Educational distress: innovative stategies and toolsDisagio educativo: strumenti e strategie innovative Erasmus Project

Project Title

Educational distress: innovative stategies and toolsDisagio educativo: strumenti e strategie innovative

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: New innovative curricula/educational methods/development of training courses; Access for disadvantaged; Disabilities – special needs

Project Summary

CONTEXT:
In agreement with the schools, which then became project partners, the teachers focused on the theme of increasing the diversity in the learning and behavioral characteristics of children and young people, which often cause learning failures and management of the same. In some cases, these characteristics and differences lead to certifications of Specific Learning Disability (DSA). This is due to a growing youth unease that can lead to leaving school early.

AIMS:
– Promote greater inclusion of children with situations of educational distress
– Overcome learning difficulties
– Promote greater mental well-being of teachers who face difficult situations
– Counteract the phenomenon of leaving school early
– Cooperation between schools to find solutions on a range of problems and needs of students

NUMBER AND PROFILE OF THE PARTICIPATING ORGANIZATIONS:

Participants in the project:

1. Istituto Comprensivo Cervia 2, coordinator (Italy). The institute consists of 3 Infant schools , 5 primary schools and 1 secondary school of 1st degree, with a total of about 1000 students.
2. Daugavpils Vienibas Pamatskola, partner (Latvia). The institute is developed in a single building, for primary and secondary schools, with a total of about 420 students and 35 teachers.
3. Skola Podstawowa nr. 10 Jelenia Gora, partner (Poland). The school is developed in a single building, with about 600 students.

DESCRIPTION OF THE MAIN ACTIVITIES UNDERTAKEN

The activities referred to the 3 identified Focuses
Focus 1: new needs of children with learning difficulties and / or situations of hardship.
Seminars with university professors, Workgroups, educational activities, Training
Focus 2: communication with families.
Launch of Italian language courses for foreign parents, Workgroups
Focus 3: tools available to teachers to deal with uneasy situations
Seminars with university professors, Workgroups, Training

RESULTS AND IMPACT REACHED:
Collaborations: important collaborations have been started and consolidated with the University of Bologna – Department of Educational Sciences, which supported the entire project for Training and Workgroups, carrying out research-training activities.
Collaborations with local stakeholders were also fundamental for the project, as integrated interventions could be planned.
Teachers’ involvement: although the project was mainly aimed at primary school teachers, most of the activities were also attended by kindergarten and secondary school teachers, as well as educators working in schools as a support for situations problems, thanks to the service provided by the local authority.
Increased sensitivity towards the problem: as a result of the seminars, training and workgroups, a greater number of teachers were able to deal with the problems related to educational distress, becoming aware of the fact that it is necessary to implement adequate educational-teaching practices.
Level of consideration regarding inclusion: we have been able to find an increased level of consideration regarding social and educational inclusion, not only on the part of teachers, but also on the entire socio-educational community.
Educational experiments: in addressing the issue of school inclusion, a search has started on tools, strategies, innovative methodologies that can reduce the barriers that hinder learning from pupils in situations of educational discomfort.
Support for teaching professionalism: in order not to leave the teachers alone to face the problematic and uncomfortable situations, decisive and intensive action was taken, activating support for their professionalism and psychological well-being, followed and monitored by the University of Bologna’s professors.

LONG-TERM BENEFITS:
The training activities, the Workgroups and the Workshops, have stimulated the teachers to renew and research new educational-didactic paths, also in the comparison between the different experiences of the partners, that will certainly give the best results in the years to come. Interesting was the motivation and participation put in place in these two years of project, leaving to perceive a great need to respond to the problems that the current society confronts us.

EU Grant (Eur)

Funding of the project from EU: 41244,04 Eur

Project Coordinator

Istituto Comprensivo Statale CERVIA 2 & Country: IT

Project Partners

• Daugavpils Vienibas pamatskola
• Primary School Number 10 Jelenia Gora