Examples by Policy FieldEarly Child Education and Care

November 2013

Comenius Partnerships

Key words workforce and staff competences curriculum (holistic approach) evaluation and monitoring governance content voice of the child parental involvement diversity quality accessibility

2010-1-GB1-COM13-06198

EARLY YEARS AND EQUALITY – OBSERVING AND LIVING EACH OTHER'S PRACTICE IN EARLY YEARS TO INFORM QUALITY DEVELOPMENT

UK – BE The project will work with partners from the Flemish Community (BE) and Staffordshire (UK) to explore quality in Early Years practice (both at day care centres and pre-school kindergartens). The project aim to develop a sustainable relationship between by familiarising each partner with their individual contexts. It created a reflective programme of individual and shared observation to enable good practice to be shared, not only with participants but also with the wider Early Years communities within both regions. It was achieved by dissemination of the learning and products arising from the project. The three lines of enquiry i.e. equality and diversity within Early Years settings; early language acquisition; and transition points in a child’s learning and development all sit under an agreed imperative to reduce the gap in achievement between the least and most advantaged children.

The overall purpose of the project was to improve quality in early year’s provisions and settings. The concrete objectives of the partnership were: To familiarize each partner with each other’s contexts To create a programme of observation, reflection, sharing of good practice and

adaptation To collect and share findings of what constitutes good practice To develop a sustainable relationship in order to stimulate further cooperation To develop observation and reflection resources for practitioners in both regions. This is particularly relevant as the Early Years Foundation Stage in the UK places strong emphasis on observation as a tool, to support children’s learning and development. To produce a project report which is referenced to relevant research and evidence based practice as to “what works” in combating disadvantage and improving child outcomes.

The partnership aimed to examine what quality overall means and in particular in relation to the themes of equality and diversity within provisions - early language acquisition - transition points in a child's learning and development. The EYE project offered early years practitioners in Flanders, Belgium and in England a unique opportunity to have first hand experiences of early years practice in the other country, and to explore with colleagues in the other country aspects of practice and the reasoning behind it. The partners believed that proactive and mutual reflection would help practitioners and their counterparts in the other country, as well as their colleagues ‘at

home’ attain maximum benefit from collaborative reflection. The learning and the improvements in practice thus acquired would benefit all our children.

At the start of the project a toolkit was produced to give information to practitioners about observation and reflection. It was also to provide a coherent framework and common language to collect practitioners’ ideas, thoughts and questions. The current toolkit is and free for use by others. One caveat: practitioners should be given instructions and supported by their managers before, during and after the whole process of using the toolkit.

Exchanges of staff (job shadowing weeks in both regions) allowed understanding each other’s practice using an observation and reflection; there were project meetings between all institutions of the partnership to discuss and exchange the perception of what constitutes good practice.

http://www.europeansharedtreasure.eu/detail.php?id_project_base=2010-1-GB1-COM13-06198

http://eyeproject.eu/wp/wp-content/uploads/2012/10/Rapport_EYEonPractice_EN_def_lowres.pdf

2010-1-GB1-COM13-06167

IDENTIFICATION, ASSESSMENT AND EARLY INTERVENTIONS FOR CHILDREN WITH EMOTIONAL BEHAVIOURAL AND SOCIAL DIFFICULTIES TO ENSURE THEIR WELLBEING

UK - ESThe objectives of this Project were to: - 1.To develop identification and assessment approaches relating to social and emotional development. This will inform all aspects of the learning process for primary aged children (3 – 11) in both Santa Maria and Wales, and be designed to identify specific needs of individuals and groups. Two online surveys were used, which can be completed by classes of pupils in the computer laboratories at their school. 2. To build into the process a systematic and collaborative approach for the development of whole school and personalised approaches for social and emotional skills and wellbeing. This will include developing learning environments within the Primary Phase that promote social and emotional skills as well as curriculum approaches that complement these priorities. Both local authorities used a Provision Map to select interventions to support pupils’ needs as identified through the online surveys and the

teachers’ own knowledge of their classes. 3. To provide quality evaluation of all aspects of the project that will inform on-going pilot development and future actions. The evaluation, by Professor Banerjee, focused upon the application and transferability of processes and interventions from an international perspective. 4. To develop the Welsh and Spanish support and advisory capacity including its professional development programme. Schools have improved capacity, confidence and skills in supporting social and emotional learning and in developing social and emotional skills. 5. To develop co-ordinated and multi-agency approaches to identifying and meeting the needs of children with the greatest needs in the area of social and emotional development and their families through linkage with well established strategic groups (Children’s Emotional Wellbeing Peer Mediation). Both authorities referred to a range of intervention approaches. Whole-class, small-group, and individual-level interventions were implemented.

http://www.europeansharedtreasure.eu/detail.php?id_project_base=2010-1-GB1-COM13-06167

2010-1-DE3-COM13-10380

SCHOOLS IN EUROPE DEVELOP TALENT

DE - AT Gifted education is carried out in Europe on the one hand segregate in gifted trains at high schools in Ulm, Baden-Württemberg, on the other hand. In integrative forms in Linz, Upper Austria In the project the best of both funding schemes were recognized conceptually and systemically analyzed and developed. It controlled the school administration at the same time running processes, extracurricular partners were responsible for the development and evaluation process, the participating schools developed the curricular models and tested it.

