The Teacher Education Policy in Europe 2025 Conference took place from May 21 to 23 in Zwolle, the Netherlands. Teacher educators and researchers present in the initial teacher education and professional development spaces, as well as local policymakers, gathered at Viaa University of Applied Sciences to share experiences, inspire and foster connections.
Throughout the conference, the participants explored how teachers create bridges by facing divisions within classrooms, fostering cultures of collaboration and shared responsibility in schools, connecting with stakeholders in the community, and engaging in professional exchanges across borders. Fundación Promaestro participated in this gathering with the presentation titled “Advancing Safe Teaching through Peer Observation as a Tool for Professional Growth”, delivered by Jorge Úbeda and María De la Torre Barranco. We shared insights into how peer observation and collegial discussion supports teacher development to create more inclusive educational environments, in line with the aims of the Let’s Care project.
Four key findings stood out: peer observation encourages deep reflection on classroom and school dynamics; it strengthens relationships among teachers; it identifies practices that help students feel welcome and supported; and it promotes a school culture of mutual care and continuous learning. As one participating teacher shared:
“Observation is one of the privileged tools that allows us to know what happens in the classroom, […] to acquire greater awareness of the behaviours and attitudes of us teachers and students.”
The session also emphasised the practical conditions that make this approach effective — structured tools, endorsement from school leadership and dedicated time. Our presentation reaffirmed the value of collaborative approaches to professional development and the importance of reflecting on relationships to build equitable, human-centered schools across Europe.
