EWC is excited to share that our Schools for Democracy programme in Ukraine has welcomed an unprecedented number of students this year. Over two thousand participants joined our blended learning courses in 2023, and 872 people have already received their certificates of completion. Here’s an overview of some of the impressions the courses made on our students.
For our Development of civic competences through the work of student self-government course, we received over one hundred applications. So far, 42 certificates have been issued. One participant noted that the training enhanced her understanding of the student self-government system, on which the New Ukrainian School places great emphasis.
“The course strengthened our abilities and skills to work productively with the student body, allowing us to implement civic competences without delay,” stated another participant.
Nearly two hundred applications arrived for our Development of civic competences in different subjects course. 145 students took part, with 40 certificates issued. One participant called the experience “meaningful, dynamic, practical, and useful”.
Another noted: “I gained a lot of knowledge, which I immediately applied in my teaching.”
A third student agreed: “At first, eight weeks seemed like a lot. But after completing the training, I just wanted to keep going!”
As for our course on Online school life: how to teach and learn with pleasure, it received over one thousand applications. Nineteen study groups were formed, and 313 participants are now certified.
“This is the best course I have attended,” said one of them, praising the atmosphere created by the trainers to make everyone feel comfortable. She explained: “Much of the material will help us in further work. Everything is clear and accessible. The support from the trainers is remarkable.”
“These are the best courses,” agreed another participant. “I haven’t missed a single class. It was too interesting to see what will happen next time!” As a third student summed up, this was “the perfect course for teachers who want to work in a new way”.
Finally, we received a whopping 1220 applications for our course Listening to children’s voices: the culture of democracy in preschool education. Nearly a thousand students took part, with 477 certificates issued. The participants praised the welcoming atmosphere, accessibility of materials, and the instant responses they received to any questions they posed.
“I thought that taking courses would be difficult and tedious, but I am very pleased that I took this one,” shared a student. Another noted: “Despite the fact that I’ve been working with children for nearly twenty years, I have gained new knowledge about democratic education, which I will use in my classes now.”
Overall, this year’s participants agreed that the Schools for Democracy courses are some of the best available today – not only because of the remarkable knowledge and experience of the trainers, or the wealth of the materials available, but also thanks to the distinctive atmosphere of live communication, support and trust that facilitates a productive exchange of experiences and interaction among the participants.
We are always prepared to welcome new and returning students to our range of courses. To learn more about our free blended learning offer for Ukrainian educators, please follow our website at https://www.schools-for-democracy.org/news or EWC’s Ukrainian Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/schoolsfordemocracy.