The Ramsauer High School and the Albert-Einstein-Gymnasium developed specialized nrichmentkonzeptionen on the basis of their educational plans and offered to design innovative forms of teaching. Additional extracurricular activities such as the Summer School or College students were integrated. The Department of Curriculum and Teacher Education Association Foundation and the Stuttgart accompanied talents and evaluated these operations. They helped to determine the diagnosis and individual needs with differentiated measures within the heterogeneous needs.

The program "Social Emotional Learning" strengthens the individuality and promotes a sense of community. The gender issue has been addressed as well as the question of the influence of immigrant background. The development of a training plan for teachers allows the professional handling of heterogeneity and leads to a much larger potential cognitive and social activation in appropriate learning arrangements. This leads to an overall strategy of gifted education that is provided to all schools with integrated and segregated funding available, so as to optimize an appropriate European contribution to the development of special talents. Repercussions for the regular instruction in their dealing with heterogeneity are expected.

A central objective of the project was to compare the funding schemes: a) integrated into the existing class rule, b) separative in the gifted class. Regarding the effectiveness of conveying the organizational form is subordinate. The establishment of gifted traits is an engine for the development of schools. The study also considered issues transfer to secondary schools.EST Star Project

http://est.kmk-pad.org/product_show.php?id_project=2010-1-DE3-COM13-10380-0&id_product=JOINT_1http://schulen-foerdern-begabungen.eu/?page_id=234http://www.europeansharedtreasure.eu/detail.php?id_project_base=2010-1-DE3-COM13-10380www.schulen-foster-begabungen.eu

2009-1-GR1-COM06-01796

WHEN THE EXPRESSION AND CREATIVITY MEET THE FANTASY OF LITTLE CHILDREN

EL, EE, UK, PL, TR, IT, BG, PT

To raise pupil awareness of their own identity and getting the sense that they are part of a larger word than their own town or country, show them ways to express their thoughts and feelings though art activities, get familiar with foreign languages and ICT.

Today’s socio-economic reality shapes a new operation framework one of the nursery school and will require a quality education and development of participatory teaching methods, having as a goal the children’s all sides development and their smooth socialization, in order that they be read to

face the “information and knowledge society”, where they are going to live.

This goal will be achieved by a programme of relevant activities (including ICT) within the creative and expression area of the Nurseries. During the plan, the children using their imagination will present plays, musical fables and games, puppet show, will create puppets, stories, songs and poems, they will experiment with the variety of the technique of colours, they will compose creations with different materials and they will exchange dances, songs, fairy tales and customs with the children of other countries of the partnership, getting the sense that they are a part of a larger world than their town or country.

The programme ties 9 schools which represent over 1100 students of nursery schools from East, West, North and South of Europe and gives the opportunity to infants and teachers through their participation to enforce their European identity, knowing other European people.

http://comenio.altervista.org/joomla

http://www.europeansharedtreasure.eu/detail.php?id_project_base=2009-1-GR1-COM06-01796

2009-1-GB1-COM06-03646

OUR FEATHERY FRIENDS

IS, GB, ES

The specific theme are birds but the project very ingeniously has use it to create lots of different learning activities for children; wide range of topics addressed in consistency with the preschool curriculum; it allows young children to discover and learn from experience; great impact in the schools

Young children are curious about the world surrounding them. That is why it is the best age to reinforce lifelong learning skills about the natural environment. The cross-curricular project 'Our Feathery Friends' helped pupils to learn about their local environment and to understand that there are no boundaries for nature. Pupils observed local birds and compared them with partner countries, they designed and made bird feeders, visited local nature reserves, learnt songs in their

own and partner languages, made observational drawings of birds and exchanged them with partners.

Children also practiced their reading skills using a special 'Bird Library' and took challenges to read more books than their partners. Flash meetings brought children face-to-face and helped them to compare the reading challenge results and set new challenges. Through traditional stories pupils learnt about each other's cultures and had a taster in their partner languages by singing songs about birds. Pupils benefitted from exploration during the visits to nature reserves leading to presentations of their own experiences using Slideshow, PowerPoint, Photo Story and Voice Thread software.

http://new-twinspace.etwinning.net/web/p16809/welcomehttp://www.europeansharedtreasure.eu/detail.php?id_project_base=2009-1-GB1-COM06-03646www.schulen-foster-begabungen.eu

2010-1-IT2-COM06-14298

DISCOVERING AND SUPPORTING DYSLEXIA IN THE EARLY YEARS

SE, IT,TR,CY,SL,RO,BG

Schools that work for everyone; It addresses how teachers can support a dyslexic student and support the parents; it has developed a teacher's guide focussing on best practices for teachers to help students before school age and in the early school years in order to get a good linguistic and language awareness and to prevent reading and writing difficulties.

Dyslexia is a difficulty in the development of reading and writing skills. However, it is possible to identify those at risk of dyslexia, and who may have problems in developing the necessary skills that underpin the development of reading and writing even before they learn these skills. This can be achieved through long term observation at pre-school and careful monitoring and support. This project will develop a system designed to prepare the dyslexic child for transition from preschool to primary school. This will be through comparison of alternative practices in partner countries, and development of a model of best practice that may be widely used.

