The steep influx of immigrants over the past 15 years or so, has taken local schools by storm. There is substantial goodwill from many who strive to nurture schools that are truly inclusive. Yet, structures and traditions in education might have been slow to adapt to this rapid change, leaving educators struggling to keep up. This SiG seeks to bring educators together to articulate a vision, unearth good practices, whilst identifying systemic hurdles that need to be addressed.
There is so much to be gained by educators having a collective voice and ownership of their work. Educators’ wellbeing, stronger communities, democratic participation in decision making and ultimately the consequent improvement in learning are all tangible benefits worth pursuing. Many of these aspects, wellbeing and inclusion in particular, have been identified as lynchpins of our National Strategy for Education (2025-2030). Cooperatives in education, including cooperative schools, provide a useful instrument in bringing about this much needed paradigm shift. This SiG seeks to understand experiences of cooperative experiences in schools, especially cooperative schools the world over with a view of exploring and promoting possibilities in the local context.
