Să dezvoltăm școli pentru viitor | Adina Romanescu | TEDxCopouWomen

The Importance of School Subjects and the Speaker's Career Path

• The importance of various school subjects is questioned, including mathematics, computer science, Romanian, English, German, physics, chemistry, biology, history, geography, music education, art education, and sports, with the conclusion that each subject is equally important (47s).
• The speaker initially wanted to be a journalist but decided to become a teacher after obtaining a high score in the teacher certification exam and enjoying the experience of meeting students (2m6s).
• The speaker became a teacher and later took on the role of director of the Grigore Moisil Theoretical High School of Computer Science in Iași in 2020, where they identified the need for improvements, including the modernization of classrooms (2m32s).

Modernizing Classrooms and the "Adopt a Classroom" Project

• The traditional classroom setup, with rows of desks and a formal atmosphere, was seen as outdated, and a new concept was proposed to create a more friendly and safe learning environment (3m13s).
• The "Adopt a Classroom" project was initiated to renovate classrooms in Iași, with the goal of providing students with a modern, ergonomic, and colorful space that encourages collaboration and creativity (3m34s).
• The project resulted in the renovation of 15 classrooms, with modern furniture, colorful walls, and warm lighting, allowing students and teachers to arrange the space as needed and interact with each other more effectively (4m8s).

Changing the Learning Paradigm and Securing Funding

• To change the learning paradigm at Grigore Moisil Theoretical High School of Informatics in Iași, it was necessary to prioritize both people and ideas, as well as financial resources, as ideas need financing to produce results and be sustainable in the long term (5m34s).
• In order to fund the ideas of students and teachers, constant financing requests were elaborated, and out of 50 European projects carried out by the high school since the financing appeared, around 30 years ago, direct involvement was had in over 30 projects, either by contributing to the financing request or by joining the implementation team (6m32s).
• As part of the European Commission's budgeted financing, various roles were taken on, including being a team member, coordinator, or simply being present to support colleagues when projects were approved, which was a great joy, but also required perseverance when financing requests were not approved (6m50s).
• To come up with ideas, brainstorming sessions were organized with students and teachers, and time was spent at school, as online communication was not as prevalent as it is now, and when results were not up to expectations, it was explained that the ideas were good, but the budget was insufficient, and that the project would be rethought for the following year (7m37s).

The School's Supportive Environment and Leadership

• Being part of the Lis administration, which is a laboratory of ideas and good practices, provides the privilege of being surrounded by mentors who are people with beautiful characters and who understand that their mission is to give back to society the best-prepared students for life (8m35s).
• The story of the high school is written every day with all the teachers, including the deputy director, Mihaela Călfoaie, who is a consummate professional and, above all, an honest person dedicated to students, teachers, and employees (9m22s).
• The day often begins by walking through the classrooms, wishing students inspiration and learning, or by starting the day in the administration office with colleagues, transmitting nonverbal trust in their superpowers and ultimately arriving at the students, who are always the final destination (9m43s).

Encouraging Student Expression through Art and Music

• The school has a unique approach to education, where students are encouraged to express themselves through art and music, with concerts and piano performances taking place in the school's Amfiteatru and hallways (11m4s).
• Students are also encouraged to practice piano during breaks, with some having many years of experience, while others are mentored by their peers who are already skilled artists (11m18s).
• The school's staircases have inspirational messages, which were painted with the help of students and a teacher, aiming to inspire both students and teachers (11m47s).

Teacher Well-being and Creating a Positive Environment

• The school recognizes the importance of teachers' well-being and encourages them to be in a good state of mind before classes, as this positively impacts students' learning experience (12m9s).
• Every student and teacher is considered important, and the school aims to create a positive environment where everyone feels valued (12m36s).

Focusing on Improvement and Expanding Learning Opportunities

• The school's approach focuses on using energy to improve the education system, rather than criticizing it, and works together with colleagues to achieve this goal (13m20s).
• The school has expanded learning beyond regular classes, creating a community of learning that includes alumni, specialists, parents, and others (13m51s).
• Various extracurricular activities have been established, such as robotics workshops, design clubs, cinema clubs, and programs for preparing students for medical school and intense math and computer science training (14m8s).

Encouraging New Projects and Ideas

• The school's favorite days are when students, teachers, or both come together to propose new projects and ideas, which are always considered valuable and worth developing (14m48s).
• The school believes that every idea has the potential to become a great solution, and encourages collaboration to improve and develop these ideas (15m26s).

Supporting Teachers and Recognizing Contributions

• A memory of a discussion with the school's director, Carmen Loj, led to the realization that there were many projects for students, but not enough for teachers, and the director encouraged the development of projects for teachers as well (16m9s).
• The director offered support for such a project, stating that the entire administration would also be supportive (16m52s).
• Sometimes, a director may feel alone and face challenges in providing support to those around them, but remembering the contributions of past directors, teachers, and staff can be motivating (17m22s).
• Reflecting on the efforts of teachers who work hard to create engaging lessons and provide support to students can also be inspiring (18m22s).
• The contributions of alumni who return to support the school and its students are also valued (18m45s).
• Parents who entrust their children to the school are also appreciated (18m56s).
• Directors are encouraged to be close to their teachers, not overwhelm them with administrative tasks, and allow them to focus on teaching and interacting with students (19m27s).
• A message to society is to appreciate, respect, and support teachers, as they play a crucial role in supporting students on their journey to the future (20m3s).