This will be achieved by development of an Individual Support Plan (ISP) that not only provides details of the history of the child and their needs, but also provides information to the primary school. It will include a checklist for identification of difficulties and an associated manual which will be the basis of development of the ISP and support for these individuals when they enter school. This support will be for all teachers working both in pre-primary than in primary schools, to provide a school-wide support, as well as parents and others involved in helping the dyslexic individual.

http://www.bold-dyslexia.com/http://www.europeansharedtreasure.eu/detail.php?id_project_base=2010-1-IT2-COM06-14298

2009-1-GB1-COM06-03834 NO, GB, BE

It illustrates how Comenius can be used as a tool to achieve objectives within pre-schools for instance language learning and about other cultures.

LANGUAGE THROUGH PLAYAs a partnership, it aim to improve our children's language skills through play, using songs, rhymes, games and role play. Working with other European schools will introduce our own children to new languages, customs and cultures. A family of soft toys will be introduced to each partner school at the first project meeting. These toys will accompany adults during mobilities to meet up with their famines spread throughout Europe. An ongoing part of the project will be a dictionary of targeted words so each School has the opportunity to learn simple words in a different language to their own. Visiting staff will add new words to the dictionaries and teach correct pronunciation. Using webcams, ICT programmes, DVDs, Videos, PowerPoint etc, the pupils from each school can get to know each other and share simple songs, rhymes and games. A project website is planned so the children participating can share the project with their families.

A final product from the project will be a calendar. Each partner will illustrate a season and each page will have days and months printed in all three languages. The calendars will be a keepsake for each child in each partner school as a reminder of their European friends. Simultaneously, we can

compare our educational systems and learn from each institution. We can give and receive input in special fields.

http://www.europeansharedtreasure.eu/detail.php?id_project_base=2009-1-GB1-COM06-03834

2009-1-FR1-COM06-07173

FROM THE WASTE BASKET

FR, BG ,IT, EE ,SL,UK

Our old world has been the home of many creatures for millions of years. Unfortunately, most of the life forms have been extinct today because of human beings. Deforestation, decreasing of the green areas, environmental pollution, consuming too much energy, nuclear disaster... Every day people damage our world. Millions of people waste tons of garbage but they really don't care about whether the waste material can be recycled or not.

The aim of 'From the Waste Basket' is to teach pre-school pupils how to protect our environment by recycling the waste materials. To do this, they will make toys, artwork, pictures, souvenirs; etc

out of waste materials with the help of their teacher’s .They will learn the name of the materials, what happens to them once we throw them away. They will learn nursery rhymes related to the waste items. Therefore, they will be aware of what we consume and what we waste. When we waste, they will think again whether it has a second chance and can be recycled. Therefore, we will be able to protect our environment and save our money.

All the partner schools will put their ideas into the recycling issue. As a final product, we will produce a website which will give practical methods to make items out of waste materials for the kindergartens and for the parents who have little children not only in Europe but also in the whole world.

http://www.from-the-waste-basket.eu/http://www.europeansharedtreasure.eu/detail.php?id_project_base=2009-1-FR1-COM06-07173

2007-1-LT1-COM06-00004

CHILDREN'S STORIES MARKET

LT, DE, LU, PL, FR

it focuses on pupils’ early foreign language learning through stories and everything else that would enable pupils to: express themselves; identify the characteristics of their country or region; share cultural traditions; strengthen the European dimension; actively use ICT‘s and etc.The results are Books of children’s stories, various drawings exhibitions, and hand-made puppets.

The Partnership enabled the learners to use different languages during the project meetings, various festivals, expeditions and open days at schools. The outputs of the project are: two printed multilingual books of children’s stories, various drawings exhibitions, hand-made puppets and etc. Each school had also organized a “Stories Market”. The methods of early foreign language learning are interesting and valuable in a sense, that they can be widely used in improving the educational process.EST Star Project

http://www.europeansharedtreasure.eu/detail.php?id_project_base=2007-1-LT1-COM06-00004

2011-1-FR1-COM06-24439

RESPECT

PL, FR, RO, TR, IT, PT, UK

Project is realized by kindergarten in Zabrze, town located in industrial area on the south of Poland. The project focuses on protecting the natural resources and ecological issues. The project aims at acquiring the ecological attitude by children.

Le projet RESPECT est fondé sur la protection de l'environnement. A travers une connaissance de la nature, et des effets néfastes de la pollution, ce projet vise à acquérir de bonnes attitudes pour préserver notre environnement. La réussite des actions passe par un effort collectif. La prise de conscience d'appartenance à un groupe partageant des valeurs communes est le deuxième pilier de ce projet. C'est avec l'autre et en respectant ses différences que nous pourrons surmonter des problèmes qui nous dépassent individuellement. Le dépôt de documents numérisés illustrant les actions du projet sur un site internet multilingue permettra le travail coopératif et la pérennisation du projet. Ainsi, l’enfant accède à une meilleure compréhension du monde, à la communication, à l’ouverture culturelle ainsi qu'à la connaissance de soi et de l'autre. Un passeport et un jeu multilingues réalisés collectivement témoigneront du parcours de l'enfant, des connaissances et des

attitudes acquises dans le projet. Le jeu et le passeport circuleront dans les familles pour permettre la diffusion du projet. A travers “RESPECT”, les enfants pourront mieux comprendre leur environnement, échanger mais aussi prendre conscience de leur appartenance à la communauté européenne. Ce sera pour eux l’occasion d’appréhender leurs différences mais aussi les enjeux qui les unissent.

http://www.europeansharedtreasure.eu/detail.php?id_project_base=2011-1-FR1-COM06-24439

