About the project

We urgently need to discuss issues like pupils’ indifference and their lack of motivation towards education and school. Early school leaving is an even more severe issue. Education is the chance to respond to raising demands in the pupils ‘home countries and abroad. Each child and adolescent is entitled to be supported and positively challenged in an individual and constant way. However, this is far from reality in the countries participating in our project. The percentage of school dropouts is alarming: Netherlands (8,8%), Germany (10,5%), Hungary (11,5%), Greece (11,5%), Spain (24,9%), and Turkey (39,6%) [http://ec.europa.eu/education/policy/pdf. 31.01.2016]Goal: European countries have committed to decline the number of early school leavers to under 10% until 2020. We will work out strategies in order to prevent pupils’ indifference towards school. As well, we will reduce the high percentage of early school leavers. Participants: Teachers and students will be the main participants in this project. To be successful, parents, institutions (e.g. government office for youth welfare), municipalities, universities and teacher-training centers must get involved. The participating teachers will watch foreign classes, learn from each other, and work out strategies to be able to offer fair chances of development to all students. Except for the Netherlands, who take part in an international project for the 1st time, all participants have already gained experience in a Comenius project. To enhance the exchange, E-twinning is supposed to be an vital means in all 5 schools. Concerning this, there are also newcomers.Activities: Our project consists of several modules.

1-Germany: “Giving fair chances of development for each child – achieving integration and equality of opportunity by building respect and tolerance”

2-Greece: “Augmentation of Reading competence – development of different motivating techniques in order to gain and improve reading skills”

3-Hungary: “Early performance measurement of language learners to prevent early school leaving”

4-Netherlands: Sports as important part of education and formation – Sports for mental and physical health”

5-Spain: “Music and language learning – researchers say: ‘Absolutely’ “

6-Turkey: “Reasonable use of Internet and social networks – the digital human being”

Results: By means of the strategic partnership we want to improve our school profile in a qualitative way. We want to learn mutually and profit from positive and innovative teaching practice.During the international meetings, results of the tasks concerning our project topic and teaching material will be presented, tested and evaluated in international groups.The main focus will be the development of the pedagogical manual as well as the modification of curricula according to our experience.During our project, parents will be frequently informed about the progress and results of the project. Thereby, they will be motivated and invited to participate. Feedback questionnaires and evaluations will inform about our work. It is our goal to motivate the teachers in the 5 countries to take over positive and successful methods and strategies. For that reason, trainings and information events will take place. Our students will be activated und spread their experiences and ideas. Language courses held during our intercultural meetings should motivate leaners and teachers to learn about foreign languages and cultures. Sustainability: We aim to publish our results broadly in different ways and by different media. People/ institutions interested in our work and material shall be supported and given advice by the participants of our project. That means we want to help and encourage spreading our contents and experiences. We will provide our results in a printed and digital way. During the 3 years we will be develop innovative material as a pedagogical manual as well as lesson drafts and methodologies. We will provide our material to universities and teacher-training centers. We aim to create new type of network between schools across Europe. It is important to evaluate the success of our strategies after the end of the project. By using e.g. different questionnaires and looking at statistics we will gain information on the rate of school leavers and the increase of reading competence after our project. As the goals are complex and must be dealt with from different perspectives, three years of Erasmus+ are appropriate. With our project we want to offer a chance for a prosper future for each child. We want to accompany and support children in becoming successful European citizens.