The main objectives of the project were the following: 1) Provide teachers with an opportunity to learn from European practices about multiculturalism, multicultural schools, and ways to successfully incorporate students from different backgrounds into one school environment; 2. Give the participating teachers a chance to try and practice acquired knowledge, 3. To spread the knowledge they have acquired to their colleagues.
Randvere School is a municipal general education school, which at the moment of the application process (spring 2022) was undergoing structural reform: it was the first academic year when the school had in addition to its primary part (years 1-6) also a pro-gymnasium part (years 7 and more). Randvere School was founded as an inclusive education school - with up to 20% of its students being with special educational needs. The nature and extent of special educational needs are very complex, requiring teachers and other staff to be able to regularly update their knowledge and skills in terms of dealing with differences. Additionally, nearly 15% of students are from non-Estonian language backgrounds - among these, mainly Russian-speaking students, who came from not only a different language but also cultural backgrounds (at some point in our school we encountered kids with 10 different mother languages, all attending Randvere School with Estonian as the language of instruction). Incorporating all these differences requires hard work and constant self-development, especially in terms of multiculturalism, acceptance, and respectful teaching methods.