EMOTION ACTIVATES LEARNING
Neurodidactics
Neuroscience is a new discipline that aims to optimize teaching and learning processes based on current knowledge about the functioning of the human brain.
This transdisciplinary approach, which brings together research in neuroscience, psychology and pedagogy. It is precisely from these new researches that Neurodidactics arises, based on the new knowledge of neuroscience as a precept for change in the methodology of teaching in the classroom.
All this has led us to change, where teachers have been trained in neurodidactics and in different active methodologies to unify the methodology we have been applying and allows us to program the curriculum in a more global way.
From here is born an R&D team made up of interlevel staff who work for innovation looking to the future with enthusiasm, living and understanding the present and learning from accumulated experiences. It allows us to create our own design of teaching units, introduce innovative methodologies (cooperative work, gamification, flipped classroom, etc.) and modify the evaluation system, in a more clearly competent way, designing learning experiences in the form of challenges.
Contents: Curricular contents are worked through projects and centers of interest that include an interdisciplinary approach. The activities proposed in the centers of interest and / or projects are contextualized in the own experiences, motivations and needs of the child, for this reason the learning is significant.
Classroom Architecture: We generate a positive emotional climate in the classroom, which is very important to facilitate learning. Along with this, according to the social nature of the human being, the physical environment that allows the necessary interaction between the students is also very important.
We encourage cooperative behavior. Cooperating, rather than competing, enhances classroom learning. Therefore, we change the organization and layout of the classrooms, tables, chairs, location of the teacher, … allowing the essential interaction between students.
We are building a learning community; we open the doors of the classroom to the outside, that is, any space in the school is a learning corner, students of different ages share spaces and knowledge, teachers collaborate, families participate and they create links with the real world. We are a learning community built together. We attach great importance to the active participation of families and to intercycle activities.
Methodology: The student is the active protagonist of his learning. The teacher poses challenges and projects that encourage their autonomy and creativity. The teacher accompanies them, creates situations in which children have to formulate hypotheses, helps them in resolving their doubts and in drawing their own conclusions. On an affective and emotional level it encourages and positively reinforces them in all their achievements. And for that, there is nothing better than using the enormous opportunities that educational tools offer us, such as digital technologies, materials made by the school, suitable for the class group…
The important thing is the process, not the result, so we focus mainly on teaching the so-called executive functions of the brain, those that allow us to plan and make appropriate decisions such as self-control, working memory (short-term memory we use when reading or reflecting) or cognitive flexibility.
Learning is facilitated through challenges, curiosity, the unexpected. And that’s why we use digital games or technologies with defined learning goals. Because the uncertainty associated with the game and the feedback generated during it, activate the brain reward system of the student motivating and thus facilitating their learning. The playful component and physical exercise are very important.
Memory and learning: Of course there is no learning without memory but we make proper use of it knowing that memory is selective and that emotion is a key to remembering what is being learned. Learning is the set of all the experiences and experiences acquired over a period of time and which the child keeps inside him as a treasure.
Assessment: In school each child is considered unique and different and therefore the assessment of their learning must take into account their own maturational development so it is necessary to consider a wide variety of aspects such as their personal effort, the their participation. Individual learning goals are indicators of personal progress.
LANGUAGES MAKE US CITIZENS OF THE WORLD
Language project
The Túrbula School Center Language Project (PLC), as part of the Center Education Project (PEC), aims to be a multilingual project that regulates the use of languages in the different areas of the school. According to the Linguistic Model proposed by the Department of Education, language must also be considered as an instrument for the personal, academic and professional development of students, and as a guarantee of social equity.
The Catalan language is becoming the backbone of the multilingual educational project and is the vehicular language of teaching and learning. The recognition of having to learn two languages, Catalan and Spanish, is a privilege that opens the door to develop in a pluralistic society open to other cultures. To promote its use, we work with our students on different projects throughout their school life in our community, such as “Story Time”, the School Magazine, The Floral Games or the creation of radio podcasts .
