The Council of Casalmaggiore

Province of Cremona

 

Social Services department

The Town of Casalmaggiore has accommodated the ethnic minority of Lombardy Sinti, setting aside an area equipped with water and electricity supplies, made possible thanks to

regional contributions.

This area has become insufficient to their needs because they have grown.

They were 37 people in 1986. Now they are 66.

They are Italian born Sinti who are semi-stationary.

They were merry-go-round builders, now they try to find temporary work.

Some of them collect discarded iron and old objects in rubbish dumps, some are actors and musicians involved in travelling

shows.

The Council of Casalmaggiore has set up 2 projects:

“Sucar Plaza”

which has been financed with Lombardy Region contribution

– and –

“Mengro Kher”

financed with Casalmaggiore Council resources.

The main aim is to help them to integrate into local communities, volunteer Associations, schools at all levels.

Since 1986 16 Sinti pupils have obtained scuola media diploma which is similar to the British Middle Schools.

The Council of Caslmaggiore has bought land in the surrounding area of their current residence

in order to build new facilities such as roads, prefabs and caravan parks

so that, for example newly weds may live in their caravans near the parents’ prefabs.

We can assist a gradual passage from caravan to houses..

“Sucar Plaza” means beautiful Square

that is

an instalment consisting of three prefabs each with their own caravan park for relatives.

Naturally the Council will provide all the basic services like water, electricity, gas and drainage

“Mengro Kher” means our home.

As we are nearing the 2007

European Year of equal opportunities

and the 2008

European Year of interculture

this project is important

to encourage to integrate

and interact

with each other

with respect to each other’s language, culture and history

The Council is in the process

of trying to find someone

from the Sinti Community

to act as a cultural mediator.

A Professional work force is necessary to bring together the

Sinti Community and local people

so that they both contribute to the project.

This is the project implemented

in Casalmaggiore middle school

for pupils with personal difficulties at home.

It has proved to be very useful for Roma and Sinti children.

 

WELCOME PROJECT

 

 

ANALYSIS OF THE NEEDS

It is directed at

• the pupils who find it difficult to interact

• who are marginalized by society,

• who run the risk of turning to delinquency because of cultural differencies and inability to express themselves.

 

HOW TO GROUP THE PUPILS

They are put together

on the basis of

their academic aptitudes,

the knowledge they need to acquire,

their level of competence

OUTLINES FOR THE PROJECT

How to create a serene atmosphere

How to make them get to know themselves

How to grade their academic work in respect to their background

 

METHODOLOGY

 The class teachers choose

from amongst themselves

a person responsible for being the pupil’s mentor and

for organizing the staff at school and

any people outside of the school

involved in scholastic matters such as

family, parish, volunteer association

to aid the pupil in settling into school.

 

HOW TO CREATE

A GOOD PUPIL-TEACHER

RELATIONSHIP

A good relationship is based on:

Trust: making sure that the pupil feels confortable confiding in the teacher

Respect

for the teacher’s authority and decisions

that the pupil has helped to make taking part in discussions

Listening:

the need to communicate well with each other

Being a good mentor

who cares,

supports,

listens ,

gives advice and

is affectionate to them

Empathy:

sharing their emotions and thoughts

Problem solving:

listening to the pupil’s proposals and ideas

on how to resolve a particular problem

Firmness:

making sure pupils obey rules

discussing the advantages and disadvantages of a rule

so that they can understand the reasons why it exists

Teaching

the social and civic responsabilities

THE CLASS TEACHERS AGREE ON:

• Different programmes which involve pupils from different classes,

• amendments to the timetable,

• simplified classwork –

Even if the pupils

don’t participate in the lessons planned

the subject teacher

must monitor and mark the related activity

done by the pupil in the separate class

The teachers

in their evaluation

take into account any work done by the pupil

outside the classroom

Thanks to

these programmes

the social integration of these pupils is guaranteed

 

OBJECTIVES

The school

makes pupils aware of

any cultural diversities and

teaches the pupils how to respect them

It also promotes self-esteem,

communication skills,

sense of belonging,

consideration of the existing abilities,

knowledge of oneself in all problematic pupils.

DESIRED RESULTS

-          Educational-social-emotional sphere:

personal satisfaction thanks to

communication skills,

self-esteem,

sense of belonging,

being able to keep their emotions under control

Knowledge sphere:

developing their academic potential as much as possible

Skills sphere:

growth of their academic skills in analysis and synthesis,

development of their creative skills

i.e.

music, arts and crafts, dance and so on,

METHODOLOGY

•  Learning laboratories

•  Moduls for different classes

• Making use of teachers’ time or supplementary hours

• Also of volunteers experts

STRATEGIES

all the laboratory teachers have to report to the subject teacher

they have also to plan the programmes together pupils and teachers must agree on their rights and duties in school

when necessary school can employ a psychologist

• school can also employ cultural mediators

• teachers, pupils and families organize parties, social events and public exhibitions of their artwork

•the school is linked to sport and leisure associations

ASSESSMENT

The subject teachers and the laboratory teachers are responsible for assessing the pupils

  

they can do this with oral texts and written texts

they judge how well the pupils have adapted to school

and how well they have responded to the programmes

 

the end of year examination is based on the programmes

that they have followed

Time 8.00 9.00 10.00 11.00 12.00

MONDAY

HISTORY: Names of the pupils MAP-MAKING: Names of the pupils

MAP MAKING: Names of the pupils ENGLISH 1: Names of the students MATHS: Names of the pupils ENGLISH 2: Names of the pupils ITALIAN 1: Names of the pupils

ITALIAN 1: Names of the pupils MAP MAKING: n. o. pupils ENGLISH 1: n.o.pupils

TUESDAY FRENCH: Names of the pupils

ITALIAN -BEGINNERS Names of the pupils MATHS: Names of the pupils ELECTRONIC KEYBOARD: Names of the pupils ITALIAN-BEGINNERS

ITALIAN 2: Names of the pupils SCIENCE THROUGH IMAGES: Names of the pupils

ITALIAN 1: Names of the pupils MAP MAKING: Names of the pupils COMMUNICATION: Names of the pupils INFORMATICS: Names of the children

INFORMATICS: Names of the pupils

WEDNESDAY

COMMUNICATION:: Names of the pupils TRADITIONAL DANCES: Names of the pupils ITALIAN-BEGINNERS: Names of the pupils

COMMUNICATION: Names of the students ENGLISH: Names of the pupils COMMUNICATION: Names of the pupils TRADITIONAL DANCES: Names of the pupils

PING-PONG: Names of the pupils ITALIAN 1: Names of the pupils COMMUNICATIONS: Names of the pupils MATHS: Names of the pupils

PING-PONG: Names of the pupils

Time 8.00 9.00 10.00 11.00 12.00

THURSDAY

ITALIAN INTERMED.: Names of the pupils ITALIAN-BEGINNERS: Names of the pupils

ARTS AND CRAFTS Names of the students

ARTS AND CRAFTS: Names of the pupils ITALIAN 1: Names of the pupils COMMUNICA.: Names of the children

FRIDAY

MATHS: Names of the pupils PING-PONG: Names of the pupils

MAP MAKING: names of the pupils

MAP MAKING: Names oh the pupils ELECT. KEYBOARD Names of the pupils

MAP MAKING: Names of the pupils

SATURDAY MATHS: Names of the pupils

ITALIAN-BEGINN.:: Names of the pupils ENGLISH: Names of the pupils

MATHS: Names of the pupils FRENCH: Names of the pupils

MATHS: Names of the pupils ITALIAN 1: Names of the pupils