Two Maltese educators from St Jeanne Antide College’s Immaculate Conception Secondary School, Tarxien – Paula Calleja Casha and Daniela De Bono – recently took part in Erasmusplus training courses in Reykjavik, Iceland, organised by Smart Teachers Play More. The courses focused on the themes of mindfulness and meditation and artificial intelligence in education.
The ‘Mindfulness and Meditation’ course placed teachers’ well-being at the centre. Teachers explored the PERMA+ model of positive psychology, which stresses optimism, nutrition, sleep and physical activity, alongside emotional and social factors. Practical sessions included breathing and meditation techniques, as well as creative activities such as making mandalas with natural elements. Movement was also encouraged as an essential part of daily life in schools.
The ‘AI Tools for Educators’ course, led by AI specialist and teacher Jaroslav Konvicka, highlighted how technology can make lessons more engaging, personalised and interactive. Participants experimented with AI applications for storytelling, quizzes, visual aids and video creation, while also exploring their use in lesson planning and assessment. The hands-on approach allowed teachers to adapt tools directly to their classroom needs, emphasising how AI can support academic progress.
Both groups visited two Icelandic schools – Lágafellsskóli and Helgafeskóli – where discussions with educators revealed a shared European commitment to helping students reach their full potential, and the different approaches that are applied in Iceland. The courses combined professional growth with cultural enrichment, as participants also experienced Iceland’s striking natural landscapes like Thingvellir National Park, a view of Iceland’s geothermal activity at Geysir and roaring waterfall at Gullfoss.
Returning to Malta, the teachers brought back new tools and perspectives – one in mindfulness, the other in digital innovation – reaffirming that education’s future depends on balancing technology with well-being.