Comenius Project

2004-07

A holistic approach to

developing world citizens

The partners

Top o’ th’ brow primary school

Bolton - United KingdomBOOTHB@top-oth-brow.bolton.sch.uk

Rainbow Kindergarten

Nicosia – Cyprushttp://www.rainbow.com.cy/

Terzo Circolo Didattico

Verbania – Italywww.terzocircolo.comune.verbania.it

The project

We are focusing on a whole school

ethos/climate which supports and

celebrates diversity, tolerance and respect

for others.

This will be achieved through classroom and

whole school management which promotes

the inclusion of all children.

The emphasis of teaching and learning is in

DEVELOPING WORLD CITIZENS

who grow up to be

CRITICAL THINKERS

and

INDEPENDENT LEARNERS.

Project topics

• Social integration/exclusion

• European citizenship/ democracy

• Information and communication technologies

• Violence at school

• Interculturalism/ethnic minorities

• Comparing educational systems

• School management

• Raising pupil achievements

• Pedagogical methods

• Disabilities/special needs

• Quality of education

School subjects

• History

• Geography

• Religion/Ethics

• Civics

• Health education

• Mother tongue

• Foreign languages

• New technologies

Communication language

English

Duration of the project

years3

First year

The first year will involve management of

behaviour to promote self esteem, personal

and international identity and a strong sense of

tolerance and respect for others.

It will involve emotional literacy and

educational therapy.

Partner schools will audit their own practice,

share, exchange ideas, methodologies, etc…

Second year

The second year will be concerned with the

core curriculum and aspects which can

increase pupil awareness and understanding

of living in a multicultural society and

individuals, being world citizens.

Third year

The third year will focus on delivering a

curriculum from a world perspective, which

develops pupils to be critical thinkers and

independent learners.

School years 2004/06 - Activities

All schools have articulated our own

school’s vision and shared it with partner

schools.

Key personnel in partner schools have made

contact through e-mails and have

exchanged relevant policies to scrutinise.

Each partner school has begun an audit of their

own behaviour management in school i.e.

practices, perceptions, relevant documentation.

Together we have devised questionnaires for

parents, pupils and staff and begun to evaluate

the data collected.

To meet together to scrutinise collected data and

then formulate action plans for our own schools.

Share the good practice which has been

evaluated from the collected data. Look at all

schools behaviour policies and relevant

documents and pick out good practice to

implement in own schools.

Key personnel do teacher exchanges to observe

behaviour in partner schools.

Key personnel to demonstrate positive strategies in

classes in partner schools.

Key personnel from school in England to do training in

partner schools on Emotional Intelligence and brain

gym.

Key personnel from school in Cyprus to do training on

ADHD and Learning Disability in England.

June 2005 – We met to share questionnaires results with partner

schools, update policies and plan next year activities.

May 2006 - We met to plan the final year and brainstorm ideas

on ways to include our new partners from Portugal, Crete and

Ireland (if they are accepted). The English partner demonstrated

in some classes breathing exercises and peer massage

Final meeting in Cyprus

Questionnaires

STAFF QUESTIONNAIRE

 1. Which 5 behaviour problems cause you the most stress on a day to day basis? Rate the “most stressful” first down to the least stressful. 

2. What do you think are the cause of these problems?

 

3. What kind of positive behaviours do you think the school should be seeking to develop?

 

4. What aspects of behaviour does the school do well?

  

5. What are the strengths of the school generally and how might we use these strengths to develop better behaviour management practices?

PARENTAL QUESTIONNAIRE

1. I am aware of the way in which the school motivates children to behave well.

2. I am aware of the way in which the school disciplines children who misbehave.

3. I am kept well informed about how my child is behaving at school.

4. I have the opportunity to be involved in the way school manages the behaviour.

5. Parents are regularly updated or reminded about the discipline/behaviour policy in school.

6. I believe my child has a clear understanding of their rights and responsibilities in this area.

7. I believe the school is fair and efficient in managing children’s behaviour.

8. I believe all the children are equally valued regardless of their backgrounds, colour, race or faiths.

9. If I have a concern about my child’s behaviour I know who I can contact.

10.I believe that all the children, including my own, receive all the support they require in being helped to behave well.

