Learn for the Future, Teach for the Future
In-service teacher professional training program for elementary school teachers
The ‘Learn for the Future, Teach for the Future’ professional development programme has been specifically designed for primary school teachers (teaching pupils aged 6–10). The aim of the programme is to equip the teachers with practical tools and methods that can be applied directly in the classroom to develop the 10 SPIRIT cross-curricular skills necessary for children’s future emotional, social and cognitive well-being. The training covers, across four interlinked modules, the background to skills development, the integration of active learning techniques into subject teaching, the conscious pedagogical use of traditional and board games, and STEAM pedagogy, which combines science, technology, engineering, the arts and mathematics. This blended learning programme combines independent online preparation with experience-based, practical face-to-face workshops.
The structure of the blended learning training programme – What can you expect, how should you prepare, and how should you study?
The further training programme is based on a blended learning (hybrid) model. This means that learning is not limited to face-to-face training sessions, but also includes
- independent online preparation, individual and/or group self-activities completed in advance,
- practice-oriented face-to-face workshops,
- reflection following the piloting and implementing the methods, techniques and tools learnt in the classroom.
Each module of the training programme consists of three interlinked stages:
Before the workshop (Independent preparation):
- Content: generally includes professional materials to be read in advance, video lectures and self-reflection tasks.
- Aim: to establish a common theoretical and methodological foundation prior to the face-to-face training, so that participants can engage in the workshop with existing thoughts, questions and ideas.
- What we expect from participants: independent, active engagement with the materials; reflection on what they have seen and read in relation to their own teaching practice; and completion of the preparatory tasks (notes, reflections).
Workshop (face-to-face workshop):
- Content: through interactive small-group exercises and the use of active learning tools and training methods, participants will test the tools presented in the module in practice and from a methodological perspective; they will also share experiences and learn from group exercises during joint professional discussions.
- Aim: The face-to-face sessions are not about traditional theoretical lectures. The aim is for participants to experience the methods ‘first-hand’ from the perspectives of both the learner and the teacher, to analyse them and to reflect on their applicability in the classroom.
- What do we expect from participants? Active and open participation, sharing their own teaching experiences, and cooperation in group tasks.
After the workshop (Practical application and reflection):
- Content: individual adaptation for use in lessons and schools; applying the tried-and-tested tools in the classroom with their own pupils; structured self-assessment; and online exchange of experiences (Teach-Meet / a community for sharing professional knowledge and experience).
- Aims: to integrate what has been learnt directly into everyday teaching practice, and to establish and maintain long-term professional collaboration and knowledge-sharing.
- What do we expect from participants? To try out a selected method or game in their classroom, to record their experiences in writing, and to participate actively in the final online discussion.
Detailed programme
Module 1 – Skills for the well-being of tomorrow’s children today!
This foundation module serves as the starting point for the entire training program, upon which further modules are directly built. A clear understanding and awareness of the 10 SPIRIT transversal skills are fundamental to effectively applying the tools presented in later modules – active learning techniques, educational and free games, and STEAM projects—and tnd realising their practical impact on skill development. This module provides a detailed overview of the 10 SPIRIT transversal skills developed for the 6–10 age group. In the process, participants will gain an understanding of the background of competency-based education, as well as the observable and “tangible” behavioral characteristics of these skills in the classroom. During the workshop, participants will use the Jigsaw method to work through the skill cards, share their thoughts through a Gallery Walk, analyse the teacher’s role as a model on three-columned posters, and evaluate actual classroom cases. In addition, the training encourages participants to reflect on their own role in authentically modeling these competencies, laying the foundation for pedagogical work that promotes students’ long-term well-being.
