Embracing Europe Erasmus Project

Project Title

Embracing Europe

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 : Strategic Partnerships for school education

Project Call Year

This project’s Call Year is 2014

Project Topics

This project is related with these Project Topics: EU Citizenship, EU awareness and Democracy; International cooperation, international relations, development cooperation

Project Summary

Prior to application, we formed a group on the E-Twinning platform, of like-minded teachers interested in creating a project based on European Citizenship. Through working together as 7 countries we aimed to promote knowledge of citizens’ rights and responsibilities; promote knowledge of social, political and civic institutions; develop the ability of students to engage in critical and independent thinking; develop respect for the environment, and enable our students to develop as social beings through respecting and co-operating with others, thus contributing to the good of society. We felt our students, though having basic knowledge about the European Union, need a greater understanding of what it means to be part of this Union, and needed to learn how to live within and contribute to the evolution of our growing multicultural society.
The teachers, from Ireland, Poland, Bulgaria, Belgium, France, Spain and Portugal, brought a wide range of experience to the table. Some had co-ordinated projects before, others were involved in the European Studies Programme and E.L.O.S. but our common denominator was a keen interest in multicultural education, and in particular, an eagerness to work hard together to ensure that our students benefited from this project.
All but one of our schools were within easy reach of the National Parliament, and we visited National Parliaments and met some members We also visited the European Parliament in Brussels. Students researched the workings of the democratic processes in the country they visited and enhanced their research by what they learnt while they were there.
Activities regarding environmental issues were also undertaken and each school chose a topic which impacted most on their region, tried to agree on possible solutions, and prepared a presentation for their peers when they visited Poland. This developed their ability to analyze issues, discuss them, and present a report.
Co-operating and working with students of a similar age from different countries and cultures, developed tolerance and understanding of each other, and of course, meeting and befriending each other while participating in mobilities, contributed greatly to their social development.
Active learning methodologies like structured discussion, simulation games and role-play, issue tracking, surveys/questionnaires and on-line group forums were used throughout the project.
Our objectives were specific, measurable, achievable and realistic, given the time frame we had to achieve them. We didn’t want to make the mistake of trying to achieve too much and in the process, achieve very little.
We expected that this project would impact on our students in such a way as to enable them to learn and appreciate the idea of active citizenship, understanding that everybody has a voice, and a role to play in the betterment of society. We expected that stereotypical attitudes would disappear and students in later years, would have no fear of travelling to E.U. countries to study, visit or work.
We started the project with a TPM in Sofia and used this to carefully plan the project activities.Everything we set out to achieve was achieved. This is a testament to all the coordinators, their colleagues in each school, school management, and of course, all students who participated. The hard work, commitment, diligence and team spirit ensured that the project had the planned impact on all participants and indeed, on each school community, so much so that many of the coordinators and students have expressed the desire to work together again on future projects. Apart from developing a deeper and more significant understanding of what it means to be a European citizen, the preparation of tasks and presentation of same by students during each mobility improved their ICT skills, their self confidence and self worth. The latter are not easily measured but invaluable nevertheless and those benefits will remain with them in the future.

EU Grant (Eur)

Funding of the project from EU: 231210 Eur

Project Coordinator

Coláiste Chomáin & Country: IE

Project Partners

• Institut Saint Joseph Libramont/Ecole technique Bertrix
• Agrupamento de Escolas do Barreiro
• IES MARIANO JOSE DE LARRA
• 108Secondary School “Nikola Belovejdov”
• Zespol Szkolno-Przedszkolny w Smardzewicach
• Collège Jean Moulin