We invite teachers, educators and schools to join our growing human-centred learning community.
We work with schools and school leaders to develop programmes or interventions which support the education of the whole person. This includes supporting the development of curricula and providing opportunities for professional development and reflection. We also facilitate opportunities for teaching and leadership teams to reflect deeply on their own values and visions of education, supporting them to provide holistic learning opportunities in their schools.
We currently support school by:
- Providing grants/seed funds to help teachers start HCE programmes;
- Supporting senior leaders’ professional development;
- Facilitating teachers’ professional dialogue around whole person learning and well-being;
- Providing collaborative guidance and mentorship on specific programmes in areas such as:
- students’ social-emotional well-being
- students’ cognitive development (creative and critical thinking)
- vertical mentoring (adult to student)
- peer-to-peer and group mentoring (for both students and teachers)
- supporting teachers to become reflective practitioners and researchers.
Every school and learning centre is different; we work closely with schools to identify their particular needs and interests and collaborate with teachers in developing programmes, initiatives and action-based research appropriate to the particular settings.
If you have any questions or are interested in working with us please do get in contact via our website.
Below are some examples of our current work with schools:
* HCE pilot in a British Secondary School *
2018 marked the completion of a three-year HCE (pre)pilot in a small SEND setting, within a large secondary academy in the UK. The project involved:
- Facilitated dialogue and reflection with the staff team on the process of becoming a human-centred learning community with shared values.
- The introduction of protected time, every week, for a class of students to participate in the three core HCE curriculum areas (direction/mentoring time, cognitive development time, and emotional exploration time).
- Ongoing teacher training, staff support/mentoring in the process of becoming HCE practitioners.
Students participating in the programme showed significant shifts in their attitudes towards and abilities to engage with learning. Students were more self-aware and confident, more able to think critically and communicate their thinking, and more able to relate to both peers and adults in caring, respectful and meaningful ways.
Following the success of the programme, the school have embarked on a further 2-year programme with a new group of young people aged 14-16. For more detail of the original pilot please see full report.
* HCE in a Colombian Secondary School *
In a school in Tebaida, Quindio, Colombia, 65 students and 5 core staff members are currently taking part in three weekly HCE activities, as part of a HCE pilot programme:
- one-to-one mentoring with a learning mentor;
- a group-based social emotional exploration session with a facilitator;
- a cognitive development session.
Each month, the GHFP facilitates professional dialogue amongst the team of 5 teachers directly involved in the pilot. Each term, we bring together the entire staff team of 30 teachers to review the HCE pilot programmes and students’ progress. Our team is also evaluating the pilot, including interviews with 23 students and participating teachers, alongside a survey of 50 participating students (and 50 non-participating students) on student self-conceptions, at the beginning and end of the pilot.
Entering the second year of the pilot, the school is pleased with the students’ progress and is considering implementing the full HCE vision and practices in the entire school. We are now collaborating with the School Principal and senior leadership team in tailoring the HCE to the whole school.
* Facilitating Teachers’ Professional Development, Dumfries House, Ayrshire *
In winter 2018, the GHFP facilitated a 2-day professional dialogue with educators at Dumfries House, Ayrshire. This included:
- Part I: Sharing each educator’s learning biography;
- Part II: Exploring and developing a common vision of education at Dumfries House;
- Part III: Aligning teaching and learning practices with the shared vision;
- Part IV: Reflecting on ways to integrate a culture of dialogue and inquiry.
The GHFP continues to facilitate Dumfries House’s staff professional development and dialogue.
* Facilitating Professional Dialogue, an international IB school in London *
The GHFP is accompanying the school’s journey towards educational innovation and transformation. Highlights of our support include exploring a rich conception of student well-being beyond mental health and approaches to staff well-being and development. The school are in the process of developing and integrating a HCE peer-mentoring programme and social-emotional exploration time into their curriculum.