BCreAtive Erasmus Project

Project Title

BCreAtive

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 Schools Only

Project Call Year

This project’s Call Year is 2017

Project Topics

This project is related with these Project Topics: EU Citizenship, EU awareness and Democracy; ICT – new technologies – digital competences; Creativity and culture

Project Summary

Our project BCreActive is based on the idea that everyone, adults and children, develop and learn better when they are taken out of their comfort zone. Creativity encompasses all aspects of human life not just the arts. By encouraging teachers and students to think creatively and using the expertise that exists in our schools, in the Czech Republic, the Netherlands, Germany, Spain and Ireland, we can develop new innovative teaching methods. Cultivating the creative gene that exists within our students’ results in greater engagement on the student side and ultimately rewarding experience for the teachers engaged in the project.
The project helped the children with learning difficulties by encouraging them to engage with in their peers in an inclusive setting to collaborate on the project activities. That is of a great importance to build a prevention against bullying and in particular cyber bullying in the schools. Students with learning difficulties will be more self-confident while using their talents collaboratively with their peers which helps the school to promote safe school climate and increase students’ ability to learn and develop in healthy ways.
The participating countries are mostly secondary schools and one primary working with the students between 14 -16 years old. The schools involved in the project benefited from the exchange of students and teachers, and these exchanges ultimately resulted in the achievement of the project goals. As one of the project goals was to embrace diversity it was important for the students to experience the different cultures within the different countries and this could only be achieved through the different exchanges. Other benefits of the exchanges were the improvement in the students & teachers competence in foreign languages, a greater awareness of the different teaching methodologies across the schools involved in the project. We had five students’ exchanges during 2 years. Each school planned and organised various project activities when they were hosting the exchange. The skills needed to deliver the different activities at each of the exchanges reflected the particular skill set of the hosting school. Students and teachers were exposed to different methodologies and ideas during exchanges and they brought some of these ideas back to their own school. The Spanish expertise was with dealing with students with learning difficulties, they also provided lessons of Poetry SLAM and digital photography. The Czech Republic were very proficient in sport and music. They used orienteering to encourage the students to problem solve, and organised a musical performance. Germany was very experienced in drama, art and music. In Germany we used Impro Theatre, Flashmob and the construction of musical instruments from recyclable materials to encourage creativity .
The Dutch School were very experience in Research, Design & Development lessons. In the Netherlands the students were tasked with the creation of a Parkour Facility. They were required to design the park consider the finance and budget be aware of user safety and look at the aesthetics and to work in mixed international groups. Irelands expertise was with ICT and they also specialise in Art. In Carndonagh the students were required to design, fabricate and model a dress made from recyclable material. During the exchanges a variety of performances and concerts were arranged. All the partner schools had to participate in each of the performances.
English was the main language used when coordinating the project and skype was used as a communication tool between the exchanges both for the coordinators meetings and the students in each of the partner schools when preparing for the exchanges. The students improved their language skills through different rehearsals and performances, through meaningful tasks by studying their roles and collaborating with the students in the partner schools. On a local level the national language of the partner school was used for the dissemination of the project. Each school had an Erasmus+ corner for the promotion of our activities, the general public was informed through the school websites, and the project website. The dissemination of the project was assisted by inviting parents, teachers and public to the performances. The local media was used to advertise the activities and performances at each of the venues.
Infusing creativity into the mainstream curriculum in culturally diverse school settings, we were able build on the students sense of self-worth and improve on their resilience.
By exploring the differences that exist within each of our countries in relation to inclusion, we helped foster a sense of togetherness and encouraged this generation of students to see the need for a more inclusive Europe and a deeper understanding of the plight of the refugee.

EU Grant (Eur)

Funding of the project from EU: 109800 Eur

Project Coordinator

Carndonagh Community school & Country: IE

Project Partners

• IES Cruz Santa
• Emelwerda College
• Zakladní skola Kladno, Moskevska 2929
• E.T.A. Hoffmann – Gymnasium Bamberg