2008-1-DE3-COM06-00174

NO CHILD LEFT BEHIND - TEACHING KEY COMPETENCIES IN EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION

DE, SE, FI, ES, RO

The project is to exchange best practise among partners. It will focus on key-competences: 1. Language and literacy education: Teaching languages skills in ECEC as basis for lifelong learning secures equal chances for each child. As parents play an important role, staff are to support them to be able to create a home-literacy environment. Children gain language skills out of this partnership both in mother tongue and foreign languages. 2. Maths and sciences: To build on children's individual capability of exploration an experimental approach in ECE should be the main teaching-

method. Learning units will be offered both to children and parents to keep up with each other. Children will learn a basic respect for human beings, animals and environment. 3. Democracy - revealing conflict resolutions: According to outcome of 1+2 the goal is to improve children's interpersonal problem-solving skills and gain a general understanding of democracy . 4. IT: adapting basic skills in early years. All partners to develop activities in form of units and carry them out with children and parents. Units to be transferred into partner schools and carried out with children and parents there.

Results: Summary of the partnership per PowerPoint presentation. With the results of the experiences which our institution has made with the pedagogic concepts, the educational conditions and the educational mandate of our partner countries. The presentation was concluded by an evaluation of the learning experiences our institution has had with the Comenius Project.

http://www.europeansharedtreasure.eu/detail.php?id_project_base=2008-1-DE3-COM06-00174

2008-1-GB1-COM06-00367

A COMPARATIVE STUDY ON GENDER EQUITY IN EUROPEAN PRE-SCHOOLS

UK, DE, IE, SE

Our partnership brought together with a common interest in how gender affects very young children's development, and how preschool teachers can promote gender equality positively in today's ever changing society. At a contact seminar all partners agreed our project title would be 'A Comparative Study on Gender Equality in European Pre Schools'. We were all in agreement that exchanging information and sharing positive practice with each other would encourage a greater awareness of how and why we need to promote gender equality' as well as the opportunity to improve the quality of the activities and resources, currently available in our pre schools. Our choice of a Multilateral Project focusing on the pedagogical issue of Gender Equity will encourage staff to explore and develop an awareness of gender differences through multilateral activities that cover the core curricular areas in all partner countries. This will not only enhance our professionalism in the classroom, but also our appreciation of the differences in educational experiences offered by the staff to children in the European Union. Finally we hoped that the exchange of activities in a format that will

also be attractive to children and parents would encourage children, parents and staff to develop a sense of citizenship as well as an appreciation of cultures outside their own.

http://www.europeansharedtreasure.eu/detail.php?id_project_base=2008-1-GB1-COM06-00367

2008-1-FR1-COM06-00319

EURO-CITIZENS OF THE FUTURE

FR, PL, IT, UK, SE, IC

Our partnership aims to encourage our pupils become euro-citizens responsible for their environment and we aim to address this through the theme of sustainable development. We all are nursery schools from 6 countries which are all so different with regards climates, landscapes, latitudes and natural heritage. We feel committed to the priority of ensuring that all pupils have an awareness of the enormous issues we each have in our own countries, in Europe and indeed the world.

Our pupils will build their own “eco-code” step-by-step that will depict what is suitable and unsuitable for our planet hoping that this citizenship education will change their habits for the benefit of

themselves as citizens of the future. Our pupils are the next generation and our problems will be even bigger problems in their future lives if we do not address this now. In our project, ICT will feature greatly, as all partner schools are well equipped for optimum communication between their staff and children as well. As our pupils are young, we will routinely use webcams and photos or video. We hope that such a European project will help our staff, pupils and families to be more tolerant towards differing nationalities and cultures, as well as children with differing educational needs.EST Star Project

http://www.eurekology.com/ http://www.europeansharedtreasure.eu/detail.php?id_project_base=2008-1-FR1-COM06-00319

2008-1-PT1-COM06-00046 PT, NO, IT, TR,

Democracy and participation - we are a part of a world where we constantly find poles that are struggling in their targeting, extreme fanaticism on one hand, and capital and purchasing power on the

DEMOCRACY AT SCHOOL - BASED ON RESPECT AND MUTUAL UNDERSTANDING

ES, IC other. Both blind to other directions than the one they move in. Democracy. Formed from two Greek words; Demos – Kratos/ Kratein. People. Power/ to govern. Democracy as an idea is a humanistic idea that power should rest with the people. We choose to look at democracy as; participation. To have influence. It was important words we took hold of the start of this project. Participation - being a part of something and affect our surroundings. We had a desire to make children's thoughts, opinions and imagination visible to us teachers and peers. Everyone has the right to be seen and heard in a democratic society. Children should learn important concepts such as freedom, rights and obligations. The children were learning to make choices. To learn to make choices, it was important to understand that an idea or a viewpoint can be seen / perceived in several different ways. In this context, we felt that philosophy was an important and effective tool to use. Through philosophy - conversations with the children they practiced to give their opinion (no opinion is stupid or inferior), listen to, talk with, meet argument with argument, explaining its decision with reasons. More schools / day care experienced that the project has influenced their lives and changed attitudes within the staff. Ataturk Primary School Education in Gediz, Turkey

experienced to be one of the most popular schools in the area, thanks to the Comenius project. We agreed that it has given us a unique opportunity to understand other cultures, exchange experiences and learn to work together across borders and language barriers.

