Press releases year 2 (2024-2025)
TASC’s communities of practice kick off second year with national meeting: introduction of 15 tools for future teachers skilled in sustainable communication
Development of the first part of the joint training programme – Grade A initial level in sustainable communication (January – September 2024)
Over the last few months, the European consortium of TASC (Teacher Academy Sustainable Communication) developed the first grade of 3 of the joint training programme on sustainable communication. Grade A consists of a Teacher Training Manual for teacher trainers and a Teacher Toolkit for teachers. The Teacher Toolkit will be tested by teachers via a community of practice for each of the TASC-countries. In September, the communities kicked off with a national meeting. Afterwards, they will be testing the tools from the teacher toolkit for three months before providing their critical feedback.
Objectives of TASC
The main objective of TASC is to create agile, reflective European teachers capable of counteracting violence, discrimination, exclusion, and bullying through a comprehensive skill-building approach that focuses on sustainable communication. The programme emphasizes values such as nonviolent intercultural communication, empathy, and understanding, enabling teachers to integrate EU identity and values into their classrooms. This aligns with five constructs.
Teacher Toolkit (TTK)
A cornerstone of the training programme is the Teacher Toolkit (TTK), designed to support teachers’ continuous development and professionalization. This toolkit includes 15 tools which form a supportive set of resources, exercises and activities for learning, training and applying relevant competences on sustainable communication in professional practices. These tools are aimed at enhancing self-awareness, communication, and intercultural competences. They categorize into five modules with integrated digital competences:
Each module offers tools for fostering critical thinking and sustainable communication strategies, equipping teachers with both theoretical knowledge and practical exercises to address these complex topics.
Examples of tools are ‘collaborative problem solving’, ‘(in)equality in schools’, ‘emotion mapping and self-portrait’, ‘me and my boxfish’ and ‘The non-discrimination path and social biases’.
Testing Phase
The upcoming testing period for the toolkit will now run from September to December 2024, during which teachers will engage with these tools in real-life educational environments. Teachers of the community of practice are all critical friends. Feedback from this phase will be essential for finalizing the toolkit. CoP (Community of Practice) members will test at least 10 tools, providing detailed feedback for improvement.
Impact and Vision
Through TASC, teachers will not only enhance their professional skills but also contribute to societal change by embedding sustainable communication principles in schools. The programme underlines the importance of collaboration, empathy and intercultural understanding, aiming for a broader transformation within the educational sector across Europe.
September kick-off Teacher Board
20/09/2024 – TASC Teacher Board kick off with virtual September meeting: testing and evaluating activities from the Teacher Training Manual
The Teacher Academy Sustainable Communication (TASC) is advancing its mission of fostering social change through education by equipping teachers with vital communication skills. During the European Virtual Meeting on September 18th the focus was on testing and receiving feedback on activities from TASC’s Teacher Training Manual (TTM). The manual supports both pre-service and in-service teachers in developing competences across five key modules: Human Rights and Values, EU Values and Identity, Non-Discrimination and Equity, Understanding Ourselves and Others, and Dialogue.
The meeting facilitated discussions around specific activities from the TTM’s grade A materials. These activities aim to enhance teachers’ understanding of sustainable communication while addressing challenges like equity, cultural diversity, and effective dialogue in educational settings. Feedback gathered during sessions from the teacher board will be crucial for refining the TTM and ensuring its effectiveness in real-world applications.
Teacher board meeting