I am powerful- an educational approach to sustainable living in EU Erasmus Project

Project Title

I am powerful- an educational approach to sustainable living in EU

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 2020

Project Topics

This project is related with these Project Topics: EU Citizenship, EU awareness and Democracy; Teaching and learning of foreign languages; Social/environmental responsibility of educational institutions

Project Summary

The EU is largely considered as a cornerstone of European stability and prosperity. For much of the last decade, however, many EU countries have faced considerable economic, social, climatic and environmental difficulties. However, today many students have lost interest in scientific topics and became ignorant to the environment within their own local region, not to mention the environment on European scale. Due to their dense curriculum, most schools cannot bridge this gap in knowledge of future challenges, nor create a lasting appreciation and respect for the place we live in.
Project plans on educating students about their own and other partners’ local environment, their regional ecosystems and the problems and issues facing their regions with the resolve of finding feasible ways of protecting and sustaining the place of living and sharing this information with the local community. Partnership of four countries from different parts of Europe helps deeper understand and practise issues connected with living in EU, its challenges and problems in 4 pillars:
-economy (international and local transport of goods in EU)
-environmental issues (reuse, reduce, recycle)
– climate changes with emphasis on oceans and water in Spain, animal habitat in France, plants in Sweden and forests, natural disasters and weather changes in Slovakia
-increasing literacy (reading, financial, environmental and ICT).
All participants are students of secondary schools at the age 10- 15. The number of participants who take part in the project directly is about 500. The good practices and gathered knowledge will be clustered so these can benefit all members of the schools’ communities.
By leading pupils to learn, see/ practise, but mainly adapt and share their knowledge we intend to foster the acquisition and transfer of the necessary knowledge, skills, attitudes and behavior with reference to the protection of the environment and sustainable development of EU . Various activities such as lectures given by experts, practical workshops, field trips, recycling, plogging, creative writing and drawing will take place in order to meet our project objectives. All of the activities are based on project/ inquiry based learning so learning process will be taken out of the classroom and with the help of experts students will see , then learn about the challenges EU is facing, then adapt it and in the particular final products bring it back to school or local society as a way of sustainable living.
The main results of the project are aimed to change the behaviour/ attittude of students within their vicinity, so we intend to produce information graffiti wall, a book of stories with the theme of climate changes and its results, make a didactical tool out of recycled materials found at school premises as well as promote local production.
Parallel to this our project also strongly aims at improving and developing several skills of our pupils´- English language as well as digital competencies by integrating both skills into the core activities of the project. The extensive communication with the partners in the English language shall improve their language skills. While they may be insecure at first, they will gain more confidence in their knowledge, competences and language skills since they will work towards a common goal with peers. The various assignments at home and during the exchanges will make them more self-reliant. Their built-up confidence will empower them to take initiative and become more inquisitive.
The produced results and effects should help tailor the curriculum, workplace learning and skills to pupils’ needs and the expectations of future European citizen and the labour market. The participation in the project will ensure that the best practices are passed on to the entire school communities and other interested organisations. We hope to establish valuable long term relationships with local companies and experts.

EU Grant (Eur)

Funding of the project from EU: 112256 Eur

Project Coordinator

Sukromna zakladna skola & Country: SK

Project Partners

• College Notre Dame – OGEC
• Bergviksskolan
• COLEGIO SALESIANO SAN VICENTE FERRER