http://comenius.umb.no/index.html http://www.europeansharedtreasure.eu/detail.php?id_project_base=2008-1-PT1-COM06-00046

2009-1-CZ1-COM13-01936

PATHWAY TO SUCCESS

CZ, SK Systematic support and care for gifted children in kinder gardens, main result a technical publicationIt analysed the regional and national policies in the field, experts were involved; the outputs of the seminars and workshops help the teachers and contributed to a sustainable international cooperationhttp://www.sumperk.cz/cs/mesto-sumperk/projekty-eu/ukoncene-projekty/cesticka-k-uspechu.html

The project was aimed both at promoting and developing education kindergarten teachers who will

work with exceptionally intellectually gifted children ("the children MRN"), as well as the expansion and improvement of the identification and diagnosis of children MRN and last but not least, advisory and consulting activities for teachers and parents (guardians) of children.

The project objectives were to Identify educational systems in the Czech Republic and Slovakia in early childhood and elementary education, to analyze the educational offer in the area of early childhood education and on the basis of principles and procedures to prepare for setting up systematic support and care for children in kindergarten MRN (i.e., expansion, deepening and improving education kindergarten teachers in the field; to clarify issues MRN children from their parents and legal representatives; familiar to professionals public with this issue, deepening and improving the identification and diagnosis of children MRN children by PPP workers and CPPPaP; to create professional publications for kindergarten teachers on the issue of MRN and their children work with them; to implement group integration MRN children in a regular kindergarten class).

The main outputs of the project were Information booklet for professionals and an information leaflet

for parents; Issue technical publication entitled "The exceptionally intellectually gifted child in kindergarten" - identification, diagnostics, inspiration, ideas and worksheets; CD with worksheets, questionnaires for parents and kindergarten teachers and the structure of the IEC; Implementation of group integration MRN children in regular kindergarten class in both partner cities (Šumperk and Prievidza) since September 2011. Beyond the planned outputs of the project to provide: Consulting and advisory services, including examples of good practice for kindergarten teachers who work with children and MRN for parents of children in kindergarten kindergarten Cheerful Šumperk; In cooperation with the DDM and ZpDVPP Villa Doris Šumperk organize seminars and interactive workshops for kindergarten teachers and lectures for parents

http://www.europeansharedtreasure.eu/detail.php?id_project_base=2009-1-CZ1-COM13-01936

2008-1-SE1-COM06-00216 SE, IT, NL This project find its origins in the experiences in the field of age 0-6 education developed in the pre-

QUALITY IN PRESCHOOL THROUGH INCLUSIVE AND DEMOCRATIC EDUCATION

schools participating in this project. Every partner has different experiences to offer for exchange. This project connects the partners through exchange and comparison. We became curious of each other through teachers and headmasters from the different partners that have meet at conferences.

The main goal of the project is to share and disseminate a discussion about quality in education. The basic principle is the idea that children have strong abilities ever since birth. They master a lot of different languages; verbal and non verbal, visual, body and symbols. We want to explore how teachers can create opportunities to offer children the chance to develop such languages and ways to express themselves. This idea, common and known on a theoretic level, but not on a practical one, could lead us to create new high quality opportunities for children.

In order to create high quality opportunities, we believe in building educating pre-schools, offering and providing teachers with proper tools and specific skills throughout education. The main issues and concerns are thinking, reflection and comparison of experiences in the field of age 0-6 education and of professional action of teachers. The Swedish, Romanian, Dutch and Italian pre-schools have

an equal important role during monitoring and study visits. All will be able to suggest changes and comments through feedback based on their own experiences when visiting each other. Feedback upon each way of working will improve the quality of education by giving more sophisticated skills and competences to teachers.

http://progettoindem.blogspot.be/http://www.europeansharedtreasure.eu/detail.php?id_project_base=2008-1-SE1-COM06-00216

2007-1-AT1-COM06-00002

1+1=3 PARTNERSHIP KINDERGARTEN AND FAMILY

AT, DE, RO, DE, CZ, LV

With our project we were endeavoured to promote and intensify a democratic culture within our child-care-institutions by cooperation with the parents. Thereby we wanted to raise the overall quality of the kindergarten as an educational institution. Early education results from a mutual process between the child, educationalists and parents/family. Continuous cooperation of

BEARS FRUIT kindergarten and family on a partnership-basis of confidence is therefore beneficial to the development and the educational process of the child. It provides an opportunity to all children - including those from fringe groups - to develop an own and self-responsible personality with the ability to handle conflicts and to gain life-competences. It is also the optimal preparatory measure for their later school-career.

Each partner institution followed an individual working plan and carried out manifold activities within the frame of the cooperation. At regular team-conferences on the project-theme, whereby representatives of the parents were also involved, the cooperation kindergarten/parents was continuously reviewed, new targets and activities were laid down. So called "good examples" of cooperation of kindergarten and family were documented by all the partner-institutions. These models of cooperation were exchanged verbally and in writing at project-meetings and did motivate partner-teams to apply new activities after adapting them for the own institution. In the course of mobilities special models of cooperation were demonstrated in practice, exchange models were thought upon. Problem areas were discussed and steps to possible solutions were jointly searched for. The

coordinator was endeavoured to promote the exchange of such "good examples" and to assist on language problems. A selection of "good examples" of the partners is now documented in the final product (CD-Rom, pedagogical materials, book).EST Star Project

http://www.europeansharedtreasure.eu/detail.php?id_project_base=2007-1-AT1-COM06-00002

2009-1-HU1-COM06-01382

BEING EUROPEAN IN THE LANGUAGE OF THE ARTS

HU, TR, LV

It focussed on institutional development and partnership in European dimension: - to get acquainted with the practice of educational policy and everyday pedagogy of the countries participating in the project and to spread the project-based working process internationally - to involve the institutional system of kindergarten education in cooperation’s abroad (building network and working together) - to extend the local particularities, national specialities as well as the European

international values, parallel with the professional innovation and human resource development - multiplication of the competence-content having priority on project-level - to provide equal access to pedagogically earned value gained by the continual and common work of the cooperating educational institutions - to use communicative methods based on children’s own experience, and participation.

