Between November 28 and December 2, 2023, the Erasmus+ project ”Inclusive education strategies for students with fewer opportunities” took place in Helsinki, Finland. As part of this activity, a group of 3 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 purpose of the project no. 2023-1-RO01-KA121-ADU-000130406 was to develop the personal and social skills of teachers, 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:
- Solving the problems of inclusion in multicultural classes;
- Clear understanding of exclusion and inclusion;
- Developing and adequately applying knowledge, skills and attitudes relevant to inclusive education;
- Increasing the chances of getting involved 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;
- The use of new mediation and negotiation tools in the fight against the exclusion of people with fewer opportunities;
- Exchange of practices and experiences regarding various aspects and perceptions of marginalization and inclusion.
Competences acquired by the participants:
- 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;
- Development of cultural awareness;
- Application of strategies based on a very good overview and practical experience of the tools through individual work, working groups and collective work on 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;
- New knowledge in the field of the Internet and new skills to work in digital research;
- Teamwork skills in face-to-face events. Skills of the class obtained by management through the creation of 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.
On the course, a series of activities took place, such as:
- Exercises for building cohesion and trust in the group;
- Multidisciplinary and transversal approach;
- Non-formal education techniques for creating an engaging learning environment;
- Experience workshop through non-verbal methods, with the aim of building trust and encouraging the self-expression of emotions;
- Creative techniques of non-formal education to promote group cohesion;
- Intra- and intergroup dynamics for human rights: group inclusion, exclusion and human rights;
- Development of confidence and self-esteem for excluded people. Tools for working with groups, group training activities;
- Teamwork: Tuchman’s key stages in developing a team; Belbin team role theory, Tools for working with groups, group training activities.
Participating in the course gave the 3 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. These methods will be applied in the classroom, in the activities carried out with the students enrolled in the „Second Chance” program from Technological High School No. 1 Marăcineni.
In addition to the didactic activity, the course also had a cultural component, which gave the participants the chance to familiarize themselves with local history, traditions and customs, as well as to visit the most important tourist attractions in the area.