Happy Mind Erasmus Project

Project Title

Happy Mind

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 2020

Project Topics

This project is related with these Project Topics: Early School Leaving / combating failure in education; Pedagogy and didactics; Disabilities – special needs

Project Summary

Children with behavioral problems are found all over the world. It is interesting to discover that everyone struggles with this problem in their own way. During previously consultations with different partners we discoverd that this is being approached at different levels and ways. Does the problem lie with the child or the environment? What is especially important is how you get all those involved to the child at the table. Another very important item is: how do you communicate with each other. Where do complex issues come together; this will be necessary to achieve effective action.

Common problems at schools are bullying, exclusion, socially inappropriate behavior, rigid brain, problem of authority, problems with cooperation, etc, but also mutual misunderstanding from parents to teachers and vice versa. We want to create insights based on these themes. How did children end up in this situation? Where are similarities, where are differences, how do we look at the situation and how do we interpret behavior. Which methodologies are used to bring up underlying problems? How do we communicate this to each other and what do you expect from each other.

We discuss teacher skills both didactic and pedagogical, what and how do we offer the material, which structures do you use and how do you deal with the differences between the students? Particularly where multi-problems arise that cause children to drop out of school prematurely, cooperation between all involved child, parents, and school external care providers is of great importance.

In addition, we believe it is important to explain behavior on the basis of concrete examples with concrete material, such as cubes, puppets, diagrams, observations of game forms, different kind of conversation, class visits, etc. Theoretical substantiation can provide insights. Experiencing situations yourself gives a very high learning efficiency. By working with each other on the methodologies and practicing the forms of games, for example setting boundaries, daring to say no to each other, appointing each other on appointments, presenting yourself, etc. you realize what it demands for yourself and what you ask of someone else . By subsequently tackling this with a group of children and providing each other with feedback, you gain more and more confidence in the process and you become increasingly aware of the themes. This becomes a fixed part during the exchange. Ultimately you create insights that make us all stronger. More understanding about yourself and for each other, the teacher and the child. Parents are also included in this during the interim period. This allows you to work preventively and thereby prevent problems.

We work all meetings with cases from the own school so we stay close to the practice. During the entire project a compilation folder with work forms and theoretical foundation is created, that everyone can complete. This is important because via this folder the information and working forms can be shared in a controlled way with colleagues and serve as a guideline for securing the contuniation.

Our motivation is to work with a group of people who want to learn through collaboration and are open to share their own experiences. In other words: having an affinity with behavioral issues, wanting to share experiences, work thes out and performing it themselves with their work.
The teachers must be open to a critical attitude and safeguarding skills during this process. Also maintaining interim contacts, being ICT proficient and mastering the English language.

The project is all about the pedagogical climate at the regular school, for children with special needs.
The aim of the project is to work preventively so that behavioural problems are quickly identified and tackled effectively by all involved. That is why we believe that it is important that the children become more aware of themselves and that they take responsibility.

EU Grant (Eur)

Funding of the project from EU: 78816 Eur

Project Coordinator

De Bakelaar & Country: NL

Project Partners

• Szkola Podstawowa nr 204
• Center for special educational support “D-r Peter Beron”
• 4o DIMOTIKO SHOLEIO TYRNAVOU