With regard to foreign languages, the school has chosen to offer English as a first foreign language and German as a second. The introduction of French from the first year of ESO is also being valued.
Contact with English begins at the Kindergarten and its continuity is guaranteed during the stages of Infant Education, Primary Education, Secondary Education and Baccalaureate. Since 2009, the center has been participating in different educational innovation projects from the English language area:
- Experimental Program of Foreign Languages (PELE). Areas involved: Music and English. Stage: E.S.O.
- Comenius program. Areas involved: Music and English. Stage: E.S.O.
- Comprehensive Foreign Languages Plan (PILE). Areas involved: Visual and Plastic Arts Education and English. Stage: Primary Education.
- Experimental Group for Plurilingualism (GEP). Areas involved: Visual and Plastic Arts Education, Culture and Ethical Values and English. Stages: Primary and Secondary Education.
- E-Twinning project with different schools in Europe – English language (Primary and Secondary)
Following this line of innovation, it is considered a priority to carry out exchanges with other schools during the post-compulsory stage of Baccalaureate, in order to increase the exposure of students to the English language. Also in this direction is the project promoted by UNESCO, Ignite your Passion, which has begun in the 2019-20 academic year, and which has the participation of university volunteers from different countries of the world who teach workshops in English in the ESO students, with the aim of acquiring the knowledge and skills to promote sustainable development.
We work in non-linguistic areas in English through the CLIL approach, from Early Childhood Education to High School. Also, 4th ESO students make the final study trip to London, a project that began in 2009 and aims to bring students into direct contact with English culture and language.
Since the 2014-15 academic year, there has been an extracurricular activity aimed at students who want to take the official Cambridge exams (PET and FCE).
The collaboration of the conversation assistants in all the educational stages of the center represents a vital resource in the context of our school, as it offers the opportunity to both teachers and students to practice the English language with natives within the school context.
The second foreign language, German, is introduced in the 3rd year of ESO and is an optional subject that is compulsory for two years with continuity in the Baccalaureate as an extracurricular activity.
In short, throughout school life we offer our students the opportunity to master both Catalan and Spanish, and know at least one or two foreign languages to learners and users become able to communicate and access to knowledge in a plurilingual and pluricultural environment.
WE ARE ALL THE SAME, WE ARE ALL DIFFERENT
Attention to diversity and siei
The entire faculty of the center is aware of the need to treat our students individually to help them progress academically and humanely according to their uniqueness. Therefore, the center has a Diversity Care Project through which we provide the necessary human and material resources to ensure, as far as possible, the proper care of students.
We advise, accompany and establish means of coordination with the different external services (EAP, CDIAP, CSMIJ, etc.) in order to guarantee the adequate attention of these students and their families.
Túrbula is an inclusive school with the resource SIEI (Intensive Support for Inclusive Schooling) that has extraordinary staff of professionals incorporated into the staff to meet students with special educational needs who need it.
This model requires the involvement of all members of the educational community: Families, Teachers and Students and modern and operational resources with which the school is endowed thanks, mainly, to the financial contributions of families.
CITIZENS OF THE FUTURE
Academic Guidance
Our Center, from the Guidance Department, organizes different actions that accompany the student throughout his training process at the School.
The most relevant actions in terms of student follow-up are:
- Intervention in individual attention to students at the request of the tutor.
- Design of individual action plans for the improvement of the student.
- Psychotechnical tests for the psychological evaluation of the student.
- Preparation of school guidance reports.
- Advice on professional future projects for students.
The most relevant actions in terms of professional monitoring are:
- Training in personnel selection techniques.
- Carrying out internships in companies in the Cycles and Baccalaureate.
- Dual Training in Training Cycles which combines learning in a company with academic training.
- Job placement through our Job Bank.
- Service for advising and recognizing learning through work experience.
