The IES EMILIO PÉREZ PIÑERO FROM Calasparra, Murcia (Spain) is a High School with a large number of students at risk of early academic failure and with social inclusion problems. Several programs are available to pay attention to this type of students between 15 and 19 years old, but it is essential to continue working on the acquisition of new methodologies and pedagogical resources which allow us to improve the results. To develop this project correctly, we consider it is of great importance to share our experiences with different schools in other countries with the same problems that we face such as LICEUL TEORETIC SFANTA MARIA from Galati (Romania) and I.I.S.S. FRANCESCO CRISPI from Ribera (Italy). OBJECTIVES. The project aims to: - Improve the coexistence in the school. - Improve the inclusion of all the students of the school. - Resolve conflicts in the school environment. - Motivate disadvantaged students with a high level of absenteeism to focus their efforts towards further studies in order to reduce early abandonment. - Improve common values, inclusive education and the European dimension of students. PARTICIPANTS The direct participants in the project are teachers and students who meet the conditions mentioned above. Each partner country has selected (following some criteria) 10 students and 2/3 teachers. It is important to highlight that the Educational Communities of the three schools, as well as other organizations of the three countries, will also participate in the project. DESCRIPTION OF ACTIVITIES. They have been planned together by the three partner countries. This is the planned schedule: C1: NOVEMBER 2018 Spain as the host country. Three teachers from each partner country, Italy and Romania, will visit us (training activities) C3: FEBRUARY 2019 Italy as the host country. Romanian and Spanish teachers will travel to Italy (training and project follow up activities) C2: MAY 2019 Romania as the host country. Spanish and Italian teachers and students will move to Romania (10 students and 3 teachers per partner country) C4: OCTOBER 2019 Italy as the host country. Romanian and Spanish teachers and students will move to Italy (10 students and 3/2 teachers per partner country) C5: MAY 2020 Spain as the host country. Romanian and Italian teachers and students will move to Spain (10 students and 3/2 teachers) METHODOLOGY Learning stimulation with the aim of filling in the gaps will be promoted through innovative educational methodologies: projects, artistic activities, teamwork ... We intend to develop autonomy, creativity, a spirit of initiative and self-esteem through the work assessment. Cultural and artistic activities will be carried out through painting and photography projects. Students will be able to express themselves freely, become self-aware and recognize their potential. In the workshops students will work in groups of different nationalities. The methodology will always be practical, active and participatory. The ICT will be used in the development of some activities and an entrepreneurial spirit will be encouraged. EXPECTED RESULTS: We expect - That the students feel they are the object of a special action within the school. - That the school absences and abandonment reduce. - Increase the number of registrations in Professional Studies. - Reduce the number of conflicts. - Decrease minor/serious misbehavior. EXPECTED IMPACT AND POSSIBLE LONG-TERM BENEFITS: - Achieve an increase in students' confidence in the school, which entails a reduction in early school abandonment. - Improve the students and families perception of the educational and professional offer with the object for the student to continue their training either in our school or another. - Increase the participation and involvement of families in the school, hoping that they are multiplying agents of the positive effects of the project. - Improve the coexistence in the school, achieving a decrease in conflicts and lack of discipline. - Extend the available pedagogical and methodological resources of the teachers involved in the teaching process of this type of students. - Enrich the strategies for the decision-making of the management team during the academic planning and the orientation of the students.
We have finished the project ‘Cooperation for insertion and motivation of students at risk of early school leaving’ in which three educational centres got involved two years ago now: “Santa María” in Galati (Romania), Franceso Crispi in Ribera (Sicily, Italy) and IES Emilio Pérez Piñero in Calasparra (Murcia, Spain). From the beginning, we got involved knowing this project would demand a lot of time and effort due to the student type it was aimed to, the cultural, language, time and distance differences, etc, but knowing as well it would be very rewarding in many aspects. From the perspective gained through the passing of time and the calm of already completed work, we can confirm it has been a total success; moreover, if we bear in mind that teachers, students, parents, companies, educational and local institutions from the three countries got involved and actively participated in its organization, implementation and/or dissemination -The project was aimed to students of Basic Vocational Training, within the age range of 15 to 23 years old, who had coexistence problems at school and risk of school dropout, and as a result, were at risk of losing educational, work and social insertion opportunities. Three teachers and ten students from each country per each mobility took part in the coordination activities and in teaching, learning and training activities; the percentage for intermediate activities was around 60% (Spain), 70%(Romania) and 65% (Italy) of students from each school. -As a common thread, we had in mind to improve coexistence at schools; improve the inclusion of all students; solve conflicts in the school environment, motivate students with disadvantages and with a high rate of absenteeism by guiding them towards vocational training, with a purpose to reduce early school leaving; and finally, to improve common values like inclusive education and students’ European dimension. -Despite the difficulties faced along the project, all planned activities were carried out, except for the last one to take place in Spain (Calasparra), due to coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak in the world, with a particular impact in Italy and Spain. Thus, we held two meetings for Teacher Coordination and Training in Spain and Italy, two meetings for Training, Teaching and Learning Activities in Romania and Italy, and one virtual activity replacing the training, teaching and learning activities that were to be carried out in Spain. Besides, planned intermediate activities were implemented, and other activities were also implemented about coordination, planning, motivation, dissemination, conflict resolution, assessment… Evidence of the above in: https://www.erasmusemilioperezp.com/KA229/ -Along the two years we managed, through the exchange of experiences and working methods among the 3 schools, to reduce the number of dropouts, increase the number of registrations, increase students motivation with approximately 90% participation in intermediate activities, improve coexistence and increase completion and graduation in these studies, highlighting a decrease of school absenteeism of 12,75% in Spain, 8,20% in Italy and 5,80% in Romania. In addition, teachers and schools nourished from the working methods and projects from the other schools: Ribera school contributed with ‘peer education’, Galati school with work with students from migrant families… And in Calasparra school, “Student supervision”, “School Police Officer”, and ‘Conflict resolution strategies and leadership in the classroom’. However, the highest achievement was to be part of the students and their families’ vital experiences: -“If it had not been for the Erasmus I would not have graduated in Compulsory Secondary Education…” -“Who knows what may happen later… I am going to continue studying…“ –“My son was very unmotivated…” “we do not have any resources… we couldn’t have afforded to offer our child such an experience…” -The methodology for the final assessment of the project was implemented through a participative process of narrow cooperation and contribution among the schools. The assessment variables focused on objectives, organization, mobility and intermediate activities carried out and the results obtained. The assessment tools used were interviews and questionnaires for families, students and teachers, sociometric questionnaires and analysis of school coexistence and absenteeism. -We can conclude that the objectives targeted in the long term are reaching the zero absenteeism and school dropout objective, lack of coexistence problems at schools, and school success for all students, even if it sounds utopian. It is therefore essential to continue working with this student profile, so that we can contribute through prevention to build a healthier and more inclusive society.