Italiano
Dutch
Português
Swedish
Results
Field Work
Summary of activities in Portugal, Sweden and The Netherlands
The Quiet Time/Transcendental Meditation Programme (QT/TMP) adds a few minutes near the beginning and also the end of the school day the practice of a simple scientifically documented psycho‐physiological technology. This technology, the Transcendental Meditation (TM) technique, is a non‐ sectarian, natural and effortless technique learned by millions of people of all religions, cultures, and educational levels. No changes to the curriculum content is required. Students who volunteer and whose parents approve, practice the TM technique during the Quiet Time period while other students may engage in a parallel non‐academic activity, such as quiet reading or rest.
Teachers presentation and training
In Portugal, Sweden and Netherland, about 350 principals, teachers and staff have been trained in the Transcendental Meditation Technique, as the first step of implementation/exploitation of the Quiet Time / TM Programme in schools across Portugal, Netherlands and Sweden.
Parents Presentations and Training
In the course of the project, 110 parents received the training in QT/TM. The parent association APEJAA (P9) contributed in promoting the EUROPE project to new principals of new schools and new parents, also stimulating the creation and the involvement of new parent association in the project. The parent association of the implementing School in Algarve is also very active in the region. This shows the Strong role of parents in bringing innovation in Education.
Students Presentation and Training
In the course of the EUROPE project, about 520 students and learners have been trained in the Transcendental Meditation Technique, and more than 40 schools have done the first steps of implementation of the Quiet Time /Transcendental Meditation programme in the participating countries
Students practicing QT-TMP
At the beginning and at the end of the school day, students practice for 10/15 minutes the Transcendental Meditation Technique.
Highlights
Parents Experiences
What PARENTS think about the Quiet Time / Transcendental Meditation Programme? Experiences from the student’s parents after the training course on Transcendental Meditation (TM).
Teachers and students’ experiences
Quiet Time with Transcendental Meditation Programme at school in Portugal
Participation to UNESCO Meetings
Presentation of the EUROPE project and the Quiet Time based on Transcendental Meditation, from January to December 2018, as good practice in 3 Regional meetings and 1 National meeting of the UNESCO Associated Schools Network, including the participation at the “International day of tolerance” and “International day of human rights”.
Presentation of QT/TMP in the National Meetings TEIP
The EUROPE project (P3 – P10) was invited on the 17th of February by DGE to present the QT|TMP at the National TEIP (Território Educativo de Intervenção Prioritária) Conference in Lisbon, as a tool to help schools that, due to their social and economic characteristics, face educational problems which urge for specific interventions. As a result of this a school from Lisbon region started with the implementation of the QT/TM Programme in experimental class.
Presentations in relevant conferences and seminars
The EUROPE project has been presented in different events that have seen the participation of policy makers at local, regional and National level, education responsible, principals and teachers, scientific community and to the general public, in Italy, Portugal, the Netherland, UK, Germany, Sweden, and more.
Further upscaling activities
The project has drawn the attention of the press at National level: in June 2017 there has been an interview from the National TV of Portugal (RTP1) about the EUROPE project in the Alberto Iria school involving Professor Sergio Vieira of the University of Algarve (P3). After the interview was broadcasted in the National TV, other 3 schools contacted the University of Algarve with interest of starting the programme.
Synergies with other National Programs in Portugal
Our implementing School is part of the National TEIP (Territorio Educativo de Intervenção Prioritária) program for difficult schools in Portugal. On the basis of the result of the EUROPE project, and under inspiration of the Ministry of education of Portugal, the principal and vice-principal of the school decided to introduce the QT/TM programme in the “Plano de Melhoria” of the school as an Action of the Multiyear Improvement Plan of the TEIP to help minimizing problems and to improve results. This will give visibility of the QT/TM programme at National level and every school in the TEIP will be also able to choose to adopt the QT/TMP as a tool in their ‘Plano de melhoria’
Synergy with the activities of welcome schools for migrants in Sweden
The project has been implemented in a welcome school for migrants from pre-school to secondary school, that has the role in the town of “Competence Centre” and works in connection with many other schools in the territory and their activities within the EUROPE project has a great potential to be spread out to other similar schools in the region and other schools that face challenges of inclusion and violence.
