COMENIUS PROJECT FULL PROGRAM 2010-‐2012
My World, Your World, OUR WORLD! GOALS: Our project focuses on developing creative outdoor learning opportunities for children in the early years by building on our repertoire of stories, songs, rhymes and games. Beginning by finding out about school and home life in partner countries, we will celebrate and develop stories and rhymes that are common to all our countries and cultures, e.g. ‘The Three Billy Goats Gruff. The project will develop to involve the sharing of individual folk stories/songs/rhymes and rituals based around festivals and key events unique to partners. The creative use of the indoor and outdoor environment will facilitate the development of language learning, including sign language. An E-‐twinning web space will enable recording and sharing of learning outcomes. We will share and explore good practice in creative curriculum planning using a multi-‐sensory approach and building on children’s interests. Through working with our partners we will broaden our children’s understanding of their place within the wider world, thus promoting understanding of how they can make a positive contribution to society. All groups of children represented within our schools will be included in the project, including those from ethnic minorities, those with special needs and those living in socially or economically deprived areas.
RATIONALE: They believe that pupils should be actively engaged in meaningful activities which build upon their interests. All participants share a desire to develop children’s communication skills in their mother tongue and understand the value in extending the experience to include additional language acquisition and enrichment. All partners are fully committed to including all pupils and exploring the benefits to be gained by the local communities from European partnership, including staff professional development. We see a great opportunity to immerse ourselves in our learning and hence widen the children's learning and understanding, both for specific language development and for free-‐range activity -‐ within the wider context of our regions, our countries and the wider European community. Staff will have the opportunity to develop and enhance knowledge of ICT, managing various ways to communicate, work with digital cameras and camcorders and communication via the project intranet. We will also gain knowledge of the various countries' teaching and learning activities, and of how to teach to children in different ways with respect to language and play.
OBJECTIVES AND STRATEGIES: -‐ An awareness of different cultures is developed across communities including an enhanced understanding of the way children learn and ways of life in partner countries -‐ Children develop personal, social, health and emotional skills, language and literacy and an understanding at their own level of what it means to be a European citizen -‐ Staff and pupils have the opportunity to listen to, know, read, perform and share stories, rhymes, games, festivals and dance in a range of learning contexts, including the outdoors -‐ Pupils’ language acquisition is developed in their mother tongue through immersion in the vocabulary -‐ particularly story language, rhyme, games and song -‐ Children and staff are able to communicate in different ways appropriate to age and experience through song, languages, role play, technologies, pictures, signs and words -‐ Children develop knowledge and understanding about the local geography of individual institutions -‐ All children, including immigrant pupils and those having special educational needs or experiencing social or emotional disadvantage, are motivated to participate in activities
through the use of a range of learning styles, levels of support and groupings -‐ Partners extend and develop an awareness of the environment both for educational experiences and in relation to the world’s resources and impact that we can all have at a school, local and global level -‐ Partners understand that learning is meaningful and relevant to their futures e.g opening up intercultural dialogue and future life opportunities -‐ Staff share and develop good practice and skills including communication technologies, teaching and learning methods to support the development of a creative curriculum and the acquisition and enrichment of both mother tongue and additional languages.
ADDED VALUE: -‐ An enhanced awareness and acceptance of the differences between different European cultures and people that is celebrated and valued for its Diversity. -‐ A developing awareness of extending future life/work opportunities through intercultural dialogue and partnership. -‐ European citizenship will be promoted in a meaningful way, through learning days focusing on partner countries. IMPACT: -‐ Expected Impact on Persons: -‐ The development of friendships and professional working relationships between pupils and staff (hopefully many lasting beyond the duration of the project). -‐ Pupils and staff develop insight, understanding and knowledge of the unique identity of participating countries – to include culture, language and traditions. -‐ Direct communication channels established through letters, videos, e-‐mails, websites and video conferencing that will extend beyond the length of the formal partnership. -‐ The enhancement of information and communication technology capability. -‐ Development of early additional language acquisition for a purpose.
-‐ Good practice shared across international communities e.g. use of the outdoor learning environment, ICT skills, leading to increased motivation and enjoyment of the curriculum and enhanced practice. -‐ An understanding of how partner institutions include pupils having educational disadvantage e.g. special educational needs, physical disabilities, social /emotional problems, immigrants/pupils learning in a language different to that used in the home leading to enhanced practice allowing access across the curriculum. -‐ Migrant children will feel that they and their cultural heritage are valued leading to raised self esteem and sense of cultural identity within the International Group. -‐ Expected Impact on the Institution. -‐ The International dimension added to learning and teaching across the curriculum will raise the profile of the school in the local community beyond the duration of the Project. -‐ The project will help to broaden the curriculum by encompassing learning about our partner institutions, their language, geographical background and traditions. -‐ The school community will become more accepting and tolerant of those who are different and celebrate this diversity.
RELEVANCE OF THE PROJECT IN OUR CONTEXT: All participating institutions have a strong desire to work closely with European partners in order to share and build upon current good early years practice to support the development of an increasingly creative curriculum which maximises the use of space indoors and outdoors. They believe that pupils should be actively engaged in meaningful activities which build upon their interests. All participants share a desire to develop children’s communication skills in their mother tongue and understand the value in extending the experience to include additional language acquisition and enrichment. All partners are fully committed to including all pupils and exploring the benefits to be gained by the local communities from European partnership, including staff professional development.
DISTRIBUTION OF THE TASK: - The co-‐ordinator will ensure the effective running of the programme, maintaining effective and regular communication (minimum monthly by e-‐mail) and collating and sharing on going reports and evaluation materials. She will act as an intermediary if there are any concerns or problems. -‐ All schools will share equally the responsibility of attaining project objectives and of communicating with each other on a regular and frequent basis. Partners will reply promptly to e-‐mails. -‐ Partners will sign a contract of commitment to the project -‐ All schools will ensure that pupils are fully involved in the process of investigation, evaluation and communication -‐ Each partner institution will take responsibility for planning and co-‐ordinating a mobility visit and staff development activity/workshop (see work programme). This will include arranging accommodation for those visiting, advising on transport, drawing up a programme of activities and leading on the planning of a Comenius group Newsletter to be completed back in partners’ own countries -‐ As a group we will use the strengths/expertise/skills of each individual institution to best effect: Raysfield Infant School will lead a workshop on forest skills and how they are taught progressively from the ages of 4 – 7 Sätrabrunns Förskola will lead a workshop on sign language and how this can influence Language development for all children.
COOPERATION AND COMMUNICATION: -‐ Clear guidelines/protocols will be agreed by participating partners at the initial project meetin in November 2010 e.g. communication channels and expectations, production of a Comenius newsletter. All partners should abide by the project Work Programme and take full part as agree at submission of the application. -‐ Effective communication channels will be drawn up at the start of the project e.g. minimum monthly e-‐mail contact and the establishment of school Comenius pages on web sites enabling pupils and teachers to work cooperatively -‐ The co-‐ordinator will encourage others and act as a good role model -‐ All partners will act with consideration to other members of the partnership -‐ Support, monitoring and evaluation will be provided by the Gloucestershire International Education Office to the co-‐ordinator as required. Such advice will be disseminated to partner Institution. Partners will be able to discuss ongoing issues in more depth at timetabled project meetings