The aim of implementing this project was that staff would become familiar with the key challenges and concerns in acknowledging diversity and promoting inclusion and solidarity within school community. They would observe, share and discuss concrete examples, ideas and tools to inspire and support inclusion and diversity in their lesson planning and pupil interaction. By broadening their knowledge base and skill set, they would learn how to confront stereotypes and personal prejudices, while developing cultural sensibilities and tolerance. Through the participation in this project staff explored different points of view, learned new teaching methods and tools that can be applied to promote diversity and tolerance in their classroom and the whole school community. Good practices were exchanged, and challenges discussed with fellow teachers and the course trainers. We wanted to promote our common European citizenship and strengthen European identity, while concurrently recognising individual nationalities and states
We are a co-educational primary school with a percentage of EAL (English as an Additional Language) pupils enrolled. Integration in a new society and learning a new language is a long, complicated process but it is easier if a child feels acceptance and gets the suitable professional support. Ireland being an island and thus being more geographically isolated than other EU states, makes transitioning to another country and culture more complicated for newcomers. It is our responsibility to encourage positive attitudes towards cultural and ethnic diversity. For integration to be successful the social and academic an understanding of diversity and a positive attitude towards it is required. The war in Ukraine has highlighted the fragility of our European citizenship and the concept of hard borders in the minds of adults and children. Consequently, European solidarity has never been more important. Individual wellbeing has always been a priority but has become increasingly important since the toll Covid has taken on our community.