European Identity - Individual, Group and Society - HumanitarianNet

THE CONSTRUCTION OF THE EUROPEAN IDENTITY IN THE SCHOOL ... 227—a constant and conscious search for quality: assessment and selfassessment,—the school as a learning organization,—the caring school,—open schools that co-operate with the surrounding localcommunity and civil society,—schools that specifically encourage active citizenship and createdemocratic structures,—schools that get involved in European and international cooperation.The elements of the school as a learning community mentionedbelow have to be seen in strong interaction and in complementaritywith one another. They can only be implemented if there is stronginteraction between them. The implementation of learning communitiesis a work that takes great efforts and requires much time and investments.The gradual progression, the questioning of the implementation andthe evaluation are key elements in the creation of creative learningcommunities.The pedagogical project and the school plan: a solid basisto be updated regularly in co-operation with the local communityA school doesn’t become a learning community automatically. It isthe result of an explicit and deliberate effort which results from aprocess of conscientisation and of changes which are implemented bya whole team inspired by the head of school or by the managementteam of the school supported by the board of governors of the schoolconcerned 11 .Each school which intends to develop a learning community willhave to introduce at one or other moment this notion in its pedagogicalproject and in its school plan. The pedagogical project being thebasic text which highlights the big objectives (or ideals) which thewhole pedagogical, administrative and technical team of the school setthemselves in co-operation with the local community. The school planis more the implementation of this pedagogical project over a period ofone to three years. The school plan can also be built together with thelocal community.11Universal Forum of Cultures Barcelona 2004: Proceedings of the Internationalseminar on Learning Communities, Barcelona 5-6 October 2001.