A child friendly project against prejudices and xenophobia for European primary schools Erasmus Project

Project Title

A child friendly project against prejudices and xenophobia for European primary schools

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: Social/environmental responsibility of educational institutions; Integration of refugees; Intercultural/intergenerational education and (lifelong)learning

Project Summary

In our schools, we have many children from different European countries and cultures and beyond. Because racism occurs in society as a result of fears of difference and a lack of understanding and appreciation of other cultures, children can be very strongly influenced by these prejudices and fears. The aim of this project is to equip children with the skills to challenge xenophobia in all its forms; to be able to recognize it and to be aware of the potential in everyone to behave in a racist manner. We believe that it is vital for children, in our work of preparing them for a diverse modern society, that they will develop positive and open attitudes to people of all cultures, in many cases beginning with their fellow schoolmates. Through the medium of subjects such as art, drama, creative writing, music, dance, design etc, which allow for creative expression, the stories which unfold will demonstrate the level of understanding acquired by the children of the problem of xenophobia, its prevalence in society and the skills necessary to counteract the problem. Given that most of the participating schools have lots of children of immigrants, we believe that this is essential in a “Europe” with open borders. Furthermore it is also in line with the positive elements of the European Dimension.
Teachers in participating schools will have an opportunity to examine their own prejudices and will also develop their own skills, sharing best practice with other schools ways to develop in children greater self-awareness and empathy towards others.

Concrete objectives:
• The children will have developed empathy towards people of other cultures.
• The children will develop an appreciation of the richness and variety of cultures in the world.
• The children will develop an understanding of the dangers of xenophobia.
• The children will develop their creativity through the medium of art, music, creative writing, drama and design.
• The children and teachers will improve their standard of English as a second language.
• Through what the children have learned, their parents and the community will also have developed a greater empathy for other cultures and a better understanding of the dangers of racism.
• Teachers in partner schools will develop methodologies for how best to develop self -awareness and empathy towards others.

Problems to be addressed:
• Xenophobia/racism – the belief that some people are superior to others because they belong to a particular race.
• The negative judgments people make of others because they may have a different physical appearance.
• People speaking different languages and how they can communicate.
• Cultural differences – food, clothing, customs and traditions, housing etc.
• Misunderstandings that can develop because of lack of language/knowledge about other cultures.
• Ingrained prejudices acquired by children from their families or society that people of certain races all have certain associated characteristics.
• Negative behavior towards those who are perceived to be of a different culture.

Approach to achieve our objectives:
• Children in partner schools across European countries will develop their own story having been given the same opening paragraph which they will then develop in their own way, which will be done by means of class discussion, mind maps, circle time, improvisation and other means of pooling ideas, facilitated by their teacher.
• The story will be developed through the medium of subjects such as art, drama, creative writing, music, dance, design etc., which allow for creative expression.
• This flexibility in how to approach the project will provide much a greater depth, breadth and range of interest for students, both in the topic of racism, and the various media used to present the story allow children to develop greater self-awareness, awareness of others and empathy towards others.

• Every partner will look for parallel schools in the region to share the experiences of the project and show their presentations made during the project.

• There will be a website made on which parents and other schools can see what presentations are given and what the outcome will be of the meetings.

• Teachers and pupils will use Etwinning, Twinspace, Skype or Whats App for contacts and presentations of their presentations outcomes and results.

• The website will be in use for 5 years so that everyone can use the content.

• We will make a small booklet that can be used in every school for presentation purposes after the project.

• Every school will add the results of the project to their curriculum afterwards.

All schools want to work together. Smaller schools, while bringing in their unique perspective, benefit from working allongside colleagues in larger schools to realize the goals in our project.

Parents, children, teachers, colleagues and others can follow the project on the website www.axep.erasmusplus.eu

EU Grant (Eur)

Funding of the project from EU: 197736 Eur

Project Coordinator

OBS de Plantage & Country: NL

Project Partners

• Lindi Lasteaed-Algkool
• elementary school of kypseli
• CEIP El Peralejo
• Gozo College – Zebbug Primary
• Volksschule Karres