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European Innovative Teaching Award
Project

Childhood in a box

School: Erich Kästner Schule

Childhood in a box - Germany

Topic(s) addressed

  • Creativity and culture (active, historical and everyday encounters)

  • Social dialogue (similarities, differences)

  • Pedagogy and didactics 

  • Achieving sustainable project outcome 

Target groups

  • Pupils 

  • Teachers 

  • Educators 

  • Host families

Methodologies

Using a variety of methods: 

  • Setting up a competition to choose the logo of the project

  • Creating mind maps to develop the task structure for the first year under the “moving” motto. 

  • Developing social skills through group work, scenic play, expert interviews and abstraction. 

  • All conclusions were illustrated with schemes/diagrams and presented in a school forum to external and interested parties. 

  • Using digital learning channels such as the project blog, the production of a virtual tour, own eBooks or Skype.

Environments

  • A GTA Europe, a pin board, games and project days offered different learning channels and fostered sustainable learning through the focus on active learning. 

  • Extensive use of digital environment e.g. Skype conferencing, chats, video shooting with a drone and a virtual museum tour

  • The teacher meetings provided insight into other educational systems and reflection on the methodologies.

Teachers

  • In the on-site meetings and through joint planning, the teachers were able to strengthen their own intercultural competence, were introduced to new methods, reflected and supported the pupils using their experience. 

  • They actively dealt with their language barriers and new technological possibilities of networking. 

  • The teachers had a chance to become learners and channel their own motivation and curiosity towards the project success. 

  • Establishing productive collaboration practices by the teachers

Impact

  • A significant boost in learning at different levels: European education, communication, methodology, technology, value building, organisation, etc. 

  • Building tolerance and openness towards other cultures 

  • Sustainable learning progress in languages and technology 

  • Promoting the European idea even further

  • Increased willingness to participate in future projects

Project category
Primary education
Project year
2022

Stakeholders

Coordinators

Erich Kästner Schule (Germany)

Address
Germany

Sant Jordi

Address
Spain

Instituto Comprensivo Toscanini

Address
Italy

Zakladna skola Kysucke Nove Mesto

Address
Slovakia

3rd primary school of Voula

Address
Greece

Zakladni skola a materska skola Mosty u Jablunkowa

Address
Czechia