaboration in supporting both staff and learners. It serves as a best practice example of how Erasmus+ brings learning to life, supports staff to broaden their understanding and in turn, empowering their students to thrive.
If you’re interested in learning about what Erasmus+ has to offer, explore the helpful resources below:
For more information on Erasmus+ and how you can get involved, contact our team at etd@leargas.ie