EMPATHETIC KIDS

“EMPATHETIC KIDS an internalization by empathy as a way of understanding”, carried out with the financial support of the European Commission within the ERASMUS + Program, action KA2 (strategic partnerships in the school field), reference number: 2016-1-TR01-KA219-035080 -2, with Ozel Sanliurfa Sarac Ilgi Ortaokulu, Turkey (coordinator); Zespol Szkol Specjalnych, Poland, Secondary Municipal School Taki Daskalo Bitola, Republic of Macedonia, Ce ave Maria San Cristobal, Spain, Istituto Comprensivo Bartolomeo Lorenzi Fumane, Italy.

    The project focused on the social inclusion of students with disabilities (with special needs) through social, musical and sports activities. Various methods (communication, direct approach, demonstration, collaboration, teamwork, evaluation methods, etc.) used in the teaching process were applied in the project process. A combination of methods was also possible, depending on the target group of the project. Seminars, conferences and workshops were organized during the activities provided in the project.

THE LOCAL COMMUNITY has become more aware that, in a globalized world, international collaboration on the contents of different national school curricula is gaining new meaning, being able to create real links between schools and local communities.

The project meetings and events that took place in our school, in the Stanilesti commune City Hall and in other local institutions aroused the curiosity of the community members and of the representatives of some local institutions.

Romanian teachers found out how curricula are applied in other EU countries (eg, the content of national curricula and curricula used in schools, the number of hours allocated, etc.); they are already interested in the different content of the curricula and have realized that they need the exchange of good practices, to compare how the same subject can be treated differently,innovatively. Teachers have improved their teaching by contacting European teachers, virtually crossing borders and effectively applying or adapting many of their experiences their colleagues abroad. The information sources from the countries participating in the project allowed the Romanian teachers and their students to create a complex image on some common topics or problems. Thus, they feel that they belong to Europe, regardless of their professional, cultural and traditional heritage. The school has become more open to internationalization and interested in increasing its size

European level of education it offers. This project created the opportunity for our school to become more visible, thus demonstrating expertise and contributing to the exchange of good practices with other schools in the EU.

The school began to promote cross-border cooperation (for example, by studying the culture, geography, history and character of the partner regions and comparing them with their own region, thus increasing the sense of European consciousness and strengthening the transnational dimension).

At regional and national level, teachers had the opportunity to present the project and the results obtained to other colleagues (eg in pedagogical circles and in specialized discussion groups, by participating in national / international symposia or by publishing articles), emphasizing the importance of the Program Erasmus + and the benefits it brings to the school and the local community, while also promoting Romanian national values.

IN CONCLUSION, now, at the end of the project, after an intense but very pleasant and interesting work, we consider that our participation in the Strategic Partnership Project between Erasmus + schools, EUROPEAN CLASSROOM has added value to our institution, and for teachers and students meant an awareness of their own resources, which are now beginning to be better highlighted.

We are now all more aware of the power of education through the exchange of good practices and cross-border collaboration, the opportunities that the Erasmus + Program offers us, so as to improve the quality of education promoted by our school, the benefits of "live" knowledge of similarities and of the differences between the educational systems and between the curricula from 7 European countries, so that we become able to align ourselves with the good European examples. We are convinced that we still have a lot to learn, that our material resources are not commensurate with the European ones and that teachers' motivation consists in personal / professional satisfaction, together with students, but also that we Romanians have a say in seriousness and of the desire for improvement.

And last but not least, a personal gain, of soul, both new teachers and students have made beautiful and lasting friendships with beautiful and good people from different regions of Europe.

We are eager for new professional experiences!