Synergies with health sector in Malmo, Sweden
The project in Sweden has expanded in the Health sector, of mental health and well-being, through the involvement of the Neurocognitivism Clinic for Children and Youth in Gothenburg and the training in QT/TM of senior psychologists and therapists. They are very interested to the possibility of future research on children with neuropsychiatric problems with the potential of expanding the EUROPE project also to the Health System.
Synergy with new Flexibility law programme in Portugal
One of the challenges that the project faced for a successful upscale is how to best integrate the programme within the different school systems in the school day. An experimental solution comes from Portugal where the Ministry of Education DGE has launched a new law regarding Autonomy and Curricular Flexibility1 that allow the schools in Portugal to manage the curriculum while also integrating practices that promote better learning and allowing schools to get approval for special projects including QT/TM. This allow sustainability and expansion of the programme in Portugal. The example of the Portuguese Ministry of Education could be shared with other Ministries of Education also in the course of the sister project FRIENDS, inviting them to experiment the same programme to allowing an easier integration of QT/TM programme in the curriculum.
Key messages: restoring well-being of students and teachers
Quiet Time with Transcendental Meditation programme restores the well-being balance of students and teachers; importance of the involvement of policy makers; upscaling of the good practice, mainstreaming and further expansion perspectives; sustainability.
Results for students, teachers and parents
Policy recommendations
The EUROPE project developed an handbook for policy makers including the results from the evaluation, with practical information and policy recommendations at all levels (from school to European level) that elucidate what is required for successfully upscale the Quiet Time based on Transcendental Meditation programme in European schools.
Read more in the attached document: EN – IT – PT – NL – SE
Articles
EUROPE leaflet
Interview from the National TV of Portugal (RTP1) about the EUROPE project
The project has drawn the attention of the press at National level. In June 2017 there has been an interview from the National TV of Portugal (RTP1) about the EUROPE project in school involving Professor Sergio Vieira of the University of Algarve (P3). After the interview was broadcasted in the National TV, other 3 schools contacted the University of Algarve with interest of starting the programme.
Final conference of the EUROPE project
Final Conference Programme
Welcome and introduction to the conference
Fabrizio Boldrini – Fondazione Hallgarten Franchetti – Centro Studi Villa Montesca (Italy)
Education as a tool to fight poverty, social exclusion, and as a model to fight all form of radicalization
Laura Agea – Member of European Parliament
Overview of project implementation: tackling the root cause of violence through education Implementation coordinators
Implementation coordinators
What is Quiet Time with the Transcendental Meditation Programme for schools?
Ashley Deans – Professor of Education and Physics
Panel discussion: experiences of schools implementing the programme in the EUROPE project with participants from Portugal, Sweden and The Netherlands
Moderator: Derek Cassels – Maharishi School Trust Skelmersdale (United Kingdom)
Presenting specific results from the 3 implementation countries: Portugal, Sweden and The Netherlands
Raymond Slot and Annet te Lindert – Utrecht University of Applied Science (The Netherlands)
Sérgio Vieira and Joana Vieira dos Santos – University of Algarve (Portugal)
Policy recommendations and perspectives – practical guidelines
Alberto Bramanti – Bocconi University (Italy ) – Utrecht University of Applied Science (The Netherlands)
Frans Van Assche – University of Leuven (Belgium)
Conclusions
Fabrizio Boldrini – Fondazione Hallgarten Franchetti – Centro Studi Villa Montesca (Italy
The final EUROPE conference held on 29th November 2018, Brussels was attended by teachers, policy makers, educational authorities from all across Europe, representatives from the European Commission, and all those interested in the Quiet Time based on Transcendental Meditation programme, in education and in social inclusion. Teachers and school principals from Portugal, Sweden and the Netherlands talked about their experiences during the EUROPE project and scientific results from the EUROPE implementation were presented. Evaluation revealed that implementing the QT/TM approach within the school environment contributes to decreasing violence in schools and society and increasing tolerance and social inclusion by promoting students’ and teachers’ well-being.