UNDER THE SAME SKY

The project ”Under the same sky” targeted the students with low motivation for learning and self-confidence because they are coming from disadvantaged backgrounds. The project also targeted the teachers who are working with these students.Another aspect is the fact that within the majority of the education systems, the learning is achieved mostly through formal activities, in school, ignoring the formative side of education. This side is better approached and treated within the nonformal activities. The activities targeted to achieving the following objectives:- Use of non formal activities to develop basic and transversal key competences;- Socializing students and teachers with education systems and the civics requirements at European level;- Increasing the qualification of teachers by sharing ideas and best practices between partners, improving the skills and work with pupils from disadvantaged backgrounds.-increasing students' motivation on their own training and self-confidence using equal opportunities, encouraging active involvement and creative activities. The project involved schools from: Denmark, Germany, Italy, Romania, Spain and Turkey. The school in Turkey is located in an isolated area with very few job opportunities and faces disadvantaged background of their pupils. The school in Spain is facing African and Easter European immigrant children. They must adapt to new living conditions and to school requirements.The school in Italy is located in a region with high unemployment and increasing number of migrants. Also, this is an economy and vocational school which helped with professional experience. The school in Denmark has experience in the education system where the students with special needs are grouped in separate classes and nonformal learning. Once a week the pupils have a chance of being involved in cross-curricular activities.School students from Germany are students with special educational needs and learning difficulties, to whom the school has a duty to train for social and professional integration. The main activities were:-Collecting data on the impact of nonformal activities on behavioral aspects of pupils;-Learning digital apps used in the educational process;-creating an eBook with culinary recipes and videos with the students cooking; -creating a story about a bird who travelled through the our countries and lives new experiences and discover new cultures; -social volunteering activities;-Students presented their countries, the most important turist sights; -students attended Physics and Chemistry experiments, which they have filmed and shared to the others.-during the meetings for LTTA and for some special occasions, students performed in spectacles. Intangible results:-developing basic skills: communication (pupils participated in dissemination activities, established relationships with foreign colleagues, written in English); sciences (students have performed original experiments); digital (they have learned new digital apps); cultural expression (their view of the ideal European society through theater and songs)- developing cross-curricular skills: social, civic and initiative (pupils have initiated and participated in volunteering, written materials about equality, respect and friendship)-Development of the personality: pupils have been put into new situations (contact with pupils from different cultures and lifestyles, accommodation in families, hosting, volunteering), so they have developed communication, adaptation skills and increased self-confidence, a key factor for success in life.Tangible results:- The pedagogical research on the role of non-formal activities on behavioral aspects of pupils' training, self-esteem and self-confidence. -The curriculum of a European civic education elective course. -an eBook of digital applications with examples and descriptions. Some of these digital apps started to be applied in our schools; -a brochure with business plans and the basic theory about how to write such plans and how to implement the entrepreneurial ideas. -eBook ”Sunshine Under the Sky” is a literature creation inspired by our cultures; -a booklet containing traditional culinary recipes;-A booklet gathering European concerns about the social care and volunteering activities.As impact, we mention the positive influence on the general attitude and behavior of the pupils, the development of key competences and the rise of self esteem. The experience acquired influences the school vision for the future and helps the teachers and staff to elaborate institutional development plans which include the concern for implementing new European projects. It is also a good example on applying equity and equality in education and providing solutions for school and social integration of future generations of children.