We visited several schools and promoted the project with a view to recruiting teachers and children interested in our project’s ideas. We chose five schools with children from a wide range of backgrounds and from two cities. We selected children’s books in tune with the project’s ideas: diversity, equality, inclusion, stereotypes and education. Some of the books were written by our Greek colleague and friend, Stavroula Pagona!
We began our face-to-face workshops in January 2020. Our main objective was to develop and enhance children’s reading and story writing skills and instill a lifelong love of reading. The children were guided through the stories and got involved in a dialogue with the reader/the teacher, which did not disturb the pleasure of reading but stimulated their natural curiosity and imagination.
Everything was going according to our expectations and schedule when the pandemic struck. We realised that the only solution was to move all sessions online, which was possible as most families have a smart mobile phone that children are familiar with. We carefully selected engaging activities, making full use of digital means and apps, which provided opportunities for collaborative group interactions and encouraged children to talk and interact. In time a supportive e-learning community was born, encouraging children to assume an active role and responsibility for their learning. We had our last online session with a special guest (the writer of the books the children enjoyed) on the 17th of June 2021. The results were visible in the children’s and their teacher’s happy faces and the stories they wrote. The stories will be read to the children from the C. Paunescu Special School Iasi, who will illustrate them.
September 2020/ June 2021
The Guardian angel (Ingerul pazitor)
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