Between 4 and 8 April 2024, the Erasmus+ project 2023-1-RO01-KA121-ADU-000130406 took place in Barcelona, Spain, with the title ”Inclusive education strategies for students with more opportunities”. As part of this activity, two teachers from Technological High School No. 1 in Mărăcineni, Argeș benefited from an initiation course in the use of modern methods and strategies for working with students from disadvantaged social backgrounds. The proposed activity aimed at the creation of an OER in accordance with the School Curriculum for the geography discipline, Second Chance, approved by the Minister’s Order, order 5248 _2011. The purpose of the projects focused on the development of the personal and social skills of the teaching staff, in order to promote inclusive education, positive values oriented towards a more inclusive society, to increase the performance of the beneficiaries of the education departments, the students.
The main objectives of the mobility were:
- Development of new specific skills regarding social inclusion;
- Solving the problems of inclusion in multicultural classes;
- Students’ clear understanding of exclusion and inclusion;
- Developing and adequately applying knowledge, skills and attitudes relevant to inclusive education and the context in which it takes place;
- Increasing the chances of engagement to avoid exclusion;
- Development of new specific skills regarding social inclusion;
- Increasing motivation and interest in working with disadvantaged students;
- Learning new social inclusion tools and working methods to effectively educate all learners;
- Exchange of good practices and experiences regarding various aspects or perceptions of marginalization and inclusion;
- The use of new mediation and negotiation tools in the fight against the exclusion of people with fewer opportunities.
Competences acquired by the participants:
- Solving the problems of inclusion in multicultural classes;
- Development of cultural awareness;
- Management of inclusion issues in multicultural classes;
- Learning new non-formal education activities and techniques for a better integration of all students in the classroom;
- Applying strategies based on a very good overview and practical experience of the tools through individual work, working groups and collective work regarding social inclusion;
- Working with a multicultural group and practicing an international language on the topic of innovative learning methods with a great impact on the professional training of students. The students practiced English daily and exchanged impressions with representatives of different nationalities, working with colleagues, teachers, instructors;
- New knowledge in the field of the Internet and new skills to work in digital research;
- Teamwork skills in face-to-face events. Getting ideas for changing group dynamics in the classroom and beyond. Classroom management skills gained through improved communication;
- Improving knowledge about local culture, history and community;
- Promoting European cooperation in the field of education within the Erasmus+ program by building partnerships, international networks respecting cultural differences.
- Development and appropriate application of knowledge, skills and attitudes relevant to inclusive education and the contexts in which it takes place.
During the course, a series of activities took place, such as:
- Non-formal education techniques for creating an engaging learning environment;
- Multidisciplinary and transversal approach;
- Experience workshops through non-verbal methods, aimed at building trust and encouraging the self-expression of emotions;
- Creative techniques of non-formal education to promote group cohesion;
- Exercises for building cohesion and trust in the group;
- Intra- and intergroup dynamics for human rights: group inclusion, exclusion and human rights;
- Teamwork: Tuchman’s key stages in developing a team; Belbin team role theory. Tools for working with groups, group training activities;
- Development of confidence and self-esteem for excluded people. Tools for working with groups, group training activities;
- Acquiring new skills to work in digital research.
Participation in the above-mentioned course gave the 2 teachers the opportunity to discover means and methods of working with students from disadvantaged backgrounds, in order to attract and motivate them to complete their studies and create new opportunities for learners.
These methods will be applied in the geography lessons, in the activities carried out with the students enrolled in the „Second Chance” program from the Technological High School No. 1 Marăcineni. Parallel to the didactic activity, the course also had a rich cultural aspect, which offered the participants the chance to familiarize themselves with the local history, traditions and customs, as well as to visit the most important tourist attractions in the area.