Strong kids

According to the main goals of the project, implementation was as follows: Main goal 1: To develop a program for pre-school and primary school children for early childhood movement in Turkish– through 2 pilot implementation projects in a kindergarten (ÇABAÇAM) and a primary school in Çanakkale Main goal 2. To create an international platform to work, exchange tools and approaches and review best practices of all partner organisations who are professionals in the relevant field Main goal 3. To develop (with partner countries) tools for teacher education to integrate early childhood movement education in the syllabus of teacher candidates and with this strategy: make the results of the work, in terms of the scope of the project, more sustainable Phase 1: Planning, best practices researched, preparation for action, resourcebuilding, partner communication carried out. Phase 2: Partner network meeting Germany: partner roles, curriculum framework design outlined, good practices, program resources shared, work plan detailed. Program design and adaptation completed. Main topics for our two pilot applications selected as: gymnastics and basic motoric development, outdoor pedagogy, music and dance and social games for groups aged 4-6/6-8 years. Partners contributed best practice programs and methodology examples in sport education from their national context, together with universal curriculum design and pedagogical guidelines. Phase 3: Pilot 1: Activity program developed for the pre-school age group with partner and local advisory team expertise contribution. Implementation in nonformal early learning centre serving less privileged children, including refugees (ÇABAÇAM) planned by local project team. Preschool teacher trainee volunteers trained to deliver activities. Sports materials and resources acquired and accessible on site. Eight weeks of sports activities carried out in Turkish Preschool with children aged 4-6 supervised and mentored by local team. Pre and post assessments (motoric tests) completed to measure effect of activities on children’s motor skills, observations, interviews and logged progress reports applied with volunteers to assess program effect both on children and on young adult participants. Phase 4: Pilot I/II: Program modified for second term of eight week sports activities with preschool children aged 4-6, (this section additional to the original program), activities carried out with a new group of children and additional trained trainee teachers at this preschool location. Pilot II: Eight weeks of sports activities carried out in Turkish Primary school with children aged 6-8, assessments carried out with volunteers and children (multiple tools). Classroom observations and guided discussions with teacher trainees implementing this program, providing children of diverse backgrounds regular opportunity for corporal expression and the possibility to use motor skills, employed to assess its positive, accumulative effects on multiple aspects of children’s development, including attitudes, behaviours, skills and motivation. Phase 5: Strong kids Congress held in Çanakkale, Turkey attended by local stakeholders, participants and international partners. Mutual benefits of project shared, international good practice training demonstrations given by partner experts, attended by participant and non-participant volunteers, Strong Kids program presentations carried out by practising teachers, participating trainees and children; Teacher trainee participant assessment carried out (focus group). Phase 6: Partner review of project completed; partner assessment tools completed; participant assessments reviewed; Project evaluation discussed; Planned material outputs delivered and disseminated (brochure, on-line teaching material, teacher training file). Sustainable features of project identified.