We are aiming to improve the communication in the schools in our town, both internal (between teachers and pupils) and external (between teachers and parents). We are developing an unique practice of councils in our community school with the purpose of spreading it across the other schools. We are encouraging parents to take an active part in their childrens' education and to use parenting as an unique opportunity for self-development.

Telč, Vysočina region, Czech Republic

We aim to tackle primarily the three following challenges:

1. The challenge to open the public primary education to different ideas and create them places that are more friendly for children, parents and teachers.

2. The lack of openness of the schools is closely related to the challenge of increasing their capacity to adopt innovations in the educational process. This capacity is very limited at this time.

3. The parents are passive in their childrens’ educational process or they lack willingness to use parenting as an efficient self-development tool.

For pupils, their parents and teachers who strive for more friendly and accessible schools in our town and who feel that the communication plays the main part in both education and relationships in general.
For ourselves, as we love to share the idea of councils and effective communication, which improves our interpersonal relationships and allows each individual to develop their potential within a group, where the different viewpoints are respected.

1. We, as the founders of the community school and the school parents are using the council as a method of determining the heading of the school, the course of action and as an idea generating tool (this is already taking place).

2. The council will be used as a main meeting, sharing and problem solving tool in the community school for both children and parents.

3. The school tutor will take part in an accredited training for kids' council facilitators.

4. The school tutor will be educated in effective communication (Teacher Effectiveness Training), together with seven chosen tutors from the other schools in the Telč microregion.

5. The aim here is to find allies in the other institutions, who will be provided with tools to positively affect their environment and to share the idea of using effective communication to improve the relationships in the class and with the school parents.

6. The course participants commit to apply the principals in their institutions and to meet regularly to assess the impact of the new approach, to support mutually in the implementation and to discuss the possible difficulties. The meeting will be held in the form of a facilitated council.

7. In the first year of the project, we are also planning to organize one council for teachers from the whole microregion (professionally facilitated).

- The practice of councils is fully implemented in the community school which will serve as an example of good practice. Regular council meetings are held to assure all school stakeholders are heard.
- First teachers are educated in T.E.T. and the council practice. They implement the approach in their classes and assess it as helpful in promoting healthy relationships and improving the learning atmosphere.
- First public council of this kind is held for the teachers from the Telč microregion; the topic is presented in the local newspapers.

Meeting and communicating strengthen the community aspect of living and the interest in the public issues on the local level. During our kindergarten project we’ve already seen that it brings the people together under a common interest and increases their engagement and the commitment to work for the community. We believe that this aspect will be emphasized by the fact that the project is focused on effective communication and council.

Bára Křížová
A finance professional with a passion for effective communication, certified instructor of Parent Effectiveness Training (P.E.T.) by Thomas Gordon, admirer of the idea of community building according to M. Scott Peck.

Lucie Váchová
A founder and a soul of the forest kindergarten, movement therapy attendee, certified instructor of Parent Effectiveness Training (P.E.T.) by Thomas Gordon, council facilitator training in progress.

We believe that creating a safe environment for the self-development of each individual, open and honest relationship with self and others are crucial for a good quality of life. With our project, we aim to create this safe environment in our community.

Training and Education (Teacher Effectiveness Training for eight tutors, council facilitation): 2 770 EUR
Personnel costs - external (Professional facilitation of three councils): 700 EUR
Personnel costs - internal (Implementation in the community school): 10 000 EUR
Personnel costs - internal (Project facilitation for external users and project administration): 15 000 EUR
Rental: 2000 EUR
Public relations and communication: 1000 EUR

We would like to get in touch with similar project ideas to share our experience and support each other in implementing our community projects.