This year’s Worldwide Innovative teachers forum was combined with the Worldwide Innovative Schools forum to create the Microsoft Worldwide Education Forum (does that make any sense?).
Over 110 applications were submitted globally by schools who were wishing to take part in the programme. Out of these 110+ schools 30 schools were chosen to attend the Innovative Schools Forum in Brazil. Two of these schools were from the UK and both were from Scotland. It’s also worth noting that Scotland was the only country in the world to have two schools represented at the forum – the applications must have been good!
The two Scottish schools were:
- Stirling High School
- Calderglen High School
As part of the schools strand of the forum the schools set up displays on the Tuesday evening about their schools and their local contexts. The displays also contained information and ideas for possible curriculum change, models of future curriculum architecture and individual school vision. The two Scottish Schools are shown below:
Stirling High School, Stirling
Calderglen High School, South Lanarkshire
It was interesting looking around the school displays (until Kristen kicked me out!).
One of the things that struck me was how much attention Stirling High School were getting. On the Stirling stand the Principles of Curriculum Design within A Curriculum for Excellence (CfE) were proudly on display as the schools vision.
The principles and priorities seemed to impress many of the international delegates - particularly when they found out it was actually Scotland's vision. I found this very reassuring and although I know there may still be confusion about A Curriculum for Excellence at local level its nice to have in reinforced that we have the big picture thinking right.
There are two types of Microsoft School within the schools programme - Pathfinder Schools and Mentor Schools. Both Stirling and Claderglen are Pathfinder schools. You can find out more information about the Microsoft Innovative Schools proramme here.
I'm really looking forward to seeing the impact of the event on the two school over the next twelve months.
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