Bewegungsentwicklung und Psychomotorik

Signals

The project enables parents, early education staff and children to build together positive relationships that will enhance the development and education of young children; improve the interactive and pedagogical competences of education staff and parents; initiate and nurture Exemplary Co-operative Educational Practices (ECEPs) among all actors.

This project has been funded with support from the European Commission.

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 Strengthening Activity-Oriented  Interaction  and Growth  iN the
E A rLy Years and TransitionS

 

Project Description:

 

The United Nations  Convention on the Rights of the Child recognizes that it is a fundamental right and obligation for parents to be involved in their children's development and education. Research also shows that parent engagement is important for enhancing children's wellbeing and learning. It is also strongly associated  with children's later academic success and high school completion rates  (Starting Strong III, 2012)

 

With this in mind,  universities in seven countries - Germany, Denmark, Greece, Hungary, Romania, Sweden and Iceland - have decided to form the SIGNALS project. The acronym  SIGNALS was chosen as it illustrates the various steps that participating  countries will undertake in this collaborative learning journey, namely, to:

 

  • Strengthen mutual understanding between children, parents and early education staff

 

  • Improve interaction between these groups for the good of children

 

  • Generate through common projects a shared learning experience

 

  • Nominate in the different countries Exemplary Co-operative Education Practice teams

 

  • Acknowledge children as competent agents of their own development and learning, worthy to be involved in the co-construction of the project

 

  • Link SIGNALS outcomes with further professional development for staff and for the ongoing education of parents

 

  • Shape a European model based on reciprocal consultation

 

In sum, the project  will enable parents, early education staff and children to build together  positive relationships that will enhance the development and education of young  children; improve the interactive and pedagogical competences of education staff and parents; initiate and nurture Exemplary  Co-operative Educational Practices  (ECEPs) among all actors.

 

Outcomes

 

Each group of  researchers from the participating institutions will:

 

  • Develop initial training and/or professional development courses for staff with the aim of strengthening parent engagement in the early education of their children;

 

  • Document good practices in the countries concerned; and lastly

 

  • Publish a compendium of research papers on the projects undertaken.

 

Impacts

 

Positive influences from the project will  include the following:

 

Staff  will gain:

 

  • Greater understanding of individual children's lives and their cultural backgrounds;

 

  • Support to reflect on how young children learn and on their own teaching practice;

 

  • Knowledge of new documentation practices and reflection techniques.

 

Parents  will gain:

 

  • Enhanced self-confidence in their parenting role;

 

  • Greater knowledge of appropriate educational practice for young children;

 

  • Opportunities to set developmental and learning goals for their children, and regular discussion about their attainments and progress;

 

Children  will gain:

 

  • Experience of being accepted as competent agents of their own learning;

 

  • Increased self-esteem, social skills and socio-emotional development;

 

    • Better school attendance, higher graduation rates, and later academic success.

 

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