Teachers of Europe

In this episode, host Benjamin Hertz speaks with Susan Adams, founder and CEO of Education for Sustainability, Ireland, and Anita Simac, Mathematics teacher, Croatia, about what the climate crisis means for students, not only as a curriculum topic, but as a lived reality that shapes how youngpeople feel about the future.

In this episode, host Rute Baptista speaks with Semir Susic, from the eTwinning National Support Organisation in Sweden, and Petar Nicolic, Erasmus+ and eTwinning coordinator from Croatia, about how Erasmus+ actions and eTwinning complement each other as pathways to European collaboration.

In this episode, host Benjamin Hertz speaks with Emma Abbate, a secondary school teacher from Italy, about the information landscape students are navigating today and the practical skills, habits, and critical dispositions that help them resist disinformation.

In this episode, hosts Rute Baptista and Benjamin Hertz speak with Andreas Galanos, secondary school teacher (Greece) and Simone Pfliegel, secondary school teacher (Germany) about the opportunities and risks artificial intelligence brings to schools, and what it demands of those in leadership roles.

In this episode, host Benjamin Hertz speaks with KristiinaTammisalo, sociologist at the Population Research Institute in Finland, and Maroš Mitrik, secondary school teacher from Slovakia, about what it really takes to help young people thrive in digital environments: developing the agency, resilience and critical awareness to recognise when platforms are nudging them, and the confidence to lead a more purposeful digital life.

eTwinning project:

• HEALTH@SCHOOLproject

In this episode, host Benjamin Hertz speaks with Jakob Damgaard Laursen, Teacher and Special Consultant in the Future Classroom Lab in Copenhagen, Denmark, about one of education's most timely challenges: equipping young people with the skills, habits of mind, and confidence to navigate aworld saturated with data, from social media feeds and news headlines to school subjects and everyday decision-making.

In this episode, host Rute Baptista speaks with Marjaana Manninen, Senior Adviser, Education Finnish National Agency for Education, and Tomasz Ordza, eTwinning Ambassador and science teacher from Poland, about how schools across Europe are rising to one of education's most pressing challenges: preparing young people for a future shaped by climate change, artificial intelligence, geopolitical instability, and shifting labour markets.

In this episode, host Rute Baptista speaks with Kornélia Lohyňová, teacher at the Hotel Academy in Bratislava, and Hazel Israel, Education and Skills Advisor, to explore how entrepreneurship education can be meaningfully integrated into school practice and what it really means to develop an entrepreneurial mindset beyond simply preparing students to start a business.

In this episode, host Benjamin Hertz speaks with Marta Pinto, founder of AI Goes to School and middle school teacher, and Georgia Maneta, English teacher and eTwinning ambassador, to explore how assessment practices are evolving in response to the rise of artificial intelligence. Together, they discuss how AI is challenging traditional approaches to assessment and how teachers can rethink their practices without feeling overwhelmed.

Lesson plans discussed:

• Lesson plan "Reflect and create with e-Portfolios and GenAI" teacher Carla Sousa https://aigoestoschool.com/en/reflect-and-create-with-eportfolios-and-genai/
• Lesson plan "AI and sustainability: prepare young people for science" by Teachers, Barbara Cleto, Ana Franco, Carla Alves https://aigoestoschool.com/en/ai-and-sustainabilty-prepare-young-people-for-science/
• Lesson plan "Co-creating stories with AI in higher education" Teacher Bárbara Cleto https://aigoestoschool.com/en/co-creating-stories-with-ai-in-higher-education/

• OpenAI (2023) New AI classifier for indicating AI-written text. Link to webpage https://openai.com/index/new-ai-classifier-for-indicating-ai-written-text/

• Liang, W., Yuksekgonul, M., Mao, Y., Wu, E., & Zou, J. (2023). GPT detectors are biased against non-native English writers. Patterns, 4(7). https://doi.org/10.48550/arXiv.2304.02819

Articles on AI detection not working:

• OpenAI (2023) New AI classifier for indicating AI-written text. Link to webpage https://openai.com/index/new-ai-classifier-for-indicating-ai-written-text/

• Liang, W., Yuksekgonul, M., Mao, Y., Wu, E., & Zou, J. (2023). GPT detectors are biased against non-native English writers. Patterns, 4(7). https://doi.org/10.48550/arXiv.2304.02819

In this episode, host Benjamin Hertz, joined by ArjanaBlazic (Croatia) and Andreas Galanos (Greece) explore how AI can serve as a powerful tool for teacher trainers. By focusing on the trainer’s perspective, the podcast will provide eTwinning ambassadors, or any teachers trainer, with concrete ideas and strategies for integrating AI into their own training practices.

