12-19 February is the next reunion project in France, Martinique: Cooking competition

First project meeting in Trier- Germany

Movies made by "Comenius kids" in Germany

WRITTEN REPORT COMENIUS PROJECT “TRADITIONAL ARTS, HANDICRAFTS, SPORTS AGAINST VIOLANCE AT SCHOOL” INITIAL MEETING- TRIER, GERMANY

written report

Comenius project “Traditional arts, handicrafts, sports against violAnce AT school”

INITIAL meeting

TRIER, GERMANY

Between 3rd and 8th October 2013, the initial meeting of the Comenius project within the framework of the multilateral partnership-”Traditional arts, handicrafts, sports against violance at school” was held in Trier, Germany. The partner countries are: Poland, Portugal, Czech Republic, Estonia, France- Martinique, Germany and Romania.

OBJECTIVES OF THE INITIAL MEETING

• agreement on the dates and responsibilities for the activities that will run in each school  involved, from October 2013 - May 2014;
• reducing juvenile violence by developing skills to solve conflicts in a diplomatic way, through dialogue, arts, sports, traditions (making short films based on the screenplays proposed by each partner school, on the topic: "We respect ourselves, we have respect for others");
• improving communication skills in English, the common language of the project;
• familiarization of all participants with the characteristics of the educational system in Germany;
• presentation of the schools involved;
• agreement on the calendar of mobilities, as well as on the working tasks carried out in France- Martinique and Estonia;
• getting to know the  local culture through thematic visits.

                On November 4, 2013 at 8:00 we arrived at school "Kurfürst-Baldwin - REALCHULE plus TRIER" where we visited the host school which gave us a presentation in order to get us familiar with the school environment in which we were going to perform the activities  the following days. After the visit, we brought together all the participants to the "Traditional arts, handicrafts, sports against violance at school" project, for an overview of schools and participating countries. The representatives from Poland, Portugal, Czech Republic, Estonia, France, Martinique, Germany and Romania presented in electronic format (power point, poster or a short film) customs, traditions, a short dictionary and information about each country and about their own school system.

               There followed a documentary visit regarding the history and the socio-economic system of the city, thereby finding out that Trier was the capital city of the Roman Empire in the sixth century BC, the ruins and evidence of their existence being found throughout the city. We also learned that viticulture is a basic occupation in this region.

               On November 5, 2013 we attended the first working session, which began by organizing the children and their teachers in working groups. Each country presented its screenplay on the topic: "We respect ourselves, we have respect for others". The best screenplay was to be interpreted and filmed by children under the supervision and guidance of teachers. The children selected and identified two screenplays and decided to perform two short films: one based on the technique of editing several pictures freeze frame and a classic. Conflict situations and the students’ behaviour in the partner school systems were compared, students identifying, classifying and stating that violence in school can be either verbal or behavioural, the latter being manifested through aggressive attitudes and physical violence.

            On November 6, 2013, the working session focused on the project activities, tasks and responsibilities assigned to each partner and on the European value of the project. In agreement with the other partners, the project tasks and the approximate dates of the mobilities in each country were set. Each group of students received specific tasks for the execution of the screenplays, roles were distributed, each student receiving a written version of the role that he/she was to play, which led to a highly collaborative and positive relationship among all participants.

           On November 7, 2013 agreement was reached on the cross skills aimed at: learning to learn, social skills, civic awareness of cultural differences and similarities. The distribution of tasks to partners was completed and the expected output of the project was established by carrying out the project products: the screenplay of the film against violence, the project blog, a common cookery book, a project poster, the e-book with traditional dances, the logo, the project T-shirts. Children worked, repeating scripts and filmed, hours on end, the story "New Beginning, New School", the screenplay proposed by the team of Estonia, whose topic was the conflict between a newcomer to a school and the others, and their attempt to exclude her from the school and from the group, on the grounds of a theft set-up.

             In order to achieve the film the students had the support of some professionals from the local television "OK 54", who provided them with a professional camera, lighting and sound systems. They started filming, frame by frame, using the natural scenery around   the school and its interior. The scenes were repeated many times, children and teachers alike being aware of how hard it is to produce a film. The teachers participating in the project attended English language classes, arts, crafts, cooking and interactive Maths lessons, together with the school dog (a project implemented in this school only).

            Finally, the children were involved in sports activities, such as a swimming competition, cricket and riding contests and they ended the week by watching the film made by the "Comenius children", as they called themselves. The film received applause, positive feedback and congratulations from the teachers in the school, the school principal and the local television professionals who helped the children edit the film. All children bid farewell to festive rhythms of salsa and merengue. Local media interviewed the teachers and students on the activities and objectives, all agreeing that through the attitude of respect for self and others, violence in school will be reduced or will no longer exist.

              During the meetings, the work activities were harmoniously combined with social and leisure activities. During the visit we had discussions with the management of the school, the staff and the students, so we had the chance to understand their way of thinking. We attended several classes and, in this way, we could observe both the teaching style of the teachers and the students’ involvement in the educational process. Communication was facilitated by the fact that all participants are good English speakers.

             On the other hand, there were detailed discussions on the items that will become part of the Comenius project. Each participant provided information accumulated over his/her previous experience, methods of non-formal education were correlated with the proposed activities, we were exposed to the ideas the students came up with during the preparation period and which, by and large, were also introduced in the project. The project tasks were set, depending on the participants’ previous experience and skills, but also taking into account their need to learn new things.

             Students and teachers worked in teams, identifying the most suitable activities for all participants.  As part of a collaborative effort, questionnaires were prepared, to be sent out to students and teachers in order to determine their level of interest in the planned activities of the project. Their purpose is not to identify the skills that students and teachers already have, but skills that they want to improve, so that the project could ensure their personal development.

             The leisure activities had the effect of enriching the ideas to be implemented throughout the project.

             Communication between schools, the discovery of similarities between traditions and customs but also awareness of the differences between the educational systems are points of discussion and research for the following project activities.

            All the materials will be presented to the students of the School Council, to the Staff Council, during meetings, symposia, or during 7^th grade tutorial lessons, by applying the same methods of working with children, using manufactured products (Videos made ​​by children, school presentations, posters, as well as screenplays proposed by students).All this will lead to awareness among children that the phenomenon of violence in school should be reduced.

            The project is financially supported by the European Commission under the Comenius Programme, the first component of the Lifelong Learning Programme. All the information we provide is the sole responsibility of the project team and the National Agency for Community Programmes in the Field of Education and Vocational Training but the European Commission are not responsible for the way the content of this information is used.

                                                              Written by the coordinator teacher from Romania,

                                                               Ţugulan Catalina.