Skills and Well-being In Teacher Learning Opportunities

Background

SWITLO project evolves from our teacher development course, Teaching and Learning in Difficult Times (TLiDT), initiated in August 2022 to help Ukrainian teachers navigate the challenges of teaching during wartime. You can learn more about the course, its participants and outcomes here.

In August 2023, TLiDT was revamped in response to Ministry of Education requests and participants’ feedback, aiming to expand its reach to more teachers nationwide.

Aim

The SWITLO project supports teachers in:

a) building a strong community of practice through interaction and reflection
b) empowering them to design their own CPD programme based on their needs.

It is based on the Teacher Activity Groups (TAGs), where teachers learn from each other. This approach offers sustainable continuing professional development (CPD) opportunities for teachers.

The SWITLO project created opportunities for English teachers in Ukraine to come together in professional communities within their schools and local areas. These were established as Teacher Activity Groups, each led by a Facilitator.

A Facilitator helps create an environment in which teachers can exchange ideas, share resources and work together to improve their teaching practice. The idea behind this type of community is close collaboration, learning from one another and lifelong professional development. Participants who felt ready to set up Teacher Activity Groups and become facilitators in their school or community joined the project and completed the training.

Community leaders learned how to establish and lead their own professional communities, organise group activities in an effective manner, facilitate meaningful discussions, foster collaboration and support the professional development of Teacher Activity Group participants.

Each facilitator received a set of practical resources during the training, along with mentoring support from the British Council, to help them run Teacher Activity Groups effectively, hold regular meetings and create space for meaningful reflection on both achievements and challenges.

One of the project’s most significant achievements was its reach across the country. Today, more than 5,000 teachers in over 500 Teacher Activity Groups meet regularly for professional development sessions, learning with and from one another.

Another important part of the project was the creation of 20 Teacher Activity Groups specifically for community leaders. These groups give leaders a space to support one another and continue growing and learning together. They are now working successfully in different regions across Ukraine.

• “I was surprised how TAG meeting brought us together as a team, gave sense of community” (Oksana, Kyiv region)

• “I was surprised by the level of passion and dedication my colleagues showed at my TAG activity group. Despite our busy schedules, everyone was eager to share their experiences, strategies and find time for our meeting” (Viktoriia, Vinnytsia region)

• “The high level of enthusiasm and engagement from teachers was pleasantly surprising. All participants were eager to collaborate, share ideas, and learn from one another, which fostered a positive and dynamic group environment” (Alla, Dnipro region)

• “Overall, I am most proud of the supportive community we have built, the positive impact on teaching practices, and the empowerment of educators within our TAG… The future of the TAG looks promising, with opportunities for growth, innovation, and sustained professional development…” ( Liubov, Lviv region)

• “…Facilitation might just be the source of insights, frameworks and ideas we are missing in the quest to make lessons the best they can be” (Svitlana, Vinnytsia region)

• “Telling the truth, I haven’t expected such a fantastic result. It is a success, and I am proud of my group. I am proud of everyone as they had to do quite a lot of Preparation/Reflection/paper work beside their teaching at school. Moreover, some of the colleagues had to travel nearly 60 km to get to our site and they haven’t missed any of the meetings!...” (Oksana, Cherkasy region)

• “I see our TAG growing stronger, with teachers learning and working together more. As the TAG facilitator, I will help guide this growth, support teacher development, and ensure our activities stay useful and engaging” (Oksana, Odesa region)

• «I see the future of my TAG as a thriving community where members are actively engaged, continually learning, and collaboratively working towards common goals. As the TAG facilitator, I envision my role evolving to include more members» (Maryna, Ivano-Frankivsk region).

• “The course was perfectly organised and I learned a lot from it. However, the most important thing is that the course rested on a hands-on approach to teaching, learning, and facilitating”

• “Our group of future facilitators was very supportive, everyone shared the information and experiences that were interesting and useful for using in my teaching practice. I had a chance to improve my facilitating skills and become more confident in what I am going to do during my future TAG meetings.  I really enjoyed the facilitators' work. They involved me in the activities and helped to feel more comfortable during the microfacilitating”.

• “I anticipated an interactive learning experience, and this expectation was met through various group discussions, role-playing exercises, and collaborative activities. These elements made the course engaging and allowed for practical application of the concepts”.

•  “I had a fruitful time with experienced and supportive trainers and got lots of ideas to implement into my teaching practice. I feel inspired to be involved in TAGs and organise one in my community”.

• “My biggest learning point is how to gather people to the TAG and unite them with the common goal of sharing thoughts and experiences in a safe environment”.

• “Facilitating a TAG can bring a deep sense of purpose, knowing that you're helping educators enhance their skills and, ultimately, improve student outcomes”.

• “I believe it's my real role. There is a feeling like finally I found myself in the right place with the like-minded people”.

• “I feel very enthusiastic and inspired to be a TAG facilitator as I always wanted to share my teaching experience with my colleagues and gain some valuable experiences from them in fruitful cooperation”.

• “Thanks a lot for such an opportunity. It's completely new for me because it's my first experience in such events. I would like to try more because I see my growth as a teacher as well as a facilitator with the help of colleagues that I met here”.

• “I'm really grateful for brining TAGs into our teaching routine in Ukraine, we need a lot of changes, thank you for this!”

• “I must confess that I was on the edge of burning out and had almost decided to change my job when I was invited to become a member of the TAG meetings. The timing was perfect. Not only have our students been enduring difficult times over the last 3 to 4 years, but teachers as well. Teaching during challenging periods, including quarantine and then war, has tested even the most experienced and resilient educators. I was not prepared to cope with all these difficulties and my own stress simultaneously, which made it difficult for me to help my learners. TAG meetings have brought significant changes. I have become more aware of teaching strategies for difficult times and received support from my facilitator and colleagues. I have noticed that new strategies are effective and very helpful. As a result, I am very satisfied with my participation and the knowledge I have gained. Currently, I feel confident, inspired, and motivated to continue teaching” (Lesya, Cherkary region)

• “It’s been a great pleasure to be a part of TAG community and have great opportunities for ongoing professional development, feeling the sense of community, communicating, collaborating , brainstorming solutions with my colleagues, so I will definitely continue participating in TAG meetings” (Oksana, Cherkasy region