Philosophy and Principles
Respect and Autonomy
We create an environment that fosters respect among all members: it is not only students who are expected to show respect towards their peers and teachers, but also teachers towards their students. We never expect things of our students that we do not apply ourselves.
Students learn the value of respect as a personal responsibility towards the people with whom they co-exist and not through methods that cultivate feelings of fear and apprehension.
Learning, academic integrity and avoidance of academically dishonest practices such as plagiarism and cheating are also cultivated as each student’s responsibility. Students actively agree to follow rules and the teacher trusts them on the basis of this agreement. In this way, learning becomes a process in which students participate responsibly, willingly and autonomously.
21st Century Skills
Our goal is not only to teach the language but to also educate students in their role as future citizens. We teach students values and skills that will allow them to have a meaningful presence in our constantly changing world. Creativity, critical thinking, self-discipline, cooperation, the ability to solve problems and conduct research, and the awareness of and interest in urgent issues such as the environment or social injustice are some of the values and skills our students develop through our lessons.
Homework-free holidays
We keep the meaning of “holidays” intact and never assign homework during the holidays. Homework during the holidays does not improve students’ performance nor does it increase their knowledge of a given subject. On the contrary, research has proven that assigning homework during the holidays takes away the mental and emotional benefits of spending quality time with family and friends, having mental breaks and engaging in play. Indeed, heavy workload, especially during the holidays, has proven to be counterproductive.
Promoting Student Voice
We promote student voice and replace teacher-centered frameworks with student-centered frameworks.
The figure of the teacher as an unquestionable authority changes—teachers act as guides and facilitators in the learning process. Students have the chance to act more freely and autonomously within the learning framework they are given, while the feedback that comes from them is considered particularly important.
This means that teachers themselves are also assessed, students cooperate with teachers and become confident agents with their own initiative that willingly participate in the learning process as, for the first time, the most importance aspect of education is taken into consideration: students themselves!
A successful lesson for us is one in which the voice of the student is heard more and the voice of the teacher less.
Embracing Mistakes
Mistakes are treated as going hand in hand with learning. Students learn to accept them without fear and treat them as an inevitable and necessary tool for them to improve and learn.
Methodology
Cutting-Edge Methodologies
Our methodologies and approaches are always based on research and on the latest developments in education and (foreign) language teaching and learning.
Ongoing Growth
As educators, we recognize our need and responsibility for continuous professional development through our participation in seminars and workshops.
Exam Independence
We are not an exam-based centre, and we do not teach the English language solely for the sake of exams. Our goal is to teach the language meaningfully and, as such, language learning does not revolve around exams.
Instruction in English
Our lessons are conducted in the English language, while our mother tongue is used as a helping tool when necessary.
Contextual Assessment
Our students are not assessed on the memorization of language rules within strictly controlled contexts which they will only encounter in the classroom.
Practical Application
Our students are given meaningful and concrete contexts within which to use the language they are taught. They learn to use the language to communicate in a number of useful and realistic situations and for different purposes. This is what makes language learning successful.
Structured Instruction
Language and its rules are taught through carefully designed and structured activities.
Holistic Learning
Our goal in each lesson is to practise all skills (reading, writing, listening, speaking). For this reason, different lessons simply place more emphasis on different skills, while students are never passive recipients of knowledge without being given the chance to apply that knowledge themselves.
Comprehensive Evaluation
Students are assessed both throughout each unit and at the end of each unit (formative and summative assessment). Our goal is to provide ongoing feedback to students and monitor their progress as well as identify whether our teaching goals have been met. Assessment consists of tests, projects, take-home exams, oral assessments, writing assignments and oral participation
Our teaching is based on:
Brain-based learning
We optimize learning conditions for the brain based on neuroscience, nurturing children’s innate curiosity and creating an inclusive environment with meaningful content.
This means that we strive to keep children’s innate desire for learning and inquiry alive, to create a pleasant environment of acceptance and inclusion and offer content and context that students find meaningful and valuable.
CLIL
The language is learned by studying and learning a content-based subject, such as science, technology, geography, literature, history, philosophy or art.
As such, foreign languages are learned in a natural way and within a concrete and meaningful context, motivating students to learn and increasing their engagement.
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