Teaching ethical values should start among preschool children but a quick examination of kindergarten curricula shows that ethics is not a frequent theme discussed in the kindergarten. Also a comparative study of preschool activities shows that young children get involved in activities like constructing games, playing with toys, reading books, playing in the sandpit, using playground equipment, language, communication, art/creativity, health and physics whereas themes such as ethical and social issues seem to be neglected.This project is developed by CZ, BG, RO, IT, TR with the aim of introducing moral values and ethics into pre-school education. The theme is decided by negotiation of all partners during preparation process. The tasks have been equally shared between all the partners. The project intends to increase the quality of kindergarten education and care services and it also aims to make it more accessible. Several preschool curricula will be analyzed and we will also make a theoretical study of ethical issues that should be forwarded to preschool children. Under the terms of the project, we will conduct a research of moral values of preschool children and a research among teachers and parents about the ways in which they try to acquaint children with ethical values. The project will provide more enjoyable education and training programs for kindergarten teachers and it will also address the individual needs of parents for ethical education of their children. Since all the partners invest in innovation and stated their school as applying an innovative strategy, there are different good practices at every institutions. The project will help to integrate those good practices and methods from each other in the daily activities of kindergarten curricula by teachers, so we will provide a strategic professional development for staff in line with individual needs and organisational objectives.Our themes are moral values, celebrations and culture of European countries. Connecting all of them, we will address the importance of tolerance and equality among friends in our kindergartens. The project will also promote team work, growth of children's imagination and healthiness (making up their own disciplines on internal Olympic Games, organizing their own kindergartens' special days, taking part in the project's international celebration days, eating habits, healthy meals for kids etc.), their socialization with each other and quality of time spent with their families.OBJECTIVES-To plan and conduct the activities in the field of social and emotional child development as a part of kindergarten practical curriculum. -to make a theoretical study of ethical issues that should be forwarded to preschool children-to conduct a research among teachers and parents about the ways in which they try to acquaint children with fundamental principles of ethics like fairness, honesty, empathy, truthfulness, responsibility, gratitude, patience etcThis project does not contain pupils’ mobilities. It focuses on comparing different education systems, transferring good practices, developing new approach and methods on how to integrate ethical values at preschool education, creating a better school curricula, developing our teachers’ language and ICT skills, making intercultural dialogue and professional capability.NUMBER AND PROFILE OF THE PARTICIPANTSTeachers/Adults: There will be teams of at least 4 teachers at each partner organisation so at least 20 in total will take an active part in the project activities. There will be pre-school teachers, a teacher of English,a Physicological Counselor, an ICT teacher from the neighbourhood will also be involved in the project. Approximately 250 teachers/adults will be indirectly affected.Administrative staff: The headteachers and a deputy heads will take part in the project, on average 15 administrative staff will be affected.Families: The number of the family members will be 100 in total and they will contribute to introduce the host country’s culture, tradition and to prepare traditional food for an international evening. Approximately 2000 family members will be partly affected.Local community: Local community like local press, municipality, directorate of national education and PTA will help to disseminate the project to a wider community. Approximately 200 people from local community will be indirectly affected.RESULTS AND IMPACTSThrough our project the five partners intend to create both short-term and long-term tangible and intangible results and to achieve the biggest possible impact to future projects and policy processes such as leading students to develop moral values.
Context / Project Origin: Ethical education should start with pre-school children, but a quick survey of kindergarten curricula has shown that ethics is not a common topic discussed at kindergarten. At the instigation of innovation in pre-school education, we asked for an international grant project, which was created in cooperation between the teachers of Bulgaria, Italy, Turkey, Czech Republic and Romania. The topic was negotiated by the resolution of all partners in the preparatory process and the tasks of the project were evenly distributed among the partners. Project objectives: This project was developed by members of partner countries in order to introduce moral values and ethics into pre-school education, to enhance the quality of educational services in preschools and make them accessible to the wider environment. Specific objectives: - Comparing of different education systems - Transfer of good practice - Developing new ways and methods of integrating ethical education into pre-school education - Create a better school curriculum - Teachers´ language development - ICT support - Developing intercultural and professional abilities - Set up intercultural dialogue and tolerance among people - Develop social and educational skills in the earliest age - Analyse several pre-school curricula - Create research on moral values in pre-school children - Create research among teachers and parents on ways how to make children aware of the basic principles of ethics such as honesty, honesty, empathy, truthfulness, responsibility, gratitude, patience, etc. - Perform a comparative analysis of pre-school education programs - Create a guideline for activities that have a potential to develop ethical themes in children with examples of good practice - Create a book of activities for teachers and parents on the development of ethical values among preschool children - Schedule and perform social and emotional development activities as part of the kindergarten´s practical curriculum. - Perform a theoretical study of ethical issues that should be presented to pre-school children Number and profile of partner organizations; Turkish organisation - Primary school and kindergarten - IMECE ILKOKULU - Istanbul Bulgarian organisation - Kindergarten - Detska gradina Arabella - Vidin Italian organisation - Primary school and kindergarten - Istituto Comprensivo "F.Pappalardo" - Vittoria Czech organisation - Primary school and kindergarten - ZŠ gen. H. Píky a MŠ Štítina přisp. org. - Štítina Description of activities: The main activities included work on the specific activities listed in the application form (8 study files) and output publication of the project. Among the secondary activities, but not least, were works and preparations for diverse ethical celebrations and special days, workshops, information seminars, disseminations, project documentation, international training activities, work on innovation in the organization and school documents, or work on the development of ethical activities with pre-school children. Project results and impact; Our project has been presented to the professional public and lay. We have published a number of articles in local newspapers, created websites and provided interviews in international newspapers and televisions. We ensured that most kindergartens in the area received a free Ethical Methodology and in the case of questions, they could contact us. We have created professional seminars for preschool teachers. Thanks to the training sessions, a number of teachers received a different insight into the perception of foreign cultures, their habits and expanded their horizons in terms of pedagogical practice, when they had the opportunity to compare other educational methods, procedures, organization and education management directly on the ground. Children have shown a greater rate of empathy and friendship with other children and adults, regardless of their differences. The pathological behaviour of children has been reduced in terms of aggression and gross speech. Long-term benefit: It consisted primarily in the fact that we managed to address and influence a number of parents and teachers in terms of educating children in ethical and moral values and principles. Improve the awareness of all those involved in the project on the diversity of cultures and develop closer friendship at intercultural level in the vicinity of partner organizations.