The Erasmus + project "Play to grow up" was born from a common desire between French, Greek and Polish schools to open their pupils to European culture but also to allow the teams to fight against the first signs of dropping out of school. French schools, located in ZRR (Rural Revitalization Zone) have been working for several years, through different projects, to allow their students to open up culturally and consider themselves European citizens. Several projects are carried out to reinforce this shared experience and culture: USEP, correspondence with city dwellers, cultural projects, discovery trips, activities related to languages, projects with local partners (parents, toy library, media library, associations, etc.). Kindergarten has a specific protocol in order to accommodate children from 2 years old. Schools are also thinking about the continuity of school trajectories from kindergarten to high school: they try to adapt their teaching methods to allow all students to acquire the skills they will need. The Polish school wishes to work with each child personally and is committed to the theory of multiple intelligences. The school wonders about the continuity of this work thanks to cultural openness, which allows the development of students from a very young age. The Cretan school, with its previous participation in a Comenius project, continues of opening towards other and intercultural exchanges thanks to the project "Play to grow". Indeed, the place of games, projects and exchanges is important in the lives of students in the city. Furthermore, they participate each year in a festival created by teachers. The project aims at valuing each student and building their confidence and self-esteem. This project is innovative because it includes children from 2 to 11 years old and creates real cooperation between children of different ages and cultures. A two-year schedule has been carefully designed, with a progression, in order to mention all the activities, exchanges and actions planned for the project. This project is part of the overall school project; projected actions and activities will be integrated into the various learning objectives. In the initial stage, The teachers develop such actions and activities, which are discussed during the scoping meetings. They are then prepared in classrooms with the students and become the basis of the exchanges with the other countries. Contacts between the schools will be regular. When the teachers return from their mobility, assessments and observations will be made in the classrooms with all the children. Readjustments will be considered from this experience. Teachers will develop professional skills from their exchanges during classroom observation. They will take into account heterogeneity, prevention of dropping out of school, and the position of parents and external partners. They will gain access to different, innovative practices. During observations, they will pay attention to the management of student heterogeneity, the risk of dropping out of school, and their possible remedy. The creation of an integrated digital workspace will enable them to rally. By their fundamental role in pair working with the teacher with very young children, ATSEMs are included in the project. During observations in kindergartens, they will discuss their role and enrich their practices. The observations made during these discussions will provide a draft for new progressions and programming. Through the exchanges, students will gain access to a higher level of language proficiency (expression and comprehension, clear, adapted and precise statements), mastery of ICT, mathematics and arts (game creation). Working together will improve their living together (self-help, tolerance, trust, autonomy and initiative). Through access to other language structures, students will reinforce the ones they have in their mother tongue. They will discover and wonder about other cultures. The project will increase their awareness to new languages and ways of living. They will develop curiosity but also skills in school subjects, ICT and living together. Through practical actions, the project will motivate students with special needs and value their skills. The game set will be shared during class time, during game nights with local partners, and broadcast on a blog. Its contents will be proposed regularly on eTwinning. Game nights will be organized throughout the length of the program. It will end with a game festival, open to all, conducted by foreign partners and students.
The Erasmus + project "Play to grow" was born from a common desire between French, Greek and Polish schools to provide their students with a European cultural openness but also to enable teams to fight against the first signs of dropping out of school. French schools, placed in ZRR (Zone de Revitalization Rurale) have been working for several years, through various projects, to enable their students to open up culturally and to feel European citizens. Projects are carried out to strengthen the common experience and culture: USEP, correspondence with city dwellers, cultural projects, discovery trips, activities related to languages, projects with local partners (parents, games library, media library, associations, etc.). Kindergarten has a specific protocol for welcoming 2-year-old children. Schools are also thinking about the continuity of school paths from kindergarten to high school and are trying to adapt their teaching methods to allow all students to acquire the skills they will need. The Polish school wishing to work as close as possible to each child has invested in work around the theory of multiple intelligences. She wonders about the continuity of this work, in particular thanks to the cultural openness allowing the development of students from an early age. The Cretan school is continuing its approach of opening up to others and intercultural exchanges through the "Play to grow" project and is also involved in another Erasmus + project over the same period. Indeed, the place of games, projects and exchanges is important in the life of students in the city. In addition, they participate each year in a festival created by the teachers. The project aims to enhance each student, build confidence and self-esteem. This project is innovative because it includes children from 2 to 12 years old and creates real cooperation between children of different ages and cultures. A retroplanning was designed with precision according to a progression in order to mention all the activities, exchanges and actions planned for the project. It has been modified according to the contingencies and obligations of each country. The project is included in the school projects; the planned actions and activities are integrated into the learning in the various disciplines. They are thought up beforehand by teachers, discussed during meetings and mobility, but also throughout the project. They are prepared in class with the students and then form the basis for exchanges with other countries. The contacts are regular. When mobility returns, assessments and reports are carried out in the classes with all the children and readjustments have been made. Teachers develop professional skills by discussing in class observations, taking into account heterogeneity, preventing dropping out of school, the place given to parents and external partners. They gain access to different, innovative practices. They are interested in observations, in the management of student heterogeneity, the risk of dropping out of school, and possible remedies. The creation of a digital workspace makes it possible to unite the teams. Modifications in the progressions and programming are written according to the observations made. By their fundamental role in pairing with the teacher with very young children, ATSEMs are integrated into the project. During observations in nursery schools, they discussed their role and enriched their practices. Through exchanges, students gain access to a better level of disciplinary skills in language (expression and comprehension, clear, adapted and precise statements), mastery of ICT, in mathematics and in the arts (creation of games). Working together improves living together (mutual aid, tolerance, trust, autonomy and taking initiatives). Through access to other language structures, students strengthen those of their mother tongue. They discover and wonder about other cultures. They are made aware of new languages, ways of living. They develop curiosity but also skills in school fields, ICT and living together. Through concrete actions, the project induces motivation and promotes students with special needs. The game bank continues to develop during class time, game evenings with partners, and via the internet. These contents are offered on eTwinning. Game evenings are organized for the duration of the project, depending on the health context. To continue this project, the schools are planning to create a game festival featuring all the games created, especially common games. These festivals will unfortunately depend on sanitary conditions.