To be or not to be Erasmus Project

Project Title

To be or not to be

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: Creativity and culture; Access for disadvantaged

Project Summary

Context:
Just like many other schools in the EU our schools are dealing with a growing diversity of pupils. We are facing many challenges like the prevention of discrimination, the inclusion of people with a different cultural background and the inclusion of people with disabilities. We also try to encourage our pupils as much as possible to study and not to drop out of school too early. All of our schools have made great strides with dance education within our all-day school offers. Dancing offers, no matter what nationality, social background or intellectual skills, the possibility to develop specific skills and to work together.
The “Lernhaus im Campus”, the “Colegio Juan Comenius” and the “Escola de Danca Lugar Presente” work together in the Erasmus plus-project “Learning through dance” since 2018. We profited from this project in many ways. With our “learning through dance” methods, we were able to improve the intercultural competences and the inclusion of pupils with learning disabilities. However pupils and teachers who were directly involved in the project benefitted the most. To transfer the project into our regular lessons, we are currently developing a handout for teachers. But we can already see that the handout will not be enough to integrate the methods for our classes on a regular basis.
This is the reason why we want to keep working with our partner schools. In addition to the handout, we want to make a film for the better understanding. Furthermore, we want to involve our pupils in the implementation of the dance project even more.

Aims:
Our three schools would like to learn from the specific experiences of their partner school by performing the dance project with the topic of basic needs of people. Together we want to achieve the following aims:
– improving the participation of learners with fewer opportunities by developing methods of dance pedagogy in regular classes: implementation of the handout in addition with the film
– fighting against early school leavers and discrimination with the possibility of success for all learners including the ones with a migration background by strengthening the collaboration between teachers and artists
– Support in the development of social and cultural competences through the development choreographies and the preparation of dance presentations

Participants:
Each of the schools offer specific competences for this project: The secondary school “Lernhaus im Campus” has gained years of experience in using dance projects for the promotion of pupils with migration background and for the promotion of educationally disadvantaged pupils. The “Colegio Juan Comenius” from Valencia organizes activities and classes in a way that teenagers with different disabilities can participate. The “Escola de Danca Lugar Presente” from Viseu is specialized in the cooperation of artists and teachers. The secondary school “Stad & Esch” has specific experiences to link projects and regular classes.
The number of participants from each of the three schools are as follows: 240 pupils aged 13 – 18 (therefrom 144 also in the mobilities), 28 teachers (therefrom 8 also in the mobilities) and two dance choreographers.

Activities and Methodology:
Five international meetings are planned. An introductory workshop for teachers with the topic “motivation” as well as four international meetings with the pupils where the pupils will perform dance projects with the topic “Basic needs of humans”: Freedom – home, work – recreation, equal rights and protection, love and creativity. The pupils develop a dance choreography together with the teachers and dance choreographs and rehearse them. On the fifth day, the pupils present their performance in public. In between the meetings, the pupils will work independently on their parts of the choreography.

Results and long-term considerations
The planned film documents the central steps in the development of the choreography and the rehearsal as well as parts of the performance. This film includes recommendations, instructions and examples of how to implement “learning through dance” and motivates other teachers and schools. The film will be used as a basis for transferring the result from the workshops into the teaching staffs and further schools. Therefore, this project contributes to a greater implementation of methods of dance pedagogy and offers a new integral access to learning especially for disadvantages pupils.
With regards to the discussions about the topic “basic needs for humans“, the results will be evaluated by each of the schools thoroughly. If necessary, measures will be taken to enforce basic needs of humans at the schools.

EU Grant (Eur)

Funding of the project from EU: 126922 Eur

Project Coordinator

Lernhaus im Campus – Oberschule & Country: DE

Project Partners

• JUAN COMENIUS COOPERATIVA VALENCIANA
• Stichting voortgezet Onderwijs Zuidwest Drenthe
• Escola de Dança Lugar Presente, CRL