EST Star Projecthttp://www.europeansharedtreasure.eu/detail.php?id_project_base=2009-1-HU1-COM06-01382

2008-1-MT1-COM06-00007

3 EEE'S-ECOUNTING,ECULTURE,ECOMM

MT, IT, UK, ES

The project aims at using ICT based learning with children at a pre primary level. The project focuses on three topics of learning which are social science, Mathematics and various methods of communication; at a level that can be appreciated by children of a Young age. The project work involves various tools that help children in their early phases of learning. This school is the coordinator

UNICATIONS of the project and also won first place for etwinning this year in Madrid during the annual etwinning conference.

It an activity oriented project where pre-school and primary children are encouraged to explore and discover fascinating mathematical concepts in an exciting and interesting way. They perform a series of hands-on mathematical activities which they share between the participants. Children are encouraged to invent and play games whilst they learn to follow rules. To realize this vision the project team work together to raise awareness of the importance of mathematics in early education, sharing sound pedagogical approaches to mathematical teaching and learning and developing essential resources to support high quality equitable mathematical experiences for all young children. The project team share their expertise in ICT and new ICT programs are explored. Children join in creating mathematical digital puzzles and games. Different European cultures and languages are also introduced to the children. A healthy lifestyle option is incorporated with the mathematical topics. The results and descriptions of these mathematical activities are published on the project’s website. The digital games and puzzles are also published on the project’s website. Parents are introduced to the

website to observe the development of the project. They use the educational games and puzzles with their children.

http://3eees.wikispaces.com/http://www.europeansharedtreasure.eu/detail.php?id_project_base=2008-1-MT1-COM06-00007

2010-1-BE3-COM06-02405

NAME THE GAME

CZ, BE, RO, DE, FIN,

Do you want to play with us? Children do! They learn by playing! This children’s right was our starting-point. Our project mainly focused on pre-primary children. Older children were involved too. With an assistance of the Centre of Informative Games (Leuven/Belgium) we developed informative games about our different European surrounding, involving new technology and improving social skills, basis for civics in a context of growing European identity. The children were always involved in evaluating and naming the games. Two ‘European Game Nights’ were children's moments to play simultaneously throughout Europe, connected via Skype. First the children took pictures and prepared

presentations “My Way To School”. They were sent by post and we had a first impression of each other. Then we created the 1st game: “Throw the Dice”. It is an indoor game, which includes tiles, info cards in two languages, a dice and… a shopping list. Competition is combined with sharing information. A 2nd game “F.E.W.A.” challenges children to choose task cards about Fire, Earth, Water or Air. It focuses on 4 elements of nature and children’s impact on it. The 3rd game is the creation of “discovery boxes” related to constructions, celebrations, movement, temperature, light and sound… The last 4th game, “5 Stars Shopping”, focuses on our 5 countries. Without prejudice children may discover differences and similarities. It teaches children to be aware of language differences, the need for a working language and the courage to speak in other languages. A fantastic way of getting children involved was filming puppetries. During project meetings, children were represented by mascots. Back home they told them everything they did and saw during visits in partners' schools and countries. They became also the characters in 4 short puppetry videos. To give you access to all parts of this great experience, we created for you a “one stop shop”.EST Star Project

http://www.europeansharedtreasure.eu/detail.php?id_project_base=2010-1-BE3-COM06-02405http://namethegame1.wordpress.com

2010-1-GR1-COM06-03896

"ART FOR LEARNING, ART FOR PEACE, ART FOR NATURE, ART FOR LIFE"

GR, CY, ES, DE, RO, LV, IT, CZ, PL

The focus of the activities of was to raise the awareness of pre-school children to the potential of art for learning and personal self-development as well as for bringing peoples together in peace. Nine pre-school institutions followed the yearly calendar and encouraged the children to represent common boxing days (e.g. Christmas, Easter, Carnival) and country specific important dates (e.g. the 25th of March in Greece) through artistic creations that were meaningful to them. In this way art was approached in all its forms (music, songs, dance, drawing, storytelling, folk art, pottery etc), it became the object of attention and discussion (e.g. through the presentation of important painters and composers per country) and the creative powers of the children were liberated. At the same time common and different cultural elements were spotted and appreciated and ICT familiarization became

a natural part of the process of the children communicating with their children partners. The project implementation bears proof to the impact which European experiences -when acquired early on - can have on the shaping of critical minded, culturally tolerant and socially active European citizens.

