MINIMALISM: Is simplifying the way for our planet? Erasmus Project

Project Title

MINIMALISM: Is simplifying the way for our planet?

Project Key Action

This project related with these key action: Cooperation for innovation and the exchange of good practices

Project Action Type

This project related with this action type : School Exchange Partnerships

Project Call Year

This project’s Call Year is 2018

Project Topics

This project is related with these Project Topics: Energy and resources; Civic engagement / responsible citizenship; ICT – new technologies – digital competences

Project Summary

Last school year a pre-project piece of research in terms of minimalism was carried out in the Czech Republic (coordinating country). Thus, this project reflects off real interests. Students themselves came up with thoughts how to simplify their lives and make a personal contribution for the sustainable environment. Though, they feel the necessity to practise and be trained, to connect sometimes artificial learning at schools of general education with the reality of actions taken. We, enthusiastic teachers, are ready to coach them.

Each of the secondary schools (from the Czech Republic, Germany, France and Spain) has something to offer to objectives of the idea, as specified in this application form in details. Three participating schools have been in cooperation for ten years, the fourth one is a newcomer.

Each step has a school in charge of it and the division of responsibilities is agreed. Participating organisations know how to pursue the budget control, too. Methodology to run through the project is specifically described for each planned activity in respective descriptions of short-term exchanges, including the planned timeline. It is developed by experienced teachers of various subjects and they have a clear vision how to work with students. Each time, there will be particular events before and during the transnational meetings, which are equally spread over the project schedule.

Our results will be both tangible and intangible.

Among outputs produced by the project can be mentioned: students’ videos describing their experience with decluttering; a video-diary showing the learning progress about minimalism in agriculture; an enquiry based on fashion habits and its analysis; brochures about possibilities of food-waste reduction, and fast fashion completed with a book of addresses to buy local clothes or to give away no more used pieces, plus a collect place organized at the school; workshops repairing bicycles and transforming clothes followed by a fashion show; Do It Yourself products of cleaning, cosmetics and health with recipes; a slideshow describing mobility in a city; a leaflet with pros and cons of electrical cars + bikes; a comparative study – data about the levels of city pollution; worksheets for excursions, meeting professionals in institutions and local markets. Project logo chosen internationally will be placed on all materials created. Well-developed questionnaires will be done before and after each short-term exchange of groups of students. Advertising the project initiatives will be visible everywhere possible. School curricula might be changed after the end of the project thanks to sharing good practices of partners.

Among outcomes, the intangible added value one can win through the achievement of the project targets, we have to mention: training of critical thinking; changing of content and methodology of teaching for cross-curricular activities; increased skills of using ICTs and improved abilities of students in hand making things; and more abstract consequences such as increased cultural awareness, and especially sensitivity towards the nature and its needs. Knowledge and experience gained by participants on hands-on activities in terms of minimalism will contribute for being a better citizen of the Earth.

Carrying out the project will impact on our organisations in the future and raise its profiles. Postproduction work after the funding period aims continuing in school lessons and daily life of participants, as directions and opportunities for further work in this theme are endless. Exploitation, as the planned process of transferring our results to the school/regional decision makers and convincing individuals to adopt and apply minimalism, is the core of our common work. We will maximise the potential of funded activities. This international cooperation supports European policies because lifelong learning is the essence of the project aim.

Before, during and after the project there will be activities serving the dissemination of results as we intend to showcase the project work. Sharing findings, topics learned and competences improved will happen, fitted to each partner, via tools such as information meetings, exhibition of project logo proposals, leaflets, presentations, performance in a fashion show of remade garments, publication via newspaper articles, notice boards, school webpages, and free YouTube videos. The effort of participants towards the objectives of Erasmus+ will be conveyed to wider community, the society will benefit from the work supported by EU funding. It is a step forward to sustainable development and towards achieving modernised education using training of applicable skills based on knowledge. The project will trigger off a movement of minimalism in many aspects at lots of places. Our initiatives will become available to key actors beyond the schools – families and youth communities. Spreading the world is the substance of the project idea.

Project Website

https://twinspace.etwinning.net/109276/home

EU Grant (Eur)

Funding of the project from EU: 102638 Eur

Project Coordinator

Gymnazium Rajec-Jestrebi, o. p. s. & Country: CZ

Project Partners

• Lycée Louis Barthou
• Gymnasium Goetheschule
• Instituto de Enseñanza Secundaria Macarena