Empowering teachers personal, professional and social continuous development through innovative peer-induction programmes
Start:28/02/2021 – End: 27/02/2024
Project reference: 626148-EPP-1-2020-2-PT-EPPKA3-PI-POLICY
LOOP: Empowering Teachers project was created with the aim of transforming the professional development of teachers in Europe through the creation and implementation of innovative peer initiation programs. This approach places the teacher at the center, understanding them as a key figure for educational quality and social and personal progress. LOOP is committed to continuous personal, professional, and social development throughout the entire teaching career, through strategies based on mentoring and support.
LOOP is primarily aimed at two groups: on the one hand, new teachers who are just starting out in the profession, and on the other, experienced teachers and school leaders who are taking on a new role as mentors. The project proposes a formal induction program designed to help new teachers adapt to their professional environment, addressing both pedagogical aspects and legal, administrative, and cultural issues specific to the schools where they are joining. This induction is not simply initial training, but a tool to facilitate immersion and consolidation in the institutional culture of the school.
At the same time, LOOP promotes a training program for mentors, aimed at experienced education professionals who want to contribute to the development of their younger colleagues.
In addition to designing these two fundamental tools, LOOP has developed a teaching career model that establishes the conceptual and structural framework that should guide induction and mentoring processes in any education system. This model has been tested and validated in real contexts through pilot tests in schools in seven European countries: Greece, Croatia, Italy, Portugal, Spain, Slovenia, and Germany. Through this experimentation, conclusions have been drawn about the feasibility, impact, and challenges associated with implementing these tools in different national contexts.
Finally, LOOP culminates with the drafting of a White Paper that includes strategic recommendations for the structural integration of induction and mentoring programs within national education policies. This document aims to serve as a guide for policymakers and educational institutions that want to commit to a teaching profession that is better supported, recognized, and sustained over time.