A colour pencil in the hands of a child is a key that opens the thoughts and feelings of the world's children. “With constant love and respect our children's young age (3-6 years) and with particular emphasis on the development of their creativity and personality, 9 preschools decided to open the locked doors to universal peace, the nature in which we live, life itself. European Comenius program will be our exploration vehicle and the art will be our instrument. Our motto is “learning art, art for peace, nature art, and art for life." We'll leave that art takes us, inspire us and make us sensitive. 'We selected the art to be our guide, because it is a universal language, the mother tongue of mankind. Want to use it and feel as if we were children of the same mother, citizens in the same country, citizens of Europe, and citizens of Earth. Participant in all art schools is part of our life and nature is the source of our inspiration. 'We ll draw, we sing, we dance, and we will act in skits. 're going to approach the art and nature to get to know them, hear their sounds we will draw on their colours. 're

going to learn about them in order to turn them into a protective shield for our Earth. Through this collaboration is intended that all participate in a celebration of the tradition and civilization. Expect daily experience, from knowledge, brotherhood and peace. Posters, educational games, photographs, artwork, stories, song, dance, music, exhibitions, competitions and culinary moments will be the reward for all. Art will become the bridge of communication, friendship and peace for all.EST Star Project

http://www.europeansharedtreasure.eu/detail.php?id_project_base=2010-1-GR1-COM06-03896

2009-1-BG1-COM06-01584

ALL DIFFERENT-ALL EQUAL -ALL EUROPEAN

BG, HU, AT, LT, PL, RO, SE, TR

Interactive Teacher’s Guide that summarizes international teaching experience and practical application of art in pre-school settings to facilitate development of children's social and civic skills. The main objective of Teacher’s Guide is to encourage pre-school teachers to use art as a tool for development of children's social and civic competencies during pre-school educational

processes, using a variety of methods and techniques which promote active and creative self-expression of children.

Our school partnership aims to develop a pedagogical approach to social and civic competences of pre-schoolers as to a complex process, developing all personal, interpersonal and intercultural competences and to promote innovative collaborative pedagogic, unifying the efforts of parents, teachers and pupils.

The project addresses Pan European problems such as the integration of pre-schoolers at risk: children from minorities or migrant families, families with social and economic problems, children with disabilities; prevention of child violence and early age racism and xenophobia; prevention of social exclusion of children and their parents by ensuring their active participation and collaboration with teachers and other European teams of pre-schoolers, parents and teachers in all project phases.

Our Partnership seeks to channel in pre-school European values such as toleration and pluralism, respect to the others (especially the different ones), celebrating diversity, European identity and European citizenship. Our main concept “All different-all equal-all European” is “translated into child-friendly language” with the metaphors of the tale “The Ugly Ducking” and it will be celebrated with theatrical performances in all partner countries. The project will produce European-disseminated outcomes such as multilingual project web-page, project diary, introductory and final project brochures, interactive Pedagogical Manual, DVD with theatrical performances, project products exhibitions, celebrations of Europe Days under the slogan “I am European and that feels good! ?”.EST star Project

http://different-equal.eu/ http://www.europeansharedtreasure.eu/detail.php?id_project_base=2009-1-BG1-COM06-01584

2009-1-FR1-COM06-07173

FROM THE WASTE BASKET

FR,BG,IT,EE,SL,UK

Our old world has been the home of many creatures for millions of years. Unfortunately, most of the life forms have been extinct today because of human beings. Deforestation, decreasing of the green areas, environmental pollution, consuming too much energy, nuclear disaster... Every day people damage our world. Millions of people waste tons of garbage but they really don't care about whether the waste material can be recycled or not. T

The aim of 'From the Waste Basket' is to teach pre-school pupils how to protect our environment by recycling the waste materials. To do this, they will make toys, artwork, pictures, souvenirs; etc out of waste materials with the help of their teacher’s .They will learn the name of the materials, what happens to them once we throw them away. They will learn nursery rhymes related to the waste items. Therefore, they will be aware of what we consume and what we waste. When we waste, they will think again whether it has a second chance and can be recycled. Therefore, we will be able to protect our environment and save our money. All the partner schools will put their ideas into the recycling issue. As a final product, we will produce a website which will give practical methods to make items out of waste materials for the kindergartens and for the parents who have little children not only

in Europe but also in the whole world.

http://www.from-the-waste-basket.eu/http://www.europeansharedtreasure.eu/detail.php?id_project_base=2009-1-FR1-COM06-07173

2009-1-EE1-COM06-00584

ONCE UPON A TIME…- STORIES: A WAY TO DEVELOP, EXPLORE AND LEARN

EE, BE, HU, CZ, AT, LT, UK

Once upon a time…-stories: a way to develop, explore and learn. To develop: pre-primary (3-7 years old)and primary school (1-6 grade) children’s language skills, expressional skills (listening, speaking, retelling the stories, asking and answering questions, working together as a team, having discussions, playing the stories and different drama games, expressing themselves without words – mimic skills, movements, using art) using story-telling method which contains these activities. To develop teachers ICT based skills, knowledge about eTwinning. To improve teachers’ story-telling, communicative skills by communicating in their own organization and with other participating European organizations. To explore: different European fairy-tales (characters, key points in the story,

the origin, differences and similarities). To learn: The cultural awareness of pre-primary and primary school children and teachers, working with them, increases - they know more about their own countries and different European countries culture (using 2 games made by each participating organization-Memory and Dice game).

