The Fenix Programme: countering failure in an innovative and sustainable way in early school years

In light of the theoretical context that has been outlined it is possible to define an intervention model for children with scholastic difficulties aimed at reinforcing success and, over the long term, resilience. This is the model at the heart of the didactic project which we are presenting here. This programme is called Fenix, its name taken from the mythological bird that rose from its own ashes, emphasising the possibility children have to liberate themselves from failure thanks to targeted interventions. The programme seeks to reinforce some protective factors and to counter risks due above all to socio-environmental deprivation, focusing on essential factors for learning like motivation and the development of cognitive potentialities. In what follows, we will illustrate, in addition to the theoretical model, the features of the teaching pathway proposed for various age groups, different typologies of addressees, instruments elaborated to evaluate their efficacy and the ways teachers should be trained in this method.