11.I believe the school has the right balance between rewards, motivation and punishment and discipline.

12.I believe the school does a good job in dealing with bullying.

a) Strongly agree b) Tend to agree c) Disagree d) Strongly disagree

e) Don’t know

PUPIL QUESTIONNAIRE

1. Do you think children’s behaviour in this school is

a) Excellent b) Very Good c) Alright d) Could be better e) Poor/ I often feel unsafe and bullied

2. Do you think your own behaviour is

a) Excellent b) Very Good c) Alright d) Could be better e) Poor

3. Do you think adults in this school notice children who are behaving well

a) All the time b) Most of the time c) some of the time d) Not often e) Never

4. Do you think adults in this school deal well with bad behaviour

a) All the time b) Most of the time c) some of the time d) Not often e) Never

5.  The school has rules about behaviour. How much do you know about them? What influence does it have on your behaviour?

6. How seriously do you think teachers listen to children about what is happening in school?

a) Very seriously b) Seriously c) Quite seriously d)Not very seriously

e) Not at all seriously

7. Can you think of any examples when children’s views about behaviour were listened to and acted on?

a) Four or more examples b) Three examples c) Two examples

d) One example e) None

8. How would you describe relationships between children in this school?

a) Excellent b) Very good c) Good d) Not very good e) Poor

9. How would you describe relationships between adults and children?

a) Excellent b) Very good c) Good d) Not very good e) Poor

10. If I were the Headteacher of this school I would…

Visiting Rainbow School…

…meeting Cypriot colleagues…

…and tasting a traditional meze!

Visiting

A beautiful island

Cyprus is a beautiful island rich in history,

culture, traditions and marvellous seaside places.

Here are some pictures we took during our visit

for the first year final meeting.

NICOSIA - LEFKOSIA

Nicosia is a modern

city which expanded

rapidly during the last

decade.

NICOSIA

KOLOSSI CASTLE

The most important

Medieval Castle in Cyprus.

It was originally a camp of

the last Byzantine

Governor of Cyprus,

defeated by Richard Coeur

de Lion.

KOURION

One of the most

important ancient sites in

the Eastern

Mediterranean, regarded

as second only to

Pompei.

KOURION – THE MOSAICS

Mosaic of Ktisis (builder-

creator) from Eustolios

complex.

KOURION – THE THEATRE

The original theatre was Greek then enlarged by the

Romans.

APHRODITE’S BIRTHPLACE

“The moist breeze of

zephyr brought her

there on the waves of

the sea with a noise of

thunder among the

soft foam”.

Homer

THE GREEN LINE

The Green Line is an

unnatural border dividing

Nicosia.

For the past thirty years,

Turkish Cypriots in the

north and Greek Cypriots

in the south have lived

separated on the same

island.

On 15th July 1974 the ruling

military junta of Greece

staged a coup to overthrow

the democratically elected

Government of Cyprus.

On 20th July Turkey, using

the coup as a pretext,

invaded Cyprus.Cypriots captured by Turkish Troops

Stone Soup Museum of Children’s arts

The invasion and occupation has

had disastrous consequences.

About 142 000 Greek Cypriots

living in the north were expelled, a

further 20 000 Greek Cypriots

enclaved in the occupied area were

gradually forced through

intimidation and denial of their

basic human rights to abandon

their homes.

Thousands of people were missed.

In 2003 the opening of the Green Line allowed

Cypriots on both sides to cross the border and in

2004 Greek Cypriots entered the EU, but Cyprus is

not leaving yet as a unique country.

This project would represent a little step to the aim.

International Children’s Art Gallery