Piloting the optional discipline for primary school The culture of a good neighborhood will take place for the third consecutive year, throughout the Republic of Moldova, including Transnistria, and will be coordinated by EC PRO DIDACTICA. Our initiative aims to improve relations and long term peace training in the Republic of Moldova, including Transnistria and Gagauzia, by introducing this discipline about intercultural education. This year, it will be implemented with the financial support from BST (The Black Sea Trust for Regional Cooperation). Initiated by the civil society, this project reunites NGOs, teachers, government officials and from education to the qualitative implementation of the given discipline in around 30 schools with over 2000 children in Romanian and Russian language of instruction, consolidating tolerance and cooperation between different groups. Through the project objectives, the beneficiaries continue the process for common development, in order to learn new social skills for intercultural communication and cooperation; in order to introduce inovative methods for teaching-learning with a diverse cultural content, increasing the understanding of cultural diversity; mutual understanding and solidarity between the separated regions.

The 3rd graders book is entitled Learning, working and relaxing together and it is offered both in Romanian and Russian languages. Also, an important thing is that the entire pedagogical experiment is made in partnership with the Ministry of Education from the Republic of Moldova, the main consultant being Alla Nikitcenko, from UTAG, and Elena Tulba from the Education Department Comrat who was also involved.

Overall, among supervised activities are included: 12 lessons in 3rd grades (336 students); 4 lessons in 1st grades (84 students); 2 lessons in 2nd grades (57 students) and a festive event Our traditions for 37 students. In general, we found that piloting is going well, teachers are sufficiently prepared and students are motivated and interested to learn interactively about the culture of good neighborhood. Of all, we appreciate the quality of education process in the LT M. Guboglo, LT L. Blaga and LT C. Popovici.

Some of the noticed problems were about that in 3rd grades, with teaching in Russian, do not get books for each student,  as well those who chose the subject this year in 1st and 2nd grades make photocopies of working materials to the lessons and that teachers do not use enough the interactive methods as learning strategies for increasing student interest.

In terms of outlook, we announce the activity on the teacher’s certification and final Conference of the project that will be held in February 2017, as well as the development of curricula for 4th grade, including adaptation and elaboration of the workbook for students for that age.

Viorica GORAȘ-POSTICĂ,

Project coordinator