In this episode, host Rute Baptista, joined by Darja Pipus and Isabell Youngkin, explores how educators across Europe are challenging traditional gender norms and expectations by promoting positive masculinity. Through evidence-based practices and real classroom experiences, our speakers share how they move beyond stereotypes to create more inclusive learning environments.

In this episode, host Rute Baptista is joined by three guest speakers: Mladen Šljivović, physics teacher/school career guidance coordinator, Serbia; Rafael Montero, former physics teacher, Spain; Iro Koliakou, science teacher, Greece.

Together, they explore the persistent gender gap in STEM education across Europe, where women remain underrepresented among STEM graduates. Referencing insights from the 2024 NESET analytical report, the discussion investigates how early gender stereotypes, social norms and classroom dynamics influence pupil confidence and sense of belonging in STEM − particularly during key educational transitions, such as moving into upper secondary school.

Resources:

• Featured eTwinning group on Mathematics, Science and other STEM topics
• Featured eTwinning group on Gender-Know-How to Stop Stereotypes

In this episode, host Benjamin Hertz is joined by Academic Professional Jeltsen Peeters, school principal Christine Claessens and primary school teacher Steven Verelst. Together, they explore strategies to cultivate metacognition in the classroom, highlighting how teachers can encourage students to think, plan, monitor and reflect on their learning process.

Learn more:

• Free online course on EU Academy: Empowering teachers and students through self-regulated learning

In this episode, host Benjamin Hertz is joined by learning facilitator Stella Serger and 13-year-old student Justus Pettifar. Together, they explore the philosophy and practice of democratic schools and how they challenge traditional models.

Find out more:

• Demokratische Schule X
• IDEC@EUDEC Conference

In this episode, host Benjamin Hertz is joined by teacher Konstantina Rafaela Pouliou (Greece) and Inge Van de Putte, Researcher at Gent University (Belgium) for an inspiring discussion on how teachers can better support pupils with special educational needs.

In this sixth episode, host Rute Baptista is joined by teacher Ivana Stiglec from Croatia and Laurence Bragard from the House of European History in Belgium. Their discussion explores approaches to citizenship education and how it can raise awareness and promote a deeper understanding of European values.

Learn more:

• European core values and aims
• Historicall - Digital Toolbox
• House of European History Website
• House of European History newsletter
• Euroscola
• European Parliament Ambassador Schools
• Learning Corner: learning activities to help you discover the EU

In the third episode of the Teachers of Europe Podcast, Alexandra Almpanidou, Pedagogical Coordinator at the European School Education Platform engages in a discussion with two distinguished guests; Dr. Benjamin Dreer, the Scientific Director of Erfurt School of Education, and Miguela Fernandes, computer science teacher from Portugal. Together they delve into the crucial topic of teacher wellbeing with a particular emphasis on the challenges faced by teachers, the impact on their well-being, and the steps being taken to support and nurture their mental and emotional health.

In the second episode, Benjamin Hertz, Pedagogical Manager at the European School Education Platform discusses with his two guests, former teacher and now AI in education expert Lidija Kralj from Croatia and secondary school teacher Ricardo Carvalho from Portugal, the topic of artificial intelligence (AI) in schools and the opportunities but also challenges new AI tools bring to the work of the teacher.

Teachers of Europe podcast was created to support practicing teachers across Europe in addressing common classroom challenges, featuring teachers that can inspire others to follow their footsteps.

In this episode, Rute Baptista, the Professional Development Manager at the European School Education Platform and her guest, Carol Barriuso, will address the topic of refugee education beyond the classroom and highlight the importance of family involvement and teachers’ well-being.

Join us listing to this podcast reflecting on education and educational practices, let the stories inspire you, make the most out of what you will hear.

Resources mentioned during the podcast:

• STEPPING UP: Refugee Education in Crisis, Report 2019
• Supporting the mental health and well-being of refugee children in school – ESEP Webinar
• Integrating Migrants and Refugees at School – eTwinning Featured Group