Building bridges

Project summary

Both schools have predominantly native population and are situated in a rural environment, isolated in comparison to schools in bigger cities. There is talk of some form of xenophobia which has probably developped through unfamillarity of ones background.Our keyword is RESPECT. This is explicitly mentioned in the school’s policy plans. The most important goal of our project is the experience that the contestants have when it comes to behaving respectfully towards one another regardless of one’s social,cultural or religious background nor colour of the skin. Within the two-year project and in two different stages, we want to create material on the subject ‘respect’ that can be used as a base for the different subjects and projects. Moreover,it is important that we (as an ELOS-school), put this in an international context. ‘Building bridges’ tries to connect past, present and the future, West and East and most of all, people. Annually, around 150 students are involved in this project and each year at least 8 students get the opportunity to join the exchange programme. These students are selected through a letter of motivation in which they have to explain why they want to participate in the programme. The students keep track of their progress using a ELOS portfolio for which they eventually may get a certificate. All separate assignments are marked and will count on their marklist. The German partner school isn’t an ELOS-school but does something similar. Stage 1: history Study of the past including a visit to deportation camp Vught, House of Anne Frank in the the Netherlands and the camps in Auschwitz. All 3rd/9th graders participate. At the end of the first year, the 3rd(9th) graders will assign the project to the future 2nd (8th) graders. The results are on display in a public building like the libary or townhall.Stage 2: the present - subjects: ethics, religion and social scienceWithin the school and its surroundings, cyberbullying, (inter) national refugee problems, policy around assylum seekers and Muslim extremism. In cooperation with youth care organisations we want to develop a bully protocol that is up-to-date. Starting a conversation with the Muslim community and visit a asylum center.Both schools organise an event in order to fund the asylum centerThe partner schools visit each others event and cooperate in organising the event. Yet again, all students within the year will be involved in the project and at least 8 students per country will attend the exchange programme. We hope to end this project by signing a sustainable school-partnership between both schools. In that case the project can be anchored within the school curriculum. In that case the students will pass on the project to future 2nd graders. At the end there will be an overall exhibition about the entire project.All the materials will be developed by the cooperating teachers of the school. Annually, a start will be made during the second meeting of the project year ( after the transnationel projectmeeting), during which ideas will be shared and plans made. At the end of all project years, we hope to have developed a cross-curricular method on respect that can be added to the curriculum which is transmissible to othersAt the beginning as well as the end of the project year a questionnaire will be held after each exchange and this will be used in the evaluation. The results as well as other results will be placed on the project’s website. It will also be spread among school websites, exhibitions. (local) media and among the school networkBoth schools have a predominantly native population and are situated in the countryside, isolated in comparison to schools in the big(ger) cities. There is talk of some form of xenophobia which has probably developed through unfamiliarity of one’s background. Furthermore, the protection of the environment plays a big role in both areas.