Growing Together Erasmus Project

Project Title

Growing Together

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 : School Exchange Partnerships

Project Call Year

This project’s Call Year is 2019

Project Topics

This project is related with these Project Topics: Teaching and learning of foreign languages; Key Competences (incl. mathematics and literacy) – basic skills; Inclusion – equity

Project Summary

Today’s society demands certain skills including autonomy, entrepreneurship, collaboration, communication, creative and critical thinking, effective decission making, digital skills and awareness of the importance and promotion of social inclussion. This project has allowed our schools to walk towards the development of these skills in our students.

The objectives of this project aimed at increasing the quality of the teaching practice by implementing innovative teaching methods in order to develop those XXI Century Skills in the students, This is related to our most relevant priority “supporting individuals in acquiring and developing basic skills and key competences” and also the priority “Open education and innovative practices in a digital era”. The project also developed in our students an attitude of respect for people with different characteristics and needs, fostering the development of social, civic and intercultural competences, as proposed in the priority “social inclusion”, one of the most important European priorities in our national context. It will provide students with opportuntities to reflect on their own characteristics and needs, learning to identify their capacities and areas of struggle in order to make the most of them and also help others discover their own and value them.

Three schools from two different countries, Spain and Belgium, participated in the project. Two of them are Infant and Primary Education Public schools which have already worked together in Erasmus+ projects which, after carrying out a detailed need analysis, determined that the best way to promote the development of key competences and inclusiveness in their students would be implementing this project together. This would allow to establish common methodological guidelines through assissting each other and learning together. The third participant is a Special Education Needs Public school from Spain, also with experience in Erasmus+ programmes. They participated in the mobilities with students as well, elevating social inclusion to its maximum level by getting their students with special needs to work with students of Primary Education from regular schools. The project was designed by teachers from the three participating schools through on-line collaboration and also holding several meetings in Spain to which even the partners from Belgium attended.

The activities were also designed by teachers from the three participating schools in order to carefully introduce and work those tools and strategies that allow students develop those competences we were aiming at in a collaborative way. We combined virtual exchanges with Learning Teaching Training activities in both countries. In Learning Teaching Training Activities, students put into practice the skills acquired during the previous months to the mobility, serving also as powerful tools to assess the progress of the students in acquiring those skills and the level of success of the project. After the arrival of Covid, some of the Learning Teaching activities were implemented virtually via videoconferences and more virtual exchanges. These also included training activities for the teachers. Different training and dissemination activities were also implemented by teachers involved in the project from the three participating schools in order to share the resources created with other teachers and schools: Web, Teacher Training Centers, Local Radio and Newspaper.

The methodology used included a selection of tools, strategies and procedures taken from different current educational methodological tendencies to promote the development of Key Competences: Project-Based Learning, Learner-Centered Approach, Assessment for Learning, Cooperative Learning, Differentiated Instruction, Thinking Based Learning, TechEd and Gamification.

The results of the project show a very positive impact on students’ and teachers’ motivation, an increased development of students students skills, as a result of an improved methodology.

The use of these tools is now being adapted to our students’ different ages and characteristics in order to develop our new school guidelines, resulting on an improved teaching methodology. Students improved their capacity for operating at transnational level, promoting the development of the European dimension also in families and teachers. The resources created and results were shared through different media so they can be used in other schools, improving the quality of education and allowing students from all around the world develop the abilities the new society is requiring, giving more oportunities to those with special needs. The participating schools created a collaboration network in order to keep working together and GROWING TOGETHER in the future.

Project Website

https://gt20192021.wixsite.com/misitio

EU Grant (Eur)

Funding of the project from EU: 75549 Eur

Project Coordinator

CEIP ODON DE BUEN & Country: ES

Project Partners

• COLEGIO PUBLICO DE EDUCACION ESPECIAL GLORIA FUERTES
• GO! freinetschool de Pit Diest