| Name of the activity | Brief description of the Face-to-face workshop | Brief description of the Remote activity | Duration |
|---|---|---|---|
| The ten SPIRIT skills | Study of the theoretical background to the 10 SPIRIT transversal skills, the PERMA model and the Kolb cycle. | 1.0 hour | |
| From the primary school classroom to future well-being | Analysis of Grazia Serantoni’s video lecture on neuroplasticity, the development of the prefrontal cortex and the role of mirror neurons. | 0.5 hours | |
| Task 1 – Understanding the 10 SPIRIT cross-curricular skills | Interactive Jigsaw card game in groups of four: linking skills, definitions, classroom situations and future relevance. | – | 1.2 hours (70 minutes) |
| Task 2 – The teacher as a role model in skills development | Creating a three-column poster and a gallery walk to analyse teachers’ behavioural modelling and pupils’ reactions. | – | 1.2 hours (70 minutes) |
| Task 3 – Analysis of a specific learning situation | Analysis in small groups of three classroom case studies (active learning tools, games, STEAM) from the perspective of teacher support. | – | 0.7 hours (40 minutes) |
| Task 4 – Reflection and conclusion | Individual reflection using cards on classroom commitments, followed by sharing in pairs to raise awareness of classroom practices. | – | 0.2 hours (10 minutes) |
| Total study time | face-to-face learning: 3.5 hours | Remote independent study: 1.5 hours | Total: 5 hours |
Module 2 – Activating Learning Techniques for Transversal Skills Development
Active learning activities are not an additional burden in the classroom, but rather versatile opportunities that you may already be successfully using in your daily teaching practice. This module helps bring structure and intentionality to these methods, illustrating how a well-chosen, brief activity can develop students’ transversal skills in a complex, holistic way rather than in isolation. The module aims to demonstrate how short (5–15-minute) interactive activities (such as Snowball, Gallery Walk, Station Rotation and Consensus Building) can be incorporated into lessons in any subject without slowing down the pace of the curriculum. They will explore the teacher’s vital facilitating role and discover how active learning can be flexibly adapted to any subject or content area. Guided by the structured template and the practical toolbox, you will be empowered to tailor activities to the specific needs of your students, while post-implementation reflection allows you to continuously refine and enrich your ongoing pedagogical practice. Participants will learn how to enrich traditional games with subject-specific content (game-based learning – GBL). During the workshop, teachers will experience the methods first-hand, and after the training they will adapt and trial a chosen tool in their own classes.
| Name of the activity | Brief description of the Face-to-face workshop | Brief description of the remote activity | Duration |
|---|---|---|---|
| Developing cross-curricular skills through active learning activities | – | A theoretical overview of the concept of active learning tools, the time required per lesson and their subject flexibility. | 1.0 hour |
| Reflections on one’s own teaching practice | – | Completing a self-reflection questionnaire on one’s own classroom methods and skills to be developed. | 0.75 hours (45 minutes) |
| Familiarising oneself with the template for describing learning activities | – | Studying the structure of the description template using the example of the ‘Kindness Tree’. | 0.5 hours (30 minutes) |
| Task 1 – Identifying active learning activities used in teaching practice | Using the Snowball Method and Gallery Walk, collecting active techniques already used and organising them on a shared poster. | – | 1.0 hour (60 minutes) |
| Task 2 – Flexible use of active learning activities across subjects | Part 1: Adapting a familiar game into game-based learning (GBL). Part 2: Rotation through five subject-specific stations to adapt a method. | – | 1.7 hours (100 minutes) |
| Task 3 – Reflection and conclusion | Individual and group reflection, followed by a whole-class discussion, to raise awareness of classroom practice. | – | 0.2 hours (15 minutes) |
| Adapting active learning activities to curriculum requirements | – | Downloading a chosen resource from the portal, adapting it to your own teaching material and incorporating it into the lesson plan. | 1.5 hours (90 minutes) |
| Implementation and personal reflection | – | Completing the adapted task in class and carrying out a structured self-assessment. | 0.75 hours (45 minutes) |
| Total study time | Face-to-face learning: 3.0 hours | Remote independent study: 3.5 hours | Total: 6.5 hours |
Module 3: The Power of Play
Play is not merely entertainment, but one of the most natural and complex environments for child development, engaging multiple lifelong skills in learners all at once. This module is an invitation to deeply understand the true transversal skills development power of play and to clearly see the distinctions between free play and intentionally structured game-based learning. It focuses on the power of traditional indoor and outdoor games to develop cross-curricular skills.
The participants will experience how they can become an authentic role model by being present and actively participating in children’s play, and discover how subtle adjustments to game rules or the environment create new opportunities for personalised differentiation. Guided by the practical toolbox and structured template, they will confidently match targeted skills with the most suitable games, responding to the individual needs of children in your classroom while ensuring that the joy and freedom of play remain intact throughout.
As one of the learning results of the module, the participants will understand why it is important for play to always remain play (rather than being a direct, compulsory task for children), and what role the teacher’s example (their behaviour and conduct relating to a given transversal skill) plays during play. During the workshop, teachers will try out five games in a rotating station format, identifying their ‘potential’ for developing SPIRIT transversal skills, complete a simplified game template and carry out peer assessment. To conclude the training, teachers are tasked with playing the games with their own pupils at their own school (acting as active participants to set an example), completing the 9-point evaluation form, and then sharing their experiences at an online Teach-Meet seminar.
