Your market, your region, our Europe Erasmus Project

Project Title

Your market, your region, our 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 Schools Only

Project Call Year

This project’s Call Year is 2017

Project Topics

This project is related with these Project Topics: New innovative curricula/educational methods/development of training courses; Creativity and culture; Entrepreneurial learning – entrepreneurship education

Project Summary

The main objective of the project was to connect the contents learnt in class to real life and vice versa. The high drop-out rates in our region and the lack of motivation of the students led us to reflect on new learning methodologies. In this context, we developed an innovative and multidisciplinary project, which has been successfully completed.

The markets seen as a point of exchange between consumers and sellers has served as a central axis to implement the academic content learnt in the classroom. The architecture of the market and its urban environment have a high level of culture. The history of the market is also a portrait of the region where it is located and we learn about it in Social Science. The preparation of a budget leads us to subjects such as Maths and Economics. The different animal and plant species that come from regional ecosystems are key elements to study Biology or even Latin when translating their names (taxonomy). The symphony of colours, smells, sounds and movements in a market can be painted, drawn, photographed and processed digitally. They can also be described in poems to practice writing. Finally, markets promote technology skills as well.

As you may have noticed, the project has a high multidisciplinary content. The project is for the entire education community and each partner worked as a team with the different departments and all tasks were followed by Juan de la Cierva management. The goals were to integrate the project and that all its participants (parents, neighbors and shops). They have learnt and disseminated European values ​​of the city or region throughout some cultural trips, contact with local authorities and dissemination in written press and television.

For the organization, management, follow-up and evaluation of the project, three transnational meetings were held with the coordinators of each member state (an initial meeting, an in-between meeting and a final meeting). In them, all the tasks were carefully planned and the mobilities in each region were specified. The structure and chronology of the project was as follows:

– Juan de la Cierva School (Spain). Our school was the project manager and responsible for the entire project, as it provided the other schools with all the necessary instructions to carry out the different activities and assessments. It also organized the third mobility.
– ITET A.CAPITINI (Italy). They were email administrators and responsible for updating social networks. They also organized the second mobility.
– Rigas Raina 8. Vakara (Latvia). They were in charge of the website creation and also organized the first mobility.
– Szkola Podstawowa nr 11 (Poland). They were responsible for the E-twining and the organizers of the last mobility.

All students have participated in the program somehow or other, but only a few (students between 14 and 16 years old) have been chosen to travel and take part in the mobility. This selection has been made with quantitative and qualitative criteria. To be more precise, 3 out of 4 places were chosen according to their academic merits, level of English and good behaviour. The last place was for those students we call ‘benefit / need’; consequently, teachers rated their skills, their interest and their opportunities to travel due to their social, economical and family environment.

As regards the activities done before the mobilities, we want to highlight the research about the participating countries, the contest to find the logo of the project, the development of Erasmus promotional activities and the preparation for our partners’ reception. There were five activities in each mobility and only one was different depending on the country.

– “Ice breaking Activity”; students had to interact and get to know each other so they were able to improve social and language skills.
– Visit to a market and research work with different tasks.
– “Cooking activity & Blindfold game”; they had to buy local products to prepare a dish and guess, using the senses, some of the chosen products.
– “PowerPoint activity”; students had to prepare a final presentation about what they had learnt during the mobility. Topics: integration into the markets of people with difficulties, how to be a seller, sustainability of local products and architecture of the markets.
– Cultural visit to learn the secrets of each region.

In general, the impact on the education community has been spectacular. The students have far exceeded expectations and all participating centres have included in their school programs some of the items learnt, so we can see long-term benefits. In addition, having all the resources available both in eTwinning and on our website gives continuity to the project. Finally, the wide dissemination and promotion during and after its completion ensures its presence for future generations.

EU Grant (Eur)

Funding of the project from EU: 91045 Eur

Project Coordinator

Juan de la Cierva S.L. & Country: ES

Project Partners

• Szkola Podstawowa nr 11
• Rigas Raina vidusskola
• ITET A.CAPITINI