PARENTS
What do parents think?
“The learning environment is very important for our children. Make it challenging when necessary but do make sure there are places for relaxation as well.”
‘Individualize as much as possible: in class if possible, outside class when necessary.’
‘Step away from classical teaching. Prepare our children for a digital future, a future which changes quickly.’
‘Involve as many external partners as possible. Bring the world into the school and take the students outside the school walls.’
FORMER STUDENTS
What do former students think?
“The teacher makes a difference. If he/she truly cares for the students, you can feel it. You learn more from someone you trust.”
“A teacher who can connect to the students’ world is a teacher that connects to the students.”
“Humour is so important. Laughter is always followed by concentration.”
“Which teachers are valuable? Teachers that loved their students, teachers that loved their subject, teachers that loved teaching besides their subject, teachers that truly listened.”
“International contacts, extra-curricular activities, having fun in between classes was always important for me. If I can learn in different ways, then, I will always choose that first.”
STUDENTS
What do students think?
“The teacher makes a difference. If he/she truly cares for the students, you can feel it. You learn more from someone you trust.”
“A teacher who can connect to the students’ world is a teacher that connects to the students.”
“Humour is so important. Laughter is always followed by concentration.”
“Which teachers are valuable? Teachers that loved their students, teachers that loved their subject, teachers that loved teaching besides their subject, teachers that truly listened.”
“International contacts, extra-curricular activities, having fun in between classes was always important for me. If I can learn in different ways, then, I will always choose that first.”
STAFF
What does the staff think?
“A school should be more than the place where you teach: if teachers can create a inspirational environment, more students will be willing to learn.”
“I believe in co-teaching: it provides different solutions to all kinds of current challenges. If you interpret co-teaching as different ways of teaching together, then I am convinced it is key to let students learn.”
“A policy that ‘walks the talks’ is what we need. The vision of the school should be clear inside the school, in the behaviour of everyone who works and lives there, during breaks, lessons and extra-curricular activities. If students know what to expect, they can learn better.”
“I learn better if I learn from a colleague that I trust. It’s the same with students: they learn better if they learn from a teacher or a peer that they trust. Invest in your relationship with your students and in the relationships between the students. A healthy class atmosphere is a healthy learning environment.”
“Subject matter is important, but students should also master a set of skills that you can’t learn inside a class room. It’s important to always keep in touch with the rest of the world. Invite role models, visit companies, organise exchange programmes, …”
EXTERNAL PARTNERS
What do external partners think?
“If all children were tomatoes, making tomato soup would be easy.”
“Every school is different. Your goal should be to become the best possible version of the school you already are.”
“Internal motivation comes from seeing the added value of ànd consiously choosing for a personally suitable study field, not for what society things is valuable.”
“Successful education is the result of asking WHY before WHAT and HOW.”
“Education needs to focus on cohesiveness as an antidote for the applauded generation. They can learn from failure and from each other.”
“Just place the students in an environment where they feel encouraged to create, add a spice of inspiration, and then give them a purpose to learn that they can relate to – and you’ll be amazed at the results.”
