BREAK STEREOTYPES-BREAK BARRIERS IN MINDS Erasmus Project

Project Title

BREAK STEREOTYPES-BREAK BARRIERS IN MINDS

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 2014

Project Topics

This project is related with these Project Topics: ICT – new technologies – digital competences; Early School Leaving / combating failure in education; EU Citizenship, EU awareness and Democracy

Project Summary

Project title: ”BREAK STEREOTYPES-BREAK BARRIERS IN MINDS”
A range of topics explored the concept and idea of stereotypes and citizenship. Topics explored what we think and what we know about the others and about their country.
• Who are they?
• What do they do in their free time?
• What do their families do in their community?
• What games do they play?
• What food do they eat?
• What local stories do they know?
The main aim was to engage in intercultural and national learning pupils and teachers from 5 school. Staff and pupils increased their awareness of European culture, and also developed personal creativity and explored the concept of stereotype through song, writing etc.
The creative approach of the project naturally enabled a high level of participation and enjoyment from all pupils including those with Special Educational Needs, pupils with learning difficulties, early-school leavers, lower qualified persons. Children wrote articles, uploaded photos and video clips, recipes, multilingual dictionary and a range of similar productive activities. All those lead to greater improvement of language skills and greater self-esteem for all pupils. All final products have been and will be continuously disseminated to many schools via website e-mail presentations.
We also included in project activities features about our family, life, and our locality. This project has brought a flavour of the participating countries to the wider school community and it has broken cultural stereotypes and barriers. The communication language was English. To communicate, partners effectivelly used: emails, some social networks, videoconferencing etc.
The main objectives was:
– to identify stereotypes and how they are constructed
– to recognize the benefits and rewards of cultural diversity in our schools and communities
– to give children first hand learning experiences e.g. interviews
– to provide communities with the opportunity to work together
– to use technology as a communication and learning tool
– to provide opportunities for the inclusion of all pupils
– to develop an understanding of what it means to be a European citizen (for pupils and adults too).
– to develop European language skills through the project and incorporate them into the curriculum
– to enrich the teaching methods in their own schools and partners’ schools
There was a lot of teachers and pupils participating in meetings and in exchanges. During the pupils exchange were organized an inclusion of learning, teaching and training activities and pupils was in real situation so they had experienced project works. In that way we allowed students to train themself and to develop their multicultural understanding by realizing the project works .
Methodology
Project teams ( pupils and teachers) was created in each school, Erasmus+ corners was prepared, Digital monitor was placed, Posters/brochures/banners was designed. Project was presented to the beneficiars ( pupils and parents) and also to the educational and local authorities. Mini-conferences were organized in Turkey when the Italian partner was’t present, We also applyed initial questionnaire and evaluation form after each project meeting and after each pupils exchange.
Every project meeting have had three steps: Preparation ( we prepared presentations about the activities developed in the last period, we developed activities on sub-topic, we prepare a leaflet of daily words and expressions and alsoTravel Manuals), Effective Meeting ( In project meeting planned and prepared activities will be done by participating of all partner schools) and Dissemination ( there will be dissemination activities in every school; A photo album of activities/A mini local conference/Articles will be written in the local press/Updating the website/ Updating the project corner in the school/Updating Digital Monitor). During the pupils exchanges: Host schools organised the programme and all the activities on sub-topic, presentations, games and sport activities for pupils, volunteer quest teachers’ performing classes, cultural visits, lesson observations, evaluation meeting and cultural evening. After the meeting there was an evaluation.
At the end of the first year Project annual and a calendar with project photos and project products was prepared.
At the end of the second year we applyed final questionnaire and evalution form, we prepared project annual, a calendar with project photos and project products, we observed and wrote final report of the project, DVD with videos, short films, sport activities, concert, presentations and photos, an exhibition of international products, a mini-dictionary of daily words and expressions, a booklet with photos, articles and students’ impressions, statistical analysis of the initial and final questionnaires and evaluation forms, published a special edition of school newspaper
To provide long lasting; memory boks at school for students and teachers and durable works were done.

EU Grant (Eur)

Funding of the project from EU: 80295 Eur

Project Coordinator

Colegio San Fernando & Country: ES

Project Partners

• SCOALA GIMNAZIALA MARIA ROSETTI
• ISTITUTO COMPRENSIVO G.DONIZETTI
• GULEK ATATURK ORTA OKULU
• Szkola Podstawowa nr 1 w Lubartowie