Description of the course;
Early school leaving is an issue relevant in all EU countries and has attracted attention of a lot of researchers as well as policy makers and educators. There is a real risk of long-term socio-economic disadvantage for an early school leaver. For many, leaving school early will lead to narrower employment opportunities and an increased likelihood of poverty and unemployment. Also teenagers who leave school early have an increased risk of early pregnancy, drug abuse, criminal activity and psychological problems. To prevent early school leaving schools need to develop a systemic approach that includes simultaneous activities on multiple levels: work with teachers and counselling service, work with parents and work with pupils.

Objectives

The course is designed to recognize and raise awareness of behaviourally challenging children. During the course we will consider what is going on within them and how to handle and treat such emotionally vulnerable children.

• Improve trainees’ knowledge in the field of early school leaving, provide        theoretical background, data, enable sharing of good practices and get hands on          experience
• improve the teaching of special needs children
• provide practical ideas for classroom and school practices
• improve competences linked to the trainees’ professional profiles
• improve teachers’ confidence in developing appropriate tasks for their classes

Methodology: In the framework of Erasmus Plus Programme, we are going to develop our courses based in both formal and informal education methodologies. We’ll start with an introduction of the new methodology and also with a theoretical approach. In order to stimulate the active participation of participants we will use dynamic activities, like:

• Study cases;
• Discussions in the classroom with  directors of private institutes;
• Role-plays;
• Guidelines,
• Technical visits;

Coursework will contain a mix of theoretical and practical knowledge. They will practice the necessary skills in order to be able to effectively use their own knowledge learned with their own students.

                Program

1^st day: Meeting of participants and tutors, transport to the accommodation and room allocation. Welcome Day and presentation of the agenda for the upcoming days including information about Italian culture and Erasmus + and info about the Hosting Organization and the city;

2^nd day: Practices across Europe: In this module participants present information about the problem of Early School Leaving in their home countries (law, educational policy, school practices, supporting programmes, financing).

3^rd day: Lesson on development of relational competences.

– Understanding the student in terms of the needs and analysis of behaviour.

– Integration of relational competence in school.

– Identification of obstacles in the relationship.

– Authority and leadership: establishing contacts (who am I and who are you).

4^th day: Early school leaving in inclusive approach and education: In this module participants will get acquainted with and discuss selected educational theories that are linked to the issue of early school leaving: inclusion, exclusion, integration, learners with disabilities and risk behaviour.

 5^th day: Dialogue with parents: Children and youth are always also the “result” of their family dynamics so cooperation with the parents is an important part of prevention which helps to prevent early school leaving.

– Practicing to understand the student’s needs and behaviour.

– Understanding and exploring the world of parents.

– Training to differentiate between teacher role and parent role.

6^th day: Social and Cultural activities and city tour;

7^th day: Rest Time;

8^th day:  Lesson on: how to prepare and carry out an effective conversation with young people and their parents and on the actions to be taken after this conversation has taken place.

9^th day:  Innovative teaching methods and trends: This module focuses on innovative teaching strategies that foster the active involvement of all students in productive educational pathways.

10^th day: Multiculturalism and learners from different socioeconomic backgrounds: This module is an introduction to the issue of multicultural classes and discusses minority students as a group which is more endangered by early school leaving. Trainees will develop their knowledge of intercultural psychology and risks of intercultural communication and develop tasks and activities that promote understanding between pupils from different cultures.

11^th day: Study visit and introduction to technology as a tool of preventing early school leaving.

– Exploring Italian practices of preventing early school leaving: project learning of the young adults, study visit.

– How can technology help us to fight early school leaving.

12^th day: Visit to an Italian school that has overcome the problem of early school leaving. Brainstorming. Evaluation of the Training Course. Certificate Ceremony and overall evaluation meeting with the host organization and the beneficiaries;

13^th day: Free time and cultural activities.

14^th day : Preparing for departure.