West Dunbartonshire : Dynamic Futures Programme
What is this?
Having previously worked with children, teachers and parents in a wide spectrum of projects, we recognised that there was a need for a collaborative approach to improve relationships for all three. The Dynamic Futures programme provided a vehicle for the realising of a pupils potential while helping the personal development of both parents and teachers.
The project aimed to identify young people who are challenged in areas of emotional literacy and social skills. We engaged them through an alliance of Trust Dynamics, parents and teachers who supported the child and each other through the term and beyond.
FLaT involvement?
FLaT support was provided to look at the following:
- To raise awareness among the education environment of the social and psychological needs of the school community.
- To improve the emotional and physical health of the school community by removing barriers to learning and teaching such as fear of failure, fear of success, lack of motivation, distrust and boredom.
- To establish a new basis of collaborative learning between teacher and learner where roles are at times reversed and pupils might have the opportunity to coach teachers and parents in appropriate situations and contexts.
- To provide a notion of learning which includes an emotional knowledge of the self.
- To produce attitudinal changes in members of focus groups.
Links with National Priorities?
2. Framework for Learning
4. Values and Citizenship
5. Learning for Life.
Project aims?
- Recognised feelings as an integral part of teaching and learning.
- Actively promoted the emotional well-being of teachers and learners and their parents.
- Provided opportunities for teachers and learners and parents to develop understanding of their own feelings, and of their relationships with others.
Project outcomes?
- To break down traditional barriers between pupils, teachers and parents.
- For pupils to demonstrate:
- calmer approaches to the school situation
- better relationships with other children or adults
- better concentration levels
- more mature reactions in class to areas of challenge or difficulty
- ability to understand own self and reactions to situations
- higher levels of motivation
- more developed sense of humour
- Teachers and parents also demonstrated some, if not all, of the above attributes.
Timescale?
The project was started in February 2003 and was completed in March 2006.
Level of Support?
FLaT support was a grant of £36,000 plus evaluation costs.
Who are the evaluation team?
To be agreed.
Contact person:
Hilda De Felice, Trust Dynamics - 0141 423 0363.