Would anyone like to know more about European Education?

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Permalink Reply by Maurizio Fantato on April 17, 2010 at 13:09

Hi Mike

I agree with your comment about primary, on the whole the big problems with education are more at secondary level, which is where a Bac system normally tends to perform better than any GCSE/A levels. The key difference between the IB and the EB is that children are required to sit exams in more than one language, by this I don't mean language subjects, but history, geography and so on in. This ensures that children are effectively exposed to a living second and third language, rather than having to learn them simply as part of a curriculum of foreign languages. Other differences such as common curriculum for the entire cycle of education, inspections and exams are also notable. There is also the added bonus that the EB allows pupils the right to access universities across Europe.

Up until a couple of years ago the EB was one of Europe's best kept secrets. It was in fact conceived by parents engaged in Commission's projects as they felt at a disadvantage when they were obliged to move with their families from one country to another. After much pressure they set up a pilot school and then the whole scheme was to a certain extent hijacked by Eurocrats, except that here in the UK, where the first and only school was opened to assist the JET project, there were always more non EU pupils, attracted by the cultural variety, challenges I have mentioned and the fact that parents were also actively engaged in the running of the school.

For my part I was a parent-governor at that school and I am now engaged with other colleagues in an attempt to expand this model in the UK, particularly given that the EU has finally allowed the "opening up" of the system, i.e. not limited only to the licensed schools. And in my humble opinion if the EU had focussed more on this kind of grassroot projects aimed at ensuring that the people of Europe worked together more we'd probably be in a far better position now, but this is another story...

Anyway there is a lot of information on the EU Bac either from within the site of the European Schools System, or even within our own web site www.etee.org.uk and always more than happy to provide more details, but I do think there is definitely an opportunity here for the diversification and enrichment of the UK system.

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Permalink Reply by Maurizio Fantato on April 29, 2010 at 13:08

Forgive me but I am not sure I understand clearly what you are proposing... if you could clarify...
thanks

Maurizio

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Permalink Reply by Frances C .A Gallager on April 30, 2010 at 15:57

Hi Maurizio. I would be delighted to hear more especially re early years to primary 5 and then the next phase.Numeracy and science would be helpful to me.I am involved in a programme for writing Curriculum materials in Scotland and so good to have your input re structure, strategy and assessment etc.I agree that there is good merit in the Advanced' Bac' but need to do more study re this for book 2
Take care

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Permalink Reply by Maurizio Fantato on May 1, 2010 at 6:01

France would you like to send me your contact details (sent them at info@etee.org.uk) so that I can pass this request to one of our Trustee who is a proper expert on curricular matters? We also work closely with the Scottish European Education Trust which may also be of interest to you. Thank you for posting your message!

Frances C .A Gallager said:

Hi Maurizio. I would be delighted to hear more especially re early years to primary 5 and then the next phase.Numeracy and science would be helpful to me.I am involved in a programme for writing Curriculum materials in Scotland and so good to have your input re structure, strategy and assessment etc.I agree that there is good merit in the Advanced' Bac' but need to do more study re this for book 2
Take care

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Permalink Reply by Robert Stephenson on July 31, 2010 at 11:54

Hi Maurizio

I think that you might be interested in a programme that I have developed that teaches social entrepreneurship called Blastbeat that would be very useful for your school / students.
Blastbeat is a fun & exciting Music & Multimedia Business / social enterprise progamme offered to teens and schools around the world. With Blastbeat, students organize themselves into Music & Multimedia Companies (MMCs) to compete in the business programme, planning, promoting and hosting a live music event. Blastbeat utilizes music and multi media to engage with teens, captivating them in a three-month social entrepreneurship co curricular / after schools programme. Blastbeat leverages young people’s passion for music, multimedia, social media, making and sharing friends and money as they have fun learning and experiencing first hand business, technical, inter-personal, intra-personal, team-work, communication, music, social, media & related skills.
Blastbeat also promotes and encourages young original songwriters & musicians, supporting youth communities on a local & global level, empowering teens to create social enterprises creating community and social capital to help bring about change for the good of society. Blastbeat is an essential and very positive initiative working to develop a new generation of young people who want to work in the industry and to build young audiences with a love for live music as they experience the buzz of the live gigging experience.
Blastbeat ran the programme in over 60 schools in London in 2009/ 2010 with support from the DCSF /Dept for Education.

Within the Blastbeat programme there are two competitions in one that help encourage a true sense of real life, exciting social entrepreneurship and creative skills.
A) the social enterprise competition- winners receive mentorship and investment
B) the music competition for competing artists – winners get managed and recorded.
Each member of the company taking on a different job role which include CEO, Company Secretary and managers in Sales, Marketing, Public Relations, Ecology/CSR, Art & Design, Finance, Event, Talent scouting, Web content creation & Video crew, Photographers, Journalist etc ultimately producing a Battle of the Bands concert in order to identify the best musical talent in their neighborhoods. By participating in the Blastbeat programme, teenagers self-confidence, self-belief, self-esteem, social and life skills are boosted enormously. Blastbeat teaches real life creative and business-skills, where teens are creating, learning, and sharing in a structured online & offline environment that is centered on the music & multimedia business. These empowered teens then donate 25% of their profits from their gig to charity, making them young social entrepreneurs
Blastbeat Education UK is bringing Blastbeat programme into schools, youth organisations, or youths in care or to at risk youth groups partners to provide the programme to young people in care who are not in school.
We wish to particularly help underserved teenagers gain real useful and relevant life experiences to promote their personal, social, educational and vocational development preparing them for their role as autonomous, participative and responsible members of society. The programme is supported by educators and facilitated by Blastbeat employees and student mentors giving added value to the student’s school experience after school. We in Blastbeat would like to talk with you about how you can have fun mentoring young promoters /social entrepreneurs in your school as they run their first gig etc.

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