The SEK Educational System is based on the exploration of concepts, research and the development of competencies that encourage critical thought and creativity. SEK students learn strategies that will permit them, throughout their lives, to be autonomous, self-assured and able to learn independently.Based on our innovative SEK Intelligent Classroom model, and the learning principles of the IB and NEASC, we have designed a Future Learning Model that offers personalized learning pathways for each student that foster collaboration, autonomy and the construction of meaning, and makes then future-ready for the third millennium
The SEK Future Learning Model includes an integrated learning and teaching sequence that brings together key elements such as: clear pedagogical objectives, innovative teaching methods, new dimensions for the roles of teachers and students, motivating tasks and diversified and authentic assessment.
The model also includes digitalization of learning when appropriate, and the central role of professional learning of the teaching staff. Likewise, it specifies the technology that our classrooms require to effectively deploy our unique learning sequence. Enriched learning processes take place in specially designed physical or digital environments depending on the pedagogical purpose they serve.
The central ideas of this model are:
We distilled the Future Learning Model into eight key dimensions that impact on learning. They are:
We have an overarching central idea:
and two guiding goals:
The Sequence is the backbone of the learning and teaching model. It enables a holistic view of learning, and links with the IB and NEASC accreditation.
Evaluation is a key element of the learning and teaching process. Our process of evaluation uses our innovative Evidence for Learning protocols.
Our goals for evaluation are:
We will nurture student agency to enable self-directed, independent learning pathways for students.
Learning Technology is a key to supporting self-directed, autonomous learning, and enables a holistic approach to learning.
Staff self-directed learning will be enabled through collaborative professional inquiries and co-created and shared micro-innovations.
We will allow diversity of values, beliefs, and cultures to flourish. We will make this visible through our global citizenship and social innovation programme.
We will nurture a culture of quality through a diverse range of internal and external processes of quality assurance.
The SEK Profile, developed in collaboration with student representatives from all SEK schools, describes the competencies (characteristics, traits, skills and attitudes) that we want all members of the SEK community to practice, develop and evince. It also takes into account their learning and development in all academic areas, both curricular and extracurricular.
We embrace diversity and believe that all students have unique talents that, through diverse experiences, can be discovered and nurtured. The SEK Profile celebrates the aspects of our students learning experiences that highlight their individuality and ability to face the world with confidence and resilience.
Communication
Wellbeing and health
Critical thinking, inquiry, entrepreneurship and focus on solutions
Global citizenship, social innovation and community action
Leadership, adventure and expedition experience
World of work
Digital competence and citizenship
Arts and cultural commitment
Personal achievement
Our primary goal is to ensure a seamless and quality learning process during this new school year, offering a teaching and learning model according to the academic, social and emotional needs of each student.
At SEK Education Group we will remain up-to-date with the official guidelines and instructions from the public authorities during the pandemic. We learned a lot about the different learning possibilities that exist according to the needs of the students and their context. Therefore, we achieved the most adequate guidelines for all our students’ learning.
In these circumstances the school is prepared to ensure immediately the continuity of the academic process online (or hybrid mode) whatever the needs may be. The SEK educational model is based on the following principles:
Many families have asked us why we manage the online learning experience in a certain way and, also, about online behaviour of students.
Allow us to share with you some online teaching and behavioural principles:
One of the essential elements of the Future Learning Model (FLM) is the agency, co-creation and self-led learning of students, so that they can jointly develop and create their own learning pathways.
The tasks carried out at SEK Schools implicitly carry real learning experiences in which students solve real-world problems and include issues related to global citizenship and social innovation.
Our strategic lines include creating spaces for Professional Learning and Collaborative Planning (AP&PC), to improve learning and teaching, through commitment and professional belonging, and the development of teachers’ skills and capacities. The ongoing and continuous training of our teachers is one of the keys to the success of the SEK Educational System.
The use of technology, for the personalisation and enrichment of our educational model, is also one of its pillars. Therefore, our teachers are perfectly prepared to work with platforms and applications such as Microsoft Office 365, MySEK, our blogosphere, ManageBac, BlinkLearning, Symbaloo or Smart Learning Suite, among many others. This was a decisive factor in adapting 100% of the face-to-face lessons to online distance learning in an agile and efficient way last year.
Professional inquiry
As learners, teachers carry out Professional Inquiries, a self-directed and collaborative research and action process, through which they explore a significant problem or issue in context.
