Our heritage is our treasure Erasmus Project

Project Title

Our heritage is our treasure

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: Teaching and learning of foreign languages; ICT – new technologies – digital competences; Cultural heritage/European Year of Cultural Heritage

Project Summary

The project ” Our heritage is our treasure” is school partnership in which six countries, Croatia, Cyprus, Greece, Italy, Spain and Portugal have worked together on exploring our European cultural heritage, traditions and customs. During the project time, partners have compared their traditions, found differences and similarities, found diversity in European unity. That was the main objective of the project. In other words, the main objective was acquisition of cultural awareness competence which is a crucial element in understanding different cultures and ability to view and shape the world with a sense of identity that respects others. Young people and pupils should be familiar with the value of their past and the treasure in variety of cultures. Participation in short-term exchange of group of pupils has certainly helped pupils develop and improve cultural awareness competences.
Other objective we have achieved is related to learning languages. Learning languages and multilingualism have essential role among the skills because languages open many possibilites for people and remove barriers to participation in European education and training. During project time, all participants have improved their English language skills and learn basics of all partners’ languages which motivated and opened the door to future studying of certain language.
During the project time we have achieved the objective related to strengthening the profile(s) of the teaching profession. Teachers have gained certain knowledge and improved their competences while participating on Learning Teaching Training activities: they have improved their English language skills and learned basics of partners languages, improved ICT skills ( WEB 2.0 tools, educational tools, communication tools, cloud storage methods, webpage designs, eTwinning), learned about CLIL, learned about methods of using photography in classroom, learned about and compared educational systems in partners’ countries.
During project time there were 4 Learning Teaching Training sessions, 1 only short- term joint staff training event, 3 included both short- term joint staff training events and short-term exchange of group of pupils. Due to COVID-19 situation 2 Learning Teaching Training sessions were cancelled.
There were 2 teachers participating in each short- term joint staff training event from each country, plus host teachers form certain school.
For short-term exchange of group of pupils, there were 3 pupils from each country travelling (excluding Cyprus and Greece) accompanied by 1 teacher from that particular school. The age of pupils were from 12 to 15. Cypriot and Greece partner were not travelling with pupils due to the age of their pupils which was younger than in other partner schools.
In numbers that means that the plan was that 72 teachers and 36 pupils travel but due to COVID-19 49 teachers and 27 pupils have travelled.
Besides mobilities, other pupils and teachers in each school have also worked on project activities through the whole project time. Basically, whole schools were involved in the project, which means more than 2000 teachers and pupils all together have participated in the project.
Teachers have developed their skills related to: ICT tool, eTwinning, WEB 2.0 tools, photography, Interactive Whiteboards, CLIL, handicrafts, museum education. All mentioned topics have had examples and practical exercises related to culture and traditions.
During meeting, pupils have worked in transnational groups and explored famous musicians, artists, sports people, Oscar and Nobel winners, they have illustrated traditional songs and translated them in partners’ languages + English, created audio dictionary with basic words in all languages, they have visited museums and have had activities there.
Additionally, pupils in each partner school have worked on different activities related to cultural heritage: logo, Let’s meet each other, mascot of the project, photography, postcards, World Heritage Sites, traditional clothes, games, instruments, legends, special days.
In 2 year time we have produced collections of quizzes, photographs and postcards; presentations about our countries and educational systems, World Heritage Sites, famous people; booklets about traditional clothes, instruments, games, legends, special days; traditional cookbook; multilingual dictionary; collection of vocabulary games; collection of illustrated traditional songs from each partners’ country. All product are available on our twinspace, blog and Facebook page.
The project has broadened cultural awareness competence, improved English language knowledge, motivated pupils and teachers to learn other languages, improved digital skills, made the use of eTwinning more popular, exchanged didactic materials and ideas, made friends between our schools and continued the friendship after the end of the project.

Project Website

https://ourheritageisourtreasure.blogspot.com/

EU Grant (Eur)

Funding of the project from EU: 129085,46 Eur

Project Coordinator

Osnovna skola Strahoninec & Country: HR

Project Partners

• Dimotiko Scholeio Anaritas
• DIMOTIKO SCHOLEIO PASTIDAS
• ISTITUTO COMPRENSIVO LUCCA 6
• COLEGIO DE EDUCACIÓN INFANTIL Y PRIMARIA VALSEQUILLO
• Agrupamento de Escolas General Serpa Pinto de Cinfães