Summarising our project
When you start a Comenius Project, it can be very difficult to plan all your activities across your partner schools. There are different holidays, different lesson times, different time zones and different ways of working with the pupils.
We have put up this web page to show how we linked our activities together. We hope it will give you some inspiration for your own project.
We had a number of themes we wanted to look at. we have listed the themes and then provided a link to a website to show a snapshot of what we managed to achieve. As with all Comenius Projects, the end result is important but, just as importantly is the way in which the pupils worked together to produce this work.
We have put up this web page to show how we linked our activities together. We hope it will give you some inspiration for your own project.
We had a number of themes we wanted to look at. we have listed the themes and then provided a link to a website to show a snapshot of what we managed to achieve. As with all Comenius Projects, the end result is important but, just as importantly is the way in which the pupils worked together to produce this work.
The first planning meeting
It all comes down to planning. We found it best to create a detailed plan for the first year, and an outline for the second. You will learn so much in the first year, it will be much easier in the second; use your new-found experience.
Find out about the planning seminar here.
Find out about the planning seminar here.
Theme One - How can we live and communicate together
It's always good to start with an achievable goal. We went for a report on Christmas in our countries. A more advanced target was a series of podcasts looking at the influences on our lives.
Theme Two - Breaking the barriers to understanding and communicating with each other
One of the best ways to do this is to use eTwinning. We provided our students with a structure, but soon their conversations take off in a natural way. This was also picked up in the French seminar through the celebration of Europe Day.
Theme Three - Describing ourselves without words
The use of mobilities is central to the project and the first one sets the tone for the next two years. No pressure on the Slovak host school!. What better way is there to achieve this goal than through art?
The second planning seminar
We found that time spent evaluating the first year was crucial to planning for an even more successful second year. The pupils had got to know each other and staff had formed close personal and professional bonds which made challenging targets more achievable. More here.
Theme Four - Healthy lifestyles
One of the challenges of Comenius Projects is that as not all schools get funding, the initial plans have to be adapted. The England Seminar needed to change to incorporate an aspect of healthy living as one school could not join us.. This complemented our online activities looking at the food we eat and our state of well-being.
Theme Five - Preparing ourselves for work in a European market
We found that themes work best when they are linked to the mobilities. We had started to look at local employment opportunities during the France seminar, and this theme was developed in two on-line activities; learning and working in the local region.
Theme Six - Describing ourselves to each other
This was a great closing theme. After learning so much about life in other countries, we encouraged our pupils to look at themselves in a new light. They say "travel broadens the horizons"; Comenius certainly encourages participants to look at themselves and their region with a fresh pair of eyes. They looked at the places which were important to them, following a tour of significant places in Milan. They created diagrams about fashion and looked at their local area in minute detail.
The final evaluation seminar
It has to be done. There is no point putting it off. A report has to be written and a collective effort is best. The final seminar should be a time to reflect on what has been achieved, and particularly to look at how, we as teachers, can use the experiences from the last two years to benefit future groups of pupils. Pictures here.
Need any advice?
We hope you find the summary useful. If you want any more advice please contact one of the coordinators from the partner schools. Follow the school links above for more information.