Strategy Planning Session: Shaping the Future of Education at Floreer

As part of the initiative to craft the Strategy Plan for 2025-2029, Floreer’s school board initiated a series of community engagements, aligned with its core values from curiosity to collaboration, between December and April. These sessions sought to integrate diverse perspectives into its educational vision.

Highlighting the important role of students, a recent session spotlighted Floreer’s students with Lynn, Advait, and Atharva selected by their peers to represent OIS. Unfortunately, due to Lynn’s illness, only Advait and Atharva could attend. They will soon share the insights gained from this session with the OIS student council and Director, Anne-Marie van Holst, but let’s dive first into what was discussed during this exciting day…

A day of engagement and learning

The session commenced with students from 15 schools gathering where the initial activity, served as an icebreaker, was to fold paper airplanes with one hand underscoring the importance of teamwork, communication, and mutual support.

Students were then briefed on the day’s objectives: enhancing educational experiences, boosting student engagement, devising solutions to teacher shortages, and supporting Floreer’s overarching mission and its schools.

Following the warm-up, the workshop transitioned into a deep dive into the learning experiences and visions for future education. Students were asked to reflect on their educational journey, discuss their learning environments, and highlighting the aspects of school they value most. This discussion not only facilitated self-reflection but also celebrated the diversity of student perspectives.

Key outcomes from these discussions included; reflecting a collective aspiration for a safe, flexible, and collaborative learning environment.

Shaping the future together

The next segment provided a platform for students to think and discuss their educational preferences and aspirations. Through a “Walk and Swap” exchange, they shared insights on who you like to learn from and what you need, what aspects of education they like to keep, and elements they believed should be phased out in the future.

The day concluded with a forward-looking activity, where students articulated their dreams for the future of education. Their feedback, ranging from digital learning enhancements to the integration of physical activity and environmental consciousness in schools, painted a clear picture of an innovative and inclusive educational landscape

Reflecting on a day of discovery

Words like “brainstorm,” “insightful,” and “educational” capture the spirit of the session. It was a testament to the enthusiasm, engagement, and vision of the students, guided by the committed efforts of teachers, Ilse van der Sluis and Jeroen van Reisen.

Well done to everybody involved! This day served as a testament to the importance of giving children a voice in shaping their educational landscapes, and underscores the power of listening to young minds!