| Name of the activity | Brief description of the Face-to-face workshop | Brief description of the remote activity | Duration |
|---|---|---|---|
| Games and board games for the development of transversal skills | – | Reading ‘The Power of Play’ and studying the 4P model of ‘Lifelong Nursery’. | 0.5 hours |
| Self-reflection and sharing experiences on games in schools | – | Peer discussion and note-taking on the conditions for the use of play in schools, classrooms and outdoor areas. | 1.0 hours |
| Video presentation by Máté Lencse on the role of games | – | Discussion of Máté Lencse’s video lecture on board game pedagogy and the school context. | 0.5 hours |
| Task 1 – Introduction to the world of games for developing cross-curricular skills | Trying out 5 games (cooperative, competitive, subject-specific, and game-based learning) for 10 minutes each in small groups, followed by a Think-Pair-Share analysis and drawing a skills system diagram. | – | 0.8 hours (50 minutes) |
| Task 2 – Games at school: What games did you play this week? | Sharing classroom gaming experiences in groups of four, and compiling ‘how’ questions relating to inclusion and timeframes on a poster. | – | 0.6 hours (40 minutes) |
| Task 3 – The conscious use of games in skills development | Small-group task-solving at 5 game tables: completing the simplified game template and conducting a peer review. | – | 1.5 hours (90 minutes) |
| Task 4 – Reflections, conclusion and discussion of post-workshop tasks | Summarising the key takeaways from the module and displaying some parting thoughts by the exit of the room. | – | 0.25 hours (15 minutes) |
| Game with the students, self-reflection | – | Selecting a game from the toolkit, facilitating it in the classroom with active teacher participation, and completing the 9 points of the ‘Lifelong Nursery’ framework. | 1.0 hours |
| Online exchange of experiences (CoP) | – | Participation in a 90–120-minute online Teach-Meet seminar to discuss classroom experiences. | 2.0 hours |
| Total study time | Face-to-face learning: 3.5 hours | Remote self-directed learning: 4.0 hours | Total: 7.5 hours |
Module 4. STEAMified transversal skills development (Default / core international version)
STEAM education is not merely a collection of isolated activities or an end in itself, but a flexible pedagogical framework designed to respond directly to real classroom needs. This module invites you to explore STEAM through both a theoretical and practical lens, using it as a tool to connect classroom learning to real-life situations known and understood by children and inquiry-based research that sparks children’s natural curiosity. You will experience how STEAM motivates students to become invested, persistent, and active learners while delivering academic content efficiently across disciplines. By analyzing activities from both the learner’s and teacher’s perspective during the workshop, and utilizing the structured SPIRIT STEAM template, you will gain the confidence to design your own tailored STEAM programs that intentionally foster the 10 SPIRIT transversal skills alongside core curriculum goals. (In addition to this international core version, a Hungarian-adapted version is also available, specifically tailored by the project ppartner to align with the background knowledge, teaching practices, and learning needs of Hungarian educators.)
Furthermore, this module also closes the entire training program, providing a dedicated space during the final reflection for participating teachers to share their personal experiences and insights gained throughout the journey. Following the conclusion of the training, teachers participate in an online CoP (Community of Practice) Teach-Meet session after implementing their adapted STEAM activity in their own classrooms. This session provides a structured forum to discuss real classroom experiences, analyse student responses and skill development outcomes, address practical challenges, and learn from one another’s best practices.
| Name of the activity | Brief description of the Face-to-face workshop | Brief description of the remote activity | Duration |
|---|---|---|---|
| STEAMified transversal skills development | – | Reading material covering the history of STEAM, integration levels, STEMOOVIE framework, and Kolb’s learning cycle alignment. | 0.5 hour |
| STEMOOVIE model | – | Watching the video presentation explaining the Belgian STEMOOVIE model (Learn by Research, Learn by Design, Connect). | 0.5 hour |
| Activity 1 – Energiser: Using a Symbolic STEAM Demonstration | Demonstration (Kinder Egg Explosion), brainstorming real-world connections, filling 4 simplified planning sections, poster creation, and gallery walk. | – | 0.8 hour (45 mins) |
| Activity 2 – Empirical Workshops: Station Rotation | Experiential station rotation across 3 stations (experimental & thinking corners), answering 4 recurring questions, and comparing results with full STEAM templates. | – | 2.5 hours (150 mins) |
| Activity 3 – Plenary Reflection Discussion | Whole-group guided reflection on the shift in participants’ mindset, confidence, and motivation to apply STEAM in their teaching context. | – | 0.5 hour (30 mins) |
| Read after the workshop – How to Approach SPIRIT’s STEAM Examples | – | Studying the detailed STEAM template structure, AI prompt generation guidelines, and flexibility principles for lesson adaptation. | 1.0 hour |
| Self-exercise after the Workshop – Exploring the PDF handbook | – | Reviewing the comprehensive 20-program STEAM handbook and selecting activities suitable for classroom adaptation. | 0.5 hour |
