RoleModels
Features
RoleModels is an educational platform focused on fostering social-emotional learning (SEL) skills in students. It provides interactive lessons and activities designed to develop empathy, communication, and leadership skills. RoleModels offers curriculum-aligned content, teacher resources, and student assessments aimed at promoting positive behaviors and relationships. The platform encourages students to reflect on their actions and interactions, empowering them to become responsible and empathetic individuals both in and out of the classroom.
Use
Teaching, Content development
Description of the use in class
How will it be used:
directly by the children with the teacher’s supervision
by the teacher to create content to use with the children
features and Functions:
A guidebook ‘Confidence as a key factor in the education of learners with disabilities’
A collection of stories that will focus on highlighting different disabilities and success stories of people with disabilities
A ready-to-use tool for teachers to create success stories with their students.
age
The tools are used by teachers, suitable for the ages of our students
Learning outcomes
Despite the efforts to create more inclusive stories and inclusive classrooms in general, research shows that contemporary children’s literature often reproduces stereotypes (Beckett,et al., 2010; Monoyiou,&Symeonidou, 2016). Many pupils, especially those with disabilities are struggle with school success, repeated academic failure weakens their confidence and self-esteem and are particularly representing a risk of early school leaving. Thus, it is crucial to start strengthening self-confidence in the early years of schooling. Children need representations, they admire different role models that shape their behaviour, their relationships and the decisions they make.
The concrete objectives of this project are to support young learners in becoming more confident through the collection of success stories in which they can identify themselves, strengthen inclusion and diversity in the classrooms and foster the development of pupils’ key competencies and basic skills (literacy and digital skills).
The tools will guide teachers and pupils to focus on the positive aspects of their daily life and practice. We will propose a model structure for stories where learners can integrate their stories – for example, what they feel they are good at, identifying their strengths, how they can overcome challenges, etc.
Reviews / Recommendations
One effective way to use RoleModels in the classroom with children is to incorporate it into daily morning meetings or circle time activities. Start the day by discussing a specific SEL skill such as empathy or teamwork using the platform's interactive lessons or stories. Encourage students to share their thoughts and experiences related to the topic, fostering a supportive environment where they can practice and reinforce positive behaviors. RoleModels can help set a positive tone for the day while promoting social-emotional growth among students.
Example of the tool as a good practice
The tools provide real hands-on activity workshops. These can be used in class with children. Some examples could be the following activity:
After completing the worksheets about different topics, like digital tools, creating digital illustration with AI, searching the internet for material, get to familiarize with softwares, students will be able to get to know some digital tools that can help in the creation of success stories and choose which of them they can use. The worksheets are developed so that there are step by step activities that the teacher can follow and implement the whole workshop. Some examples are provided and templates.
Inclusion
The cornerstone of inclusive education is ensuring all learners achieve their full potential, regardless of their disabilities. Inclusive education is at the core of the daily practice of partners in this project; as a result, the motivation for this project is based on their everyday work and initial research. One way to promote inclusion and celebrate diversity in the classroom is through storytelling and through this project, we intend to do precisely that. The EU population is diverse, and that diversity is naturally reflected in the classrooms. Children’s literature is an important tool to teach about diversity and foster inclusive classroom environments. Moreover, it greatly influences students’ lives and plays an important role in early learning environments.
However, while many stories and books are available for students, the field of children’s literature lacks diversity across different areas, including ability and disability (Leahy&Foley,2018). The content of the stories that pupils are exposed to is likely to influence their perception of themselves, their peers and society in general.
Through the development of confidence, we will tackle learning disadvantages and support the prevention of early school leaving. Pupils with disabilities may have average or above average intelligence, but repeated academic failure weakens their confidence and self-esteem. Many also struggle with school success and are particularly at risk of early school leaving. Thus, it is crucial to start strengthening self-confidence in the early years of schooling.
Following the guidebook, we intend to create a collection of short, inspiring stories in e-book format about role models for pupils with disabilities. Truly inclusive classrooms need books and stories that support inclusive goals and offer the possibility for identification for all pupils. Children need good role models to support their development. They look up to various role models that shape their behaviour, their relationships, and the decisions they will make. Moreover, children are affected by the stories they read. Thus, a restricted representation of characters limits pupils’ ability to see themselves and others in those stories.
The partners on this project strive to create and use inclusive educational tools in their daily practice. Moreover, supporting pupils with disabilities with different inclusive and innovative tools is at the core mission of the participating organisations. Creating positive, inspiring stories is one of the ways to support the inclusive goals of all partners involved.