The Gentle teaching experience. Divers needs diversity Erasmus Project

Project Title

The Gentle teaching experience. Divers needs diversity

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 2017

Project Topics

This project is related with these Project Topics: Quality Improvement Institutions and/or methods (incl. school development)

Project Summary

Project target is in the area of value education. Social competences of teachers as well as of pupils have improved. “Gentle teaching” was developed by John McGee in the 1980ies. It is a method for pupils who have difficulties in behaviour. McGee travelled around the world to inspire people to use gentle teaching consequently in their work as parents, nursing staff, teacher, manager, psychologists, etc. People who are using gentle teaching have built a community, which is living the values daily. In excess of the teachings, the method was lived within the pupil community, it was called “gentle experience” then.
In line with the school developement to higher quality, the involved schools worked on teaching pupils respectfully and let them be more involved in the lectures, as well as use together with parents the mindful and respectful methods of “gentle teaching” and “gentle experiences”. All involved employees and pupils had to have knowledge about the project to use it properly. Pupils got used to the new concept and were more polite and respectful with each other. They gained a lot of team competences which they can use later in their occupational time. Through the European dimensions of our key actions1 we have gained insights that the important and new impulses from that project improve the quality of our schools. From an announcement on etwinning 4 schools found each other which were very promising to improve their school development and quality. From a big pool of schools, that have applied to this topic, they were chosen, because they had experiences, so that there was a good chance to succeed with this project. In this common project each partner wanted to improve their social and intercultural competences, in which they succeeded. The project was very sustainable due to training with video material (Podcasts, C-apitos, Videos) and the work with embassadors throughout the years.
The impact of the corona-virus changed the plans in phase 2 unfortunately. When school is opening again after the corona-lockdown in every participating country (which is not the case to this date), all schools agreed to go on working with the embassadors, they also agreed on distributing and organising the project in their countries on their own after the corona-crisis is over. Our last assembly had the task to experience ourselves as an international and national community and witness our diverse pupils. Diversity needs diverse people, this is the motto that we wanted to fulfil and in which we succeeded. The sustainability of the project is demonstrated by a rearrangement of house rules, development plans and the external order in the school.

EU Grant (Eur)

Funding of the project from EU: 106247 Eur

Project Coordinator

Fritz-Felsenstein-Schule & Country: DE

Project Partners

• Istituto Tecnico Tecnologico G. Malafarina
• Escola Vida Montserrat
• Zespol Szkol nr 1 w Alwerni
• Ysgol Maes y Coed