Play to grow Erasmus Project

Project Title

Play to grow

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 2018

Project Topics

This project is related with these Project Topics: Early School Leaving / combating failure in education; Key Competences (incl. mathematics and literacy) – basic skills; Pedagogy and didactics

Project Summary

The Erasmus + project “Play to grow” was born from a common desire between French, Greek and Polish schools to provide their students with a European cultural openness but also to enable teams to fight against the first signs of dropping out of school.
French schools, placed in ZRR (Zone de Revitalization Rurale) have been working for several years, through various projects, to enable their students to open up culturally and to feel European citizens. Projects are carried out to strengthen the common experience and culture: USEP, correspondence with city dwellers, cultural projects, discovery trips, activities related to languages, projects with local partners (parents, games library, media library, associations, etc.). Kindergarten has a specific protocol for welcoming 2-year-old children. Schools are also thinking about the continuity of school paths from kindergarten to high school and are trying to adapt their teaching methods to allow all students to acquire the skills they will need.
The Polish school wishing to work as close as possible to each child has invested in work around the theory of multiple intelligences. She wonders about the continuity of this work, in particular thanks to the cultural openness allowing the development of students from an early age.
The Cretan school is continuing its approach of opening up to others and intercultural exchanges through the “Play to grow” project and is also involved in another Erasmus + project over the same period. Indeed, the place of games, projects and exchanges is important in the life of students in the city. In addition, they participate each year in a festival created by the teachers.
The project aims to enhance each student, build confidence and self-esteem.
This project is innovative because it includes children from 2 to 12 years old and creates real cooperation between children of different ages and cultures.
A retroplanning was designed with precision according to a progression in order to mention all the activities, exchanges and actions planned for the project. It has been modified according to the contingencies and obligations of each country.
The project is included in the school projects; the planned actions and activities are integrated into the learning in the various disciplines. They are thought up beforehand by teachers, discussed during meetings and mobility, but also throughout the project. They are prepared in class with the students and then form the basis for exchanges with other countries. The contacts are regular. When mobility returns, assessments and reports are carried out in the classes with all the children and readjustments have been made.
Teachers develop professional skills by discussing in class observations, taking into account heterogeneity, preventing dropping out of school, the place given to parents and external partners. They gain access to different, innovative practices. They are interested in observations, in the management of student heterogeneity, the risk of dropping out of school, and possible remedies. The creation of a digital workspace makes it possible to unite the teams. Modifications in the progressions and programming are written according to the observations made.
By their fundamental role in pairing with the teacher with very young children, ATSEMs are integrated into the project. During observations in nursery schools, they discussed their role and enriched their practices.
Through exchanges, students gain access to a better level of disciplinary skills in language (expression and comprehension, clear, adapted and precise statements), mastery of ICT, in mathematics and in the arts (creation of games). Working together improves living together (mutual aid, tolerance, trust, autonomy and taking initiatives). Through access to other language structures, students strengthen those of their mother tongue. They discover and wonder about other cultures. They are made aware of new languages, ways of living. They develop curiosity but also skills in school fields, ICT and living together. Through concrete actions, the project induces motivation and promotes students with special needs.
The game bank continues to develop during class time, game evenings with partners, and via the internet. These contents are offered on eTwinning.
Game evenings are organized for the duration of the project, depending on the health context.
To continue this project, the schools are planning to create a game festival featuring all the games created, especially common games. These festivals will unfortunately depend on sanitary conditions.

EU Grant (Eur)

Funding of the project from EU: 92731,45 Eur

Project Coordinator

Ecole élémentaire d’Aulnay de Saintonge & Country: FR

Project Partners

• 5th Primary School of Aghios Nikolaos
• école maternelle
• Przedszkole nr 12 Plastusiowo w Gnieznie