Sonnenblume – Achtsamkeit in Grundschulen Erasmus Project

Project Title

Sonnenblume – Achtsamkeit in Grundschulen

Project Key Action

This project related with these key action: Cooperation for innovation and the exchange of good practices

Project Action Type

This project related with this action type : Strategic Partnerships for school education

Project Call Year

This project’s Call Year is 2015

Project Topics

This project is related with these Project Topics: Health and wellbeing; New innovative curricula/educational methods/development of training courses

Project Summary

The project “Sonnenblume – Achtsamkeit in der Grundschule” (“Sunflower – Mindfulness in Elementary School”) is an innovative project, which brought the new and at the same time very old method of mindfulness intensely to the scholar everyday life.
The consequences of constant acceleration and permanent distraction, resulting from last decades’ digital technologies in our world, make an adverse impact on the health and well-being of a great many people. Particularly children suffer from the influence, overflown and overwhelmed by irritations. School teachers observe that the attention span of children has badly shortened; many a child has become restless, and an increase in the occurrence of the “illness” ADHD is common. Besides children have difficulties on the social and on the emotional regulation level. The project was born out of the necessity and the feeling of responsibility to deal with this urgent topic of our time. We were and still are convinced that mindfulness training is of benefit for both children and educators, that it has the potential to make an outstanding contribution in reducing the symptoms if not even changing the system, when given this valuable tool.
The pupils, who at the beginning of the project visited the 1st up to the 4th school year in the Fundamental School “Villa Mirabella” in Wiltz/Luxembourg and in the department of the Elementary School “Königliches Athenäum” in St. Vith/Belgium, just as their class teachers constituted the about 220 participants of the project. Over three years they systematically learned exercises for training perception, concentration and relaxation in order to cultivate a mindful attitude, supporting them not only in stressful times and moments, but producing also – as scientifically proven – the permanent effect likely to care for their health and well-being for life.
Two experienced mindfulness trainers took care of the participants and repeatedly offered 8-weeks modules with basic knowledge and exercises in mindfulness. Experience and understanding became deeper with feedback talks of teaching persons and pupils, respectively among one another. The aim was to achieve a positive effect onto the atmosphere and the learning experience in class, to foster a better comprehension for oneself and the others, compassion, respect and unity just as to support each one in a sound emotional regulation and coping with stress.
The understanding for one another and for the praxis grew and deepened through mutual visits of the classes with interchange and training together. Along with their colleagues of the partner classes, children and adults observed the positive changes, discussed challenges and supported each other. The children experienced how mindful behavior lets them come to agreements and connections.
The teaching persons on both of the schools participated on training modules. In the collegial interchange they talked of the effects of mindfulness in their personal and professional everyday life just as they deepened their understanding and knowledge.
In the long run the teachers were qualified for continuing parts of the training on their own in their school and support their whole school in establishing mindfulness as a fix part of living and learning.
The project partner in Berlin AkiJu e. V. is an association standing up for mindfulness in German schools. They as partners on the project disposed of a lot of experience, a big network and material for advice and support.
The results were pinned by e.g. questionnaires, feedback talks and video statements for evaluation. This material formed the basis for the project meetings with the participation of the mindfulness trainers. All relevant results entered in the bilingual worked out manuel “Our way to a mindful school. Project Sunflower 2015-2018″. We hope it will help to implement mindfulness in Elementary Schools. The produced documentary film and the manual edited in several languages grant an insight into the three years project and are supposed to inspire and suggest using initiative to bring mindfulness into school. We also hope that we likewise wake some interest of integrating the subject into teachers’ training and continuation of training.
www.kas-online.be/achtsamkeit

EU Grant (Eur)

Funding of the project from EU: 93701 Eur

Project Coordinator

Grundschulabteilung des Königlichen Athenäums Sankt Vith & Country: BE

Project Partners

• AKiJu gemeinnütziger e.V.
• Villa Mirabella