Rosa Sensat, Barcelona, Spain

Rosa Sensat is a teachers’ association, a non-profit, voluntary Movement for pedagogical renovation, inspired by the early 20th Century pedagogical reform movement, that works for the common interest of improving education, promoting pedagogical quality and innovation through on-going training for teachers, educators and pedagogues, through the maintenance of open spaces for reflection and by supporting projects of pedagogical innovation based on

interdisciplinary work. Rosa Sensat was founded in 1965, initially developing training activities, but since its’ activities have expanded to cover many other aspects of education and professional practice – since the teacher’s training is at one and at the same time a professional and social issue. The main aims of Rosa Sensat include: to widespread theories and pedagogical practices which enhance the global development of children and are based on the respect for the child’s personality and freedom, and which promote their active participation –and that of their families– in their own learning; to aid the on-going training of teachers, grounded on experimentation as well as on theory, always through joint and individual reflection and debate; to pursue a public and democratic school, with all its members, teachers, families and pupils actively engaged on its running and pedagogical line, a school which is deeply inbred on its own roots and country.

Every year, the Associació de Mestres Rosa Sensat defines a series of general objectives. For the year 2003-2004, the general objectives include:

• The fostering of the educative debate
• The dissemination of educative models of multiculturalism, of the
• value and richness of human diversity and cultural plurality.
• The incorporation of information and communication technologies.
• The increase of the participation of teachers in the Associació and other exchange fora.
• The improvement of the economic balance.

Therefore, the many activities covered by the Associació include, amongst others:

• Activities which enhance training, discussion and the exchange of experience
• The Summer School
• Winter and Autumn Courses
• Workshops and Seminars
• School of Catalan language
• Pedagogical trips and visits
• Working groups (22)
• Talks, conferences and other meeting points for reflection and debate.