Breaking boundaries: Teacher-led Learning Circles in Uruguay persist to develop promising formative assessment practice
Unlike primary school teachers involved in the Teacher-led Learning Circles for Formative Assessment (T3LFA) project in its six other countries, the 20 teachers participating Uruguay have been involved in an accelerated programme of Professional Learning and Development (PLD).
Beginning at the start of July 2023 and concluding in December of the same year, with the support of EI member organisation FUMTEP, teachers in Uruguay met once a fortnight to successfully complete the project’s planned seven workshops, three tutorial and two networking events in a total of six months rather than the usual year.
Despite the shortened project timeline, teachers in Uruguay were able to develop their leadership projects to identify promising formative assessment practices that transformed learning in their classrooms.
By using the T3LFA projects resources as guidance rather than a strict framework, participants in Uruguay reflected one of the projects core aspirations: that it is a PLD programme that is flexible enough to support teachers meet the needs of diverse pools of students in classrooms anywhere.
Teachers in Uruguay have been sharing their experiences participating in the project’s cycle not only with those in their circles, but also in their wider educational communities. In the two Uruguayan circles, the climate of exchange was so strong that the project’s national researcher Dr Eloísa Bordoli has reported that materials and experiences were exchanged beyond the requirements of the project itself.
The positive reports of the impact of the PLD opportunity on teachers, schools and communities across Uruguay is particularly significant as it is occurring in a context where teachers are increasingly subject to stricter planning, control and are facing salary reductions because of a government imposed ‘Educational Transformation’ programme.
The value of the T3LFA project could not be clearer since the 20 teachers in two circles persisted in participating in learning circles despite the pressures that accompanied government reforms. Work therefore must continue to provide teachers with teacher-led PLD opportunity to use leadership skills to determine what pedagogical practices best guide students on learning journeys in inclusive quality public education systems.
Want to see photos from the most recent Latin America Cross Regional Learning Event, where participants from Uruguay met with those from Brazil? Take a look at our Flikr album.
Are you interested in finding out more or even keep up to date with the next phase of the project? Visit the T3LFA project page on the EI website.
