Harvests of Champ PI: Institutions, Techniques, and Tools for Today’s Classrooms

The authors of the texts in this book teach in public schools or Calandreta Occitan schools in the Hérault region. Practitioners of Institutional Pedagogy, they implement Freinet techniques as well as tools and institutions specific to this pedagogy in their classrooms. As educational artisans in their practice settings, these teachers work with diverse groups: preschool and elementary children, students in the ULIS (special needs) program, and students in IME (Medico-Educational Institutes). Their goal is to provide each child with a welcoming space for learning and socialization, conducive to growth and respectful of differences. They also engage in the initial and ongoing training of teachers through various formats: meeting days, seminars, workshops, etc. This collection of texts is the result of collaborative work within the Champ PI association, established in 2005 and closely associated with the ChamPIgnon of Béziers founded by René Laffitte. These writings document the implementation of various techniques, tools, and institutions such as free writing, teams, class journals, currency, etc.