Schools in Croatia – meeting with the school coordinators in September!

The school coordinators from the five Start the Change schools from Croatia and FFE’s project team met face to face and discussed the model of two important activities ahead: the focus groups with students that will help in identifying students’ needs  and teacher training. These activities were discussed in the reality of schools in Croatia facing the COVID 19 crisis. The meeting took place on the beginning of the new school year in September as all participants recognized the need to re-evaluate all anticipated project activities and discuss the best options for both the schools, in a need of support, and for the project objectives, which is empowering teachers and students in actively starting positive changes in their communities.

The school coordinators shared the implications of the nationally declared COVID 19 measures that each school had to implement, and it was discussed how it would impact the anticipated activities of the Start the Change project. Both activities, focus groups with students and teacher training, required thinking on the best approach in the current situation and what would be the most realistic. Despite the COVID-19 measures and its limitations, all participants agreed and cheered to aim to hold both activities alive and to make the backup plan for the online model if the situation changes in any of the schools considering the risk of new lockdown, self-isolation or change to the online teaching.

Beside these discussions, it was great opportunity to meet the teachers from these school and realize the amount of enthusiasm that these teachers have for their job and students. More than ever, this enthusiasm was apparent as the challenges of creating the safe learning environment for students was becoming obviously harder to achieve.

Our intention is to present their work and contribution to this project. As the focus groups are taking place with the FFE researchers, the students and teachers at these schools and their activities in this project will be intensively followed and promoted.

START THE CHANGE SCHOOLS IN CROATIA:

Ivan Meštrović Primary School

Commercial and Trade Vocational School Bjelovar

High School Dugo Selo

Medical School for Nursing Vrapče

Vocational school for Administrative Management Zagreb