On 28 September - 3 October, the first edition of JECSE's IPP Formators Training programme took place, with 40 participants from Albania, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Italy, Spain, Malta, Ireland, Poland and Portugal taking part in it. This training is included in JECSE's Ignatian Pedagogical Programme, which seeks to promote the use of IPP in the classroom as a tool for developing our educational apostolate. The programme has a horizon: our mission; is based on our foundations: Ignatian spirituality and spiritual exercises; and counts on a means: Ignatian pedagogy.

“We have a treasure: the Ignatian style of education. IPP is the way we can better convey our teaching & learning process to provide students with quality education; it aligns with pedagogical theories, our current laws and our needs as XXI century society.” (Nadezhna Castellano and Javier Orellana, Spain

A Formation in Two Phases: Online and Face-to-Face

The formation included online activities as well as a face-to-face training week. During the online phase, from June to September 2025, participants worked with some of the key documents for our educational work: The Characteristics of Jesuit Education, Jesuit Education aims to Human Excellence: Men and Women of Conscience, Competence, Compassion and Commitment and Ignatian Pedagogy, A Practical Approach; they analysed the relationship between Ignatian spirituality and pedagogy and attended a workshop entitled: IPP as a tool for mission, in which they visualised spaces for developing Ignatian mission and spirituality within the curriculum/teaching practices.

On 28 September, we all gathered at Seminário de S. Paulo de Almada, near Lisbon, to begin the face-to-face training led by Father Johnny Go and Miss Ritta Atienza, authors of the book: Learning by Refraction: A Practitioner's Guide to 21st-Century Ignatian Pedagogy. 

"I am particularly grateful for the opportunity to learn from the best experts in the field and the opportunity to undertake this training journey with other Ignatian school teachers with whom, despite being at different stages, we share common goals.” (Luís Esteves, Portugal)

Objectives and Hands-On Learning

During this week, participants were able to:

• Deepen their knowledge of Ignatian pedagogy.
• Practise strategies, dynamics and resources to promote reflection in the classroom.
• Know service learning methodology as a way of promoting Ignatian action.
• Practise some tools to train other colleagues and adults.

The goal was for them to acquire expertise in designing training on Ignatian pedagogy so that they can be formators in their own schools, foundations and provinces, thus expanding the scope of the programme and the number of students and schools that can regularly use Ignatian pedagogy in the classroom. 

Putting Learning Into Practice

The highlight of the training came when participants were able to put into practice the workshops designed during the week. To this end, we had the precious collaboration of Colégio São João de Brito, in Lisbon. 

After visiting the beautiful city of Lisbon, we arrived at the school, where we witnessed inspiring projects that teachers carry out with their students.

After that, nearly 100 teachers participated in our workshops on promoting students' reflection and action. We would like to thank the school staff for all their support during the training week and the teaching staff for their enthusiastic attitude during the workshops. 

The fruits of this training process are very rich: a strong feeling of gratitude, personal growth, deep learning experience, sharing and working as a team…and a sense of community that will surely endure over time...

“This training has made me feel part of a single community with a shared educational mission.” 

(Mª Luisa Rosety, Spain)

“I saw for the first time how large our Jesuit network is and how many interesting things are happening in other schools.” (Paweł, Poland)

Many thanks to all those who participated in and promoted this formation experience.

Yolanda Baquero López 

JECSE's Ignatian Pedagogical Programme Coordinator