Good Start, Grow Smart Erasmus Project

Project Title

Good Start, Grow Smart

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 Schools Only

Project Call Year

This project’s Call Year is 2016

Project Topics

This project is related with these Project Topics: Quality Improvement Institutions and/or methods (incl. school development); Key Competences (incl. mathematics and literacy) – basic skills

Project Summary

The “Good Start, Grow Smart” project wanted and made possible the popularization of the implementation of active learning methods based on projects at an early age.Thus his objectives have resulted in:
– formation and development of mathematical skills in the kindergarten;
– quality education, based on accessibility, in early childhood;
– revising and improving the professional profile of teachers;
– exchange of experience and best practices through workshops, learning activities;
– fostering the interaction between teacher and child, child and child, parent and child in scientific activities;
– extending the approaches to scientific activities by acquiring better teaching-learning strategies, focusing on the quality of education;
– encouraging innovation, sharing in diversity, solidity in professional skills;
– ensuring a long-lasting impact of the European dimension of education;
The transnationality of the project has contributed to the modernization of the educational systems, it has brought European added value, it encouraged the exchange of good practice and developed new methodological approaches, it allowed description, understanding, comparison and exploration beyond the borders. We can say that the project has passed beyond the conventional approach of scientific activities, it has put us in the situation, not to solve many problems, but to face many challenges. Supplementary methods providing innovation and the way they have been shared , are, have been and will be the inspiration for curricular and extracurricular approaches.
Expected results have become reality and can be listed as follows:
– lesson plans for mathematical / scientific activities;
– methodical guides (good practices guides) – “Mathematics in the kindergarten” and “Science in the kindergarten” ;
– the “Good Start, Grow Smart” website;
– improving IT skills;
– improving language skills;
– new activities embedded in the kindergarten’s curriculum;
– increasing the level of understanding and concrete application of scientific knowledge (age-adjusted) for preschool children;
During 24 months of implementation, a series of specific activities, mathematical and scientific, IT and foreign language (English), were carried out, as well as activities of sharing good practices, monitoring, evaluation , sequenced in a tracked calendar, and carried out step by step by all participants in the project.
The project highlighted the role of the child as an active and curious participant, allowing pre-school children to learn through action. They explored scientific and mathematical concepts through interesting experiments age-ajusted, developed positive attitudes towards math and science in pre-school years, and new opportunities to use mathematics and logical thinking to solve problems. This project has helped children to develop provisions such as curiosity, imagination, flexibility, inventiveness and perseverance. Likewise, preschoolers have gained positive insights about Europe and have learned about concepts such as culture, cooperation, communication.
The focus of the project also fell on enhancing knowledge and intercultural understanding and among participants, preschool, parents, teachers and executives and, in addition, to gain a deeper understanding of the different European school systems, their interdependence, diversity and the real change. The teachers involved in the project had the opportunity to compare different educational programs, to identify common and different points. Throughout this partnership, teachers learned new teaching / learning / evaluation methodologies, exchanged experience, ideas, lesson plans, and found new educational opportunities.
In “Good Start, Grow Smart”, teachers have gained professional experience by learning good practices for child development in kindergarten and they are using this knowledge to design new learning experiences.
Collaboration between different kindergartens, different cultures, different countries and languages has helped pre-school children, teachers and the whole community to go beyond the barrier to racial and cultural differences. Those listed above have become part of the practice and the normal planning of the school. The educational community, aware of the evolution and progress of the project through a variety of means, such as pedagogical circles, meetings with parents, conferences, symposiums, realized how important is the benefit of early access to quality education, early childhood being the crucial stage for evolution in school and in life.

EU Grant (Eur)

Funding of the project from EU: 110805 Eur

Project Coordinator

Gradinita cu Program Prelungit Nr.8 Targu-Jiu & Country: RO

Project Partners

• Nuova Direzione Didattica Vasto
• CDG 29 “Lubimka”
• Ecole Les Moulins
• Sillaotsa School
• 75.YIL ANAOKULU