Bas
"I always continue to believe in students, even when they don't themselves."
Bas van den Biggelaar has a dual role as history teacher and school educator at the Sondervick College. He has been working at our school for eighteen years and does so with great pleasure. "Contacts with colleagues, students and other schools I find inspiring," he says.
"One day a week I work as a school educator. Among other things, I visit the classes of our trainees and I hold intervision with new colleagues. I am also a member of the Academic Training School, the link between the teacher training colleges and the high schools where students intern. Our goal is to guide interns well so that their internships are successful. Of course, I also try to keep students committed to us. I myself did my internship at the Sondervick College and I knew right away that I wanted to stay here. I never left."
Connected
"In addition to students, I mentor my new colleagues. I'm there for them when they run into questions or bottlenecks. You can be a teacher for as long as you want, but at a new school you always have to get used to it. I enjoy working with new colleagues and students and as a school educator I have a lot of contact with other schools and programs. These personal connections bring me a lot. They give me the opportunity to constantly discuss education and learn from others. That works very inspiring. My own teaching practice has improved from this, I am convinced of that."
Responsibility
"I am given a lot of responsibility and I take it. The school management has confidence that I fulfill my tasks well. Giving confidence is very important to me and I am also working on that a lot towards students. Positive coaching is always my starting point. If you focus oon what is going well, it is easier to improve your lesser points. I always keep believing in my students, even when they don't believe in me. They feel that too, I hear it back from them. In addition, I give students their own responsibility. I let them different ways in which they can learn and it is up to them to choose. If they need help, I am there for them day and night. But I also say: I will only really run hard for you when I see that you are doing your best. That's how I want to make sure students take responsibility for their own learning."