Doll has a soul Erasmus Project

Project Title

Doll has a soul

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: Key Competences (incl. mathematics and literacy) – basic skills; Quality Improvement Institutions and/or methods (incl. school development); New innovative curricula/educational methods/development of training courses

Project Summary

For several years now, in the EU, we have seen a drop in science competences among the young population and a general decrease in interest in science. At the preschool institutions in Slovenia, Turkey and Greece, professionals working with the project Puppet has a soul responded to the situation and stopped the current decline in interest in science and stimulated the growth of mathematical and artistic competences at 3 to 7 years old children. With the project they linked seemingly incompatible areas, mathematics and puppetry, and raised the qualitative and quantitative representation of both areas in the curricula and annual work plans of the institutions involved, and they consequently raised the level of knowledge in mathematics and the arts of professionals and knowledge of national concepts of the mentioned areas in the countries involved.
The project team consisted of 18 professionals, i.e. preschool educators employed in preschool institutions. Through collaboration, education, sharing of practical experience in mathematics and the arts, the exchange of cultural, language, geographical and general characteristics of the countries involved, the project has had positive effects on children, parents, employees, residents and associations of local communities employed in educational institutions in local, regional and national environment and students of pedagogical fields. It included 1300 people.
By creating a letter that contained a local legend, a picture letter, a set of mathematical tasks, a doll and a plan for making it, professionals introduced unique, innovative didactic, methodical approaches and materials into their work. The letters travelled from one country to another. With their contents children, professionals, parents, local communities, societies and pedagogical staff have reinforced their mathematical, artistic, general, professional and personal competences, and have also gained knowledge of the cultural, geographical, linguistic specifics of the countries involved and concrete experience of the implementation of human rights, democratic principles and mutual tolerance. The contents of all letters with didactic recommendations for work and cross-curricular links are published in the handbook, which is also available on the internet. The handbook provides long-lasting effects of the project, as well as a spectrum of proven recommendations for working with the preschool population. The content is useful for educators, special educators, primary school teachers, parents and students of pedagogical fields.
Experts strengthened their professional and general competences at four educational meetings in the area of mathematics and puppetry in Slovenia and in the art area with the exhibition of works in Greece and the Puppet Museum in Turkey. The result of the project and the educational meetings were both puppet shows and mathematical tasks and their connection. These events were repeated several times in the local environment. Using ICT technology, they were also viewed by the children of all institutions involved. Parents of children enrolled in preschools and local communities were given workshops and various socializing events with math content from everyday life in connection with art, puppetry and learning about different cultures and languages. Project activities and project impacts were also presented to a wider professional and lay public in articles in magazines and periodicals in all partner countries, fb profiles and project websites, and official institutional websites of the institutions involved. A significant step was taken in the quality of work of pre-school institutions involved in the project. It was reflected in the increased interest in pre-school education on the local and regional level and in the recognition of institutions.
Due to the involvement and exchange of cultural and geographical specifics of the countries involved in the regular work, there was an increase in the general knowledge of all participants, in the expansion of a professional network, in greater openness to the environment and in higher levels of cooperation with local societies and institutions, in greater levels of coexistence, taking into account racial and cultural differences, in better quality of free time and in higher involvement of parents and the environment in institutional education. The established patterns and forms of cooperation collapsed, the much needed foreign language skills were re-established and non-verbal communication improved. Briefly, we have revitalized our resources and received the challenge for both professional and personal growth. All these are competencies, knowledge, experience, memories and feelings that will remain forever and will bring lasting effects and a desire for ongoing education and networking.

EU Grant (Eur)

Funding of the project from EU: 58195 Eur

Project Coordinator

JVIZ OS Dobrna & Country: SI

Project Partners

• Vrtec Slovenske Konjice
• 18th Kindergarten of Rhodes
• Folkestad barnehage
• Cukurova Anaokulu