On the 20th of October 2021, within the SMILE Project, ARCIL joined the organisation Autism in Context to organise the training course entitled “Autism and Well-Being: Practical Strategies”.

The session was given by the Master and Doctor of Psychology in Educational Sciences, Peter Vermeulen, internationally recognised speaker and author of more than 15 books and several articles focusing on autism.

In the “Autism and Well-Being: Practical Strategies” training, parents, teachers, school assistants and other specialists were invited to redefine the desired results when working with pupils with autism, reinforcing the focus on well-being and happiness, through the sharing of tools, strategies and experiences to make their lives happier, through more pleasurable and meaningful experiences of inclusion.

An unprecedented event, full of good energy, sharing, reflections and knowledge. In the words in one of the teachers:

“What a fantastic sharing and intense reflection!

It was interesting to hear about people diagnosed with autism without sticking to the common definitions, the diagnostic criteria, namely the most striking difficulties in interaction and social communication, restrictive and repetitive patterns of behaviour, among others.

People with and without autism are not that different in terms of behaviour, mindset and - especially - needs. It was good to remember that all human beings, autistic or non-autistic, want to be happy, feel safe, stay healthy.

So many times we verbalise “what we want is for them to be happy!”. But then … Why don't we put happiness in individual education plans?

Why don't we make comments on well-being, involving students with autism themselves, discovering what makes them feel good, evaluating sensory preferences, talents, strengths, ...

What for? Because happy autistic students need results in all areas of their lives, just like everyone else.

Thank you, Peter.

We will make sure that happiness is available to all people with autism, regardless of the nature and profile of their autism, their intellectual skills and their age.  Happiness is not the absence of problems; but the ability to deal with them. It is about helping each student with autism to face challenges and reach goals by providing autism-friendly environments, more predictable rather than less stimulating. Not forgetting to give each one the freedom to choose what they think is necessary for themselves. 

I loved the message: No less autistic, but “autistically happy”.

The Round Table under the SMILE Project, funded by the Erasmus+ Programme of the European Commission took place on 21 October 2021 at the headquarters of the School Inspectorate in Iași, Romania. Inspector Gabriela Conea participated on behalf of the School Inspectorate.

The event disseminated the project and the results obtained and had the following agenda:

• The SMILE Project - general presentation
• The SMILE model in action (presentation of the Self-Assessment model and its application in the participating schools)
• The SMILE online course (overview, feedback from course participants)
• The Day of Inclusion (activities)
• Discussions

58 teachers and principals from schools in Iasi attended the event.

The event enjoyed large participation that exceeded our expectations. Principals and teachers from schools in Iasi were invited. The event was officially opened by Insp Gabriela Conea, Prof Dr Anca Colibaba and the project manager and the head of the EuroEd Projects Department, Andreea Ionel, who spoke about the Erasmus + programme and made a general presentation of the SMILE Project.

Our colleagues (Dana Dănăila, Alina Leonte and Corina Sandu) from the three partner schools involved in the Smile Project (EuroED, George Calinescu and Alexandru Vlahuta schools) presented the main activities, the achievements obtained by the schools so far and the main events dedicated to the Day of Inclusion in their schools. 

The discussions highlighted the need to train teachers for the effective management of an increasingly diverse school environment. Good communication with peers, sharing experiences, interest in professional development and the partnership between schools and parents are some of the significant factors that contribute to achieving an inclusive school environment - safe, pleasant and encouraging for all, children and adults.

The participants also highlighted other aspects of their activities within the project: the evaluation of their school environment with the help of the Smile tool, the identification of areas that require improvement, the detailed planning of all activities and especially, the decisive role of teamwork in achieving the desired results.

The teachers also focused on the SMILE online course and shared with the audience their experience. They said that they found the course very interesting and useful. They got involved in the activities and liked the range of quizzes at the end of each chapter, which provided them with opportunities to reflect on what they learned and test their knowledge in diverse ways (multiple-choice, comments on quotes, etc). Participants appreciated the well-organised content presented in a range of well-structured chunks, which are easy to learn and digest. Thus, the videos illustrating the course are short, to the point and dynamic - often in the form of a dialogue. The case scenarios are concrete and practical, creating opportunities for reflection and providing insights into their ideas and experience.

In conclusion, they recommended the course to their colleagues.