| Online experiences sharing TeacMeet (CoP) | – | Részvétel egy 90–120 perces online Teach-Meet szemináriumon az osztálytermi tapasztalatok megvitatására. | 2,0 óra |
| Total time study | Face-to-face learning: 4,0 hours | Remote self-directed learning: 4,5 hours | Total:8,5 hours |
Module 4: STEAMified transversal skills development (Hungarian adapted and implemented version)
The fourth and most comprehensive module of the training programme focuses on the adaptation and practical implementation of STEAM pedagogy in Hungarian in primary education. Teachers will become familiar with the four pillars of the SPIRIT STREAM pedagogical approach (connection to the real world as understood and experienced by children and its everyday phenomena; the integration of research and research-based learning; and pupils’ active participation in the learning process and the carrying out of activities; alignment with the National Core Curriculum and the subject-based integration of STEAM programmes, and finally, the development of transversal skills through STEAM activities). They will learn about the cyclical research and planning steps of the STEMOOVIE model, and link Kolb’s experiential learning cycle to the development of transversal skills. In the first task of the workshop, participants will build a self-supporting Da Vinci bridge – modelled on Monet’s painting ‘The Japanese Bridge’ – using pencils and erasers in teams of 4–5, and carry out load testing using mobile phones. In the second task, using an object-based activity designed to ‘stimulate’ creativity, they will develop three STEAM programmes based on the four interdisciplinary perspectives that form the foundation of the SPIRIT STEAM model. In the third task, working in year-group-based teams, they ‘STEAMify’ a specific lesson content, checking against the nine criteria of the ‘Lifelong Kindergarten’ framework and assessing how the STEAMified task or activity develops the SPIRIT transversal skills. Finally, in the final module and the concluding task of the entire training programme, the teachers share with one another the benefits of STEAM pedagogy and the tools they have learnt about during the training from the pupils’ perspective.
| Name of the activity | Brief description of the Face-to-face workshop | Brief description of the remote activity | Duration |
|---|---|---|---|
| STEAM-based cross-curricular skills development | – | The fundamentals of SPIRIT STEAM pedagogy, the four levels of integration and the development of SPIRIT transversal skills. | 0.5 hours |
| The STEMOOVIE model | – | Watching a video presentation on the Belgian STEMOOVIE model (Research, Design, Connection). Completing the related tasks independently in advance | 0.5 hours |
| Task 1 – The STEAM experience: Let’s build a bridge, Da Vinci style | Designing and building a self-supporting Da Vinci pencil bridge inspired by a Monet painting, load testing using mobile phones, and process analysis. Identifying the nine points of the ‘lifelong kindergarten’, gaining, sharing and synthesising one’s own experiences | – | 1.0 hour (60 minutes) |
| Task 2 – Connecting to the real world familiar to children using SPIRIT STEAM pedagogy | Object-based warm-up exercise to ‘trigger’ creativity; analysis of one STEAM programme per group (in three groups) using a simplified worksheet (based on four criteria); poster creation; gallery walk; plenary discussion. | – | 1.00 hour (60 minutes) |
| Task 3 – ‘STEAMification’ of STEAM programmes, tasks and activities (integration across year groups and subjects) in practice | In groups organised by year group, ‘STEAM-ifying’ a lesson’s content, checking the 9 points of the ‘Lifelong Kindergarten’ framework, evaluating the SPIRIT cross-curricular skills development impact, and completing a template describing STEAM activities. | – | 2.0 hours (120 minutes) |
| Task 4 – Plenary reflection, module and training conclusion | A closing discussion using a beanbag toss to explore changes in motivation resulting from the training and teaching practice. | – | 1.0 hour (60 minutes) |
| Read after the workshop – How to use the STEAM descriptions | – | A guide to the logic behind the templates, the use of AI for idea generation, and flexible adaptation. | 1.0 hours |
| Complete – Independent task following the workshop | – | Review of the collection containing 20 developed STEAM programmes and preparation for adapting one programme for use in the classroom. | 0.5 hours |
| Online experiences sharing TeacMeet (CoP) | – | Participation in a 90–120-minute online Teach-Meet seminar to discuss classroom experiences. | 2.0 hours |
| Total study time | Face-to-face learning: 5.0 hours | Remote self-directed learning: 4.5 hours | Total: 9.5 hours |
Summary
By completing the four modules of this continuing professional development programme, participating teachers will acquire a practical toolkit and methodological knowledge that will enable them to make their day-to-day teaching more engaging and effective within the existing curriculum framework, without taking on any significant additional workload. By incorporating active learning techniques and the conscious use of play and STEAM activities, they will not only make it easier for their pupils to master the curriculum but will also directly support their emotional, social and cognitive development. As a result, you can create a classroom atmosphere in which children aged 6–10 become motivated, collaborative learners who are prepared for the challenges of the future, whilst your own teaching practice becomes more purposeful, predictable and enjoyable.