COMPREHENSIVE PILOTING REPORT BY PLATON SCHOOL

TEACHERS 8 TEACHERS -5 in state primary schools -2 in a private primary school -1 in an International Centre for the Cultures 3 teachers 2 years of experience 2 teachers 5 years of experience 1 teacher 20 years of experience 1 teacher 23 years of experience 1 teacher 35 years of experience

141 pupils aged 8 – 12 took place in the piloting phase

ACTIVITIES 12 activities were used - 7 (Marginalization Reduction) - 3 (Encounters with Differences) - 2 (Democratic European Citizenship)

What do you think your children have learned? The importance of equality and tolerance of human rights for all, regardless of race, culture, religion, etc The value of diversity within society How to collaborate with each other and take different responsibilities. To ask themselves new questions about “each other” and to do an effort to look beyond appearance. Ways they could contribute in order to reduce marginalization by encouraging the inclusion of their peers who appear to be at risk of marginalization.

How did you find this out? Through group discussion, art and written work, questions raised and feedback from parents By noticing their behavior during the whole project. Also, we had a discussion all together about our feelings and our thoughts during the grouping activity and the pupils expressed which of their past ideas changed and how this happened. At the end of the activity, every child wrote down his thoughts and it made a picture concerning that theme. By observing that students who had to collaborate in particular groups for the purposes of the CAREM activities, they started to socialise with some of their peer from the group (with whom they did not interact before) during the breaks.

How did children respond to the activities? The children worked well together and enjoyed the collaborative nature of the activities. Some did extra research and brought in stories, pictures and artifacts (war medals). The children were surprised and enthusiastic with the activities. They liked that in some activities they worked in pairs or in a group too. The children responded positively to the activities. They were very happy to work with the provided materials and they seemed to enjoy the whole process. At the same time, the activities triggered their interest about issues regarding diversity, interculturalism, inclusion and European citizenship. They were very excited that they had the opportunity to collaborate with their classmates and to create collaborative pieces of art, something that they have never done in the past.

Would you use the CAREM materials again? Of course I will use CAREM activities again, because it’ s an interesting and amusing way to be conscious about ideas and beliefs. I want to reduce marginalization as much as I can and I think the activities can help towards that direction. I would use them again, because they allow original contexts of learning.

What have you learned from using CAREM? CAREM gave me many new and smart ideas to promote thinking in the classroom. The CAREM activities provide opportunities for collaboration between culturally-diverse children. I learnt that collaborative art-making may enable students to think critically about issues regarding diversity and marginalisation. I learnt to get to know my pupils from a new prospective and experience a different approach to teaching.

If you were to use only one phrase to describe the CAREM activities and general approach what would that be? CAREM serves an ultimate general objective: to promote a more unified and fair world.