The cooperation will be organized by the use of e-mail, telephone: containing reports about progress of the project monthly; home pages and Comenius blog, where all the participating organizations put videos about children plays, photos of children art work, about children participating in different fairy-tale based activities, about teachers meetings in partner organizations, story-books made by each partner. Participating organizations will meet 5 times in different European countries. In contact meetings partners will exchange DVD s and CDs with children plays and art work. Partners will exchange 1 dance to learn with pre-primary children and 1 song for teachers (from each participating country), make fairy-tale books and produce 2 plays with children within 2009-2011. The plays will be played at the contact meetings.

http://www.europeansharedtreasure.eu/detail.php?id_project_base=2009-1-EE1-COM06-00584http://wwwnurmenuku-reena.blogspot.fr/

2010-1-RO1-COM06-06834

LULLABIES: UNIVERSAL LANGUAGE OF LOVE

RO, TR, LV, BG, PT, HU

Lullabies are the first songs of the mothers they sing for their children. Every country has tens or hundreds of the lullabies all over its territory. Each lullaby has its own story, its own way singing and feelings. The lullabies are the first interaction tool between the mother and the child. They are indispensable parts of our national culture. There is almost no child in this world who did not hear a lullaby from his/her mother and/or grandparents. We are now living in a very technological era. The mothers are actively involved in national production and business life in order to make a living for their lives. The mothers cannot spend a lot of time with their babies due to their work. The babies generally listen to these ready-made lullabies and other products while growing up. This was the premise from which we started in this project applying initial evaluation questionnaires, we obtained a rate of approx.

60% of mothers asked not know any lullaby.

The project was a partnership for learning by preschool children and their parents swing songs, to establish a stable relationship and quality of environment between the kindergarten and parents, grandparents, children, development of acquiring language skills, to establish a learning environment in kindergarten more attractive for the training of teachers.

The activities were from various workshops with parents, volunteer activities, festivals, shows, dramatizations, contests interdisciplinary, scientific and educational symposium, drawings and photographs exhibitions, fairs to sell products, films, publishing books, posters, leaflets, games, project site. Through this project I became children with heart and I stepped into a new world in which we found that we have many things in common, we have new things to learn from our partners as we acquire new knowledge about tolerance and European friendship.EST Star Project

http://www.lullabiescomenius.com/http://www.europeansharedtreasure.eu/detail.php?id_project_base=2010-1-RO1-COM06-06834

2009-1-CZ1-COM06-01945

HEALTHY EUROPEAN SCHOOL BY MEANS OF HEALTH COMPETENCES

CZ, SK, LI, PL, NO, TR, HU, NL, GR, IT, LT

The result of the international teamwork was: - making our main final product PC textbook as a teaching system indented for health with using competences and modern educational methods - completing all the worksheets. PC textbook has 2 parts: - the theoretical part consists of healthy lifestyle topics such as first aid, mental health, optimal body weight, healthy diet, sports - the practical part includes PowerPoint presentations, video films, photos, songs, poems, essays, discussions

The health is the highest worth of the life. However the schoolchildren haven´t been awake to that fact. What could we do in order for paying attention to the questions about health? A healthy person has enough force to manage school studies and later the work and has less absence in school and

has bigger chance for the first rate life. The overall aim of this project is to create values attitudes and skills to the students, make the training system more active at the level of secondary education by using competences and modern educational methods. The project will have two parts: a) practical part containing student meetings and working together on surveys concerning lifestyle, (sports, nutrition, first aid, family life, and mental health, drug and alcohol abuse). The purpose of the meetings is to create presentation on logo, films, songs, videos, reports, PowerPoint’s, posters, albums etc. b) a theoretical part containing preparation how to investigate and how to report in an international survey. Nine partner schools out of thirteen have had the experience with Comenius projects. All partners will do research in lifestyle subjects. The differences of the participating schools will be beneficial because the common subject matter will be the educational training of students in taking care of and understanding the value of health and the importance of healthy lifestyle. There are two nursing schools that will take part in project directing . They are involved in the project to increase its quality, and organize an international first aid competition.EST Star Project

http://www.hesohec.org/ http://www.europeansharedtreasure.eu/detail.php?id_project_base=2009-1-CZ1-COM06-01945

2009-1-LV2-COM13-00662

PUBLIC COOPERATION OF LATVIA AND BULGARIA REGIONS FOR INTEGRATION OF CHILDREN WITH SPECIAL NEEDS INTO EDUCATIONAL PROCESS / LABU FOR CHILDREN

LV, BG Pre-primary, integration of children SNE into education process; project activities for pupils and teachers , parents, social workers and NGO involved in education; outcome is a methodological guidelines "How to develop Skills of Children with special Needs" for families and pre-primary schools; good dissemination; local community cooperation; mainstreaming

http://www.ludza.lv/?cat=309&lang=lvhttp://www.europeansharedtreasure.eu/detail.php?id_project_base=2009-1-LV2-COM13-00662

2011-GB1-COM06 – 10830

ONE SONG ONE VOICE

GB, PL, AT

Project is realized by kindergarten in industrial city - in Lodz. The aim of project is to find out more about the cultures and traditions, mainly through art, dance, drama, music, cooking and sport. This will be demonstrated through the use of art, dance, drama, music, cooking and sport. Each module will involve the pupils discovering more about themselves and each of the partners through each of the above elements. The sharing of experiences by the teachers will widen and strengthen their knowledge.

http://www.europeansharedtreasure.eu/detail.php?id_project_base=2011-1-GB1-COM06-10830