Teachers determine what aspects they want to work on, or problems they need to solve, and they ask about their students’ learning and educational practices. Through these inquiries, they seek an answer or solution to the question they are exploring, which results in micro-innovation.
The Professional Inquiries of SEK teachers should explore how to implement the elements of the SEK Future Learning Model over the different stages and education programmes and take into account the different learning modalities or scenarios (online, face-to-face, distance, hybrid).
You will be able to consult a small sample of the academic activity in this section
We are very happy with what the school has done to adapt and maintain a high level of teaching for our three daughters. The speed with which everything was organised in the first lockdown is also worth mentioning.
Together we have created a great community, it is no longer just our children’s’ school
The My SEK platform meant that students collaborated fluidly with classmates and teachers. We have found on this platform everything necessary to be able to follow the studies of children.
For the future it is important that we always stay united and connected
I would highlight as factors that were key to educational success during lockdown as learning capacity, motivation, teamwork, commitment and digital competence
Blending face-to-face and online teaching is great, it affords flexibility and gives us the best of both worlds in a single global teaching strategy. I think it prepares our children, not for the future, but to a current reality for which many young people and adults are not prepared yet
We have learnt that the system used by SEK is special and different from others, this is what makes our school unique. All its techniques, methods and resources have contributed a great deal to the way we are and how we work
What sets us apart now is the ability to adapt quickly to the new situation, to not fall prey to despair at the new circumstances and continue to give our best.
We were very lucky and have benefited greatly from the fact that SEK was already very well prepared with platforms, technologies, communications, digital adaptation of students and teachers, which has meant that from the first day of this crisis, all students and teachers were able to continue working almost as if they were still physically at school.
Our daughters have not had their school work or learning slowed down for a single day.
And this is thanks to the right decisions and great work of SEK Group over the years.
Thank you to all the teachers, and to the school in general, for the excellent work you are doing.
It is a privilege that, in these difficult circumstances, our daughters can continue to benefit from continuity in their school development.
This situation, and how they are facing it, is going to make them – us – much stronger and it is going to help us all to value more what we have and recognise the value of many things that until now we had taken for granted.
Firstly, I’d like to thank you very much for the work that the school is doing so that our children can continue with the school rhythm.
Congratulations, because not all schools are doing it this way and the result is not the same, children have kept up the rhythm of school life and that routine and attitude will allow them to continue learning even if they can go back to finish the year at school.
Thank you.
First of all we want to thank SEK for your excellent management and all of your teachers for teaching the classes, paying attention to and following up on our children.
They are helping, not just in continuing their education but also psychologically so they don’t feel abandoned, lying around the house all day, it helps them have a routine and to be able to think of other things other than this situation and what they have had to experience so young.
We really feel situations like these help us see what a good school we have sent them to.
We are very proud of the high attendance of students in online classes.
They are taking part in and making the most of tutorials to help with any queries they have and at the same time, keeping up with the work assigned to them.
We are trying to keep a certain rhythm for each subject’s syllabus.
This week we have done different activities like on the Science Bits platform for Physics and Chemistry and Biology, exercises on the Industrial Revolution in the Individuals and Societies subject, commentary on texts for Language and Maths problems.
They have also worked on different tasks in their language classes, or have inquired about their favourite musician in Music.
On behalf of all the students, we would like to start by thanking the entire school team, who responded to the problem immediately and managed to ensure that there was no interruption in our learning, making an incredibly quick transition to online education.
We would like to congratulate all the teachers.
You have adapted the way you teach, giving your all for our education to continue unchecked in this situation, which requires a huge amount of work that you have done perfectly. We want you to know that this effort is already showing results, the students remain focused, working every day, with the same enthusiasm and interest that we had before.
Just as we applaud the doctors and healthcare staff for all their efforts, you also deserve our applause and our thanks, for relentlessly facing all the problems that arise and for solving them so effectively.
I can only congratulate you on how well you have responded as a school to this exceptional situation and how well everything is working, since the last day of school on Wednesday.
We are aware that, if this works, it is because everyone is working very hard and doing overtime and that is appreciated … we value all the efforts you are making, that everything is working, and that if something doesn’t work it is because it is live, this has never happened before.
We are part of an extended family, the SEK family, and let’s hope we know how to be supportive, understanding and can step up to face this difficult situation together.
Take care of yourselves, because we want to see you all healthy and strong when we go back to school!