Escola da Ponte

Dear all,

Here's some information about "Escola da Ponte", a portuguese state school with an innovative project. This information was taken from their website.

"The students aren't distributed by school years, or by classes. The students that enter the first cycle in "Escola da Ponte" start by sharing a space that is called "Initialisation". In this space the kids learn the bases of reading and writing on a natural method approach.

Here they also learn to work autonomously in diverse areas of the curriculum, working in group and being people... In the "Initialisation" the children elaborate, together with a teacher, a fortnightly plan that is "negotiated " amongst them all.

When they are able to read and write with some corrections, solve some elementary calculations, help and be helped by the others, they move on the " transaction " space, which is characterised by group work and research. The children help to elaborate their individual plan.

When they are able to work in group, elaborate research work, do auto-planning and auto-evaluations, as well as dominate a determined number of goals in the different curriculum areas, they are able to autonomously manage their learning time and space in what is called " working in freedom and in great level", in total autonomy.

In the beginning of each fortnight they elaborate their own working plan, negotiate amongst themselves and the teachers. They elaborate individual plans everyday, not forgetting the school, the groups and their own interests. At the end of every fortnight they proceed in auto-evaluating their plan according to the development of the project."

For more information about this school, click here to visit their website or email me and I'll send you more info.

Love,

Lena.

P.S.- Did everybody get the letters we wrote each other? I got mine... thanks, Lisa!