WoW project in Portugal was a week of friendship and new experiences. We worked hard and achieved all goals. Our hosts showed us the beauty of Portuguese hospitality and we bring each single memory in our harts. It was the first time we have an opportunity to visit a prison and see the importance of learning for those group of people. It was a chance for all of us to stop in a time and think of importance of our work. Learning brings freedom, opens mind, leads to new challenges. Prisoners were focused on what we said during our visit and showed us their work (paintings, singing performance,declaring poetry...). Those people need a lot of support and understanding. We were touched. Elena Mlakar, Slovenian coordinator A marvelous week. A good planned event by persons with ability to do this, it is impossible to fail. Students and teachers from Greece felt a warm hospitality, an unfeigned appreciation as old friends really feel. Thanks to the opportunity of Erasmus+ action we gathered in Matosinhos, in an amazing suburb of Porto, in order to participate in the second LTT meeting of the project Erasmus+ “ The world of work” , to meet the students and teachers of other 4 countries (Finland , Slovenia, Spain, Sweden) and we were guested by Portuguese students’ family as well by teacher of school E.Secundária João Gonçalves Zarco . Mrs Manuela Galante and her team welcomed us and offered us an unforgettable experience. The days passed so fast but were full of activities, moments of “ice-breaking”, cooperation and of course the main aim of all these actions to break stereotypes, and strengthening the idea of living together in Europe and we make dream of the European future of peace, cooperative, solidarity, brotherhood and of course to live in and create a common effective future, we all expect. All the activities were perfect scheduled and took place on time with the best result of their goal. Students of Greek school are very happy, meeting students from the other countries and they learnt about them, their customs, their everyday life, their school life and about their future. We were lucky enjoying a very good weather conditions, which allowed us to visit places and learn the history of them and the Portugal as well. All we return home and think all these with a sweet nostalgia and beautiful memories of the meeting. Now ae are looking forward to the next similar opportunity in Varnamo , Sweden to meet again our friends and make new. Thank you all for all of these we lived and felt, that week of Feb 2018 in Matosinhos. The week which we will keep in our deep parts of our hearts. Spiros Kourtis, Greece coordinator Thank you so much for taking so good care of us. It was wonderful! Here we send you a couple of lines for the paper.... We are visiting Portugal for the first time and it is over our expectations. The people are very friendly and generous and we have felt very welcomed. Beautiful surroundings and a rich kultur makes Portugal to a place we will return to. Erasmus + give the students the oppertunities to discover the differences and similarities between the involved countries and this will help them in their future lifes. Ann – Charlotte Hartig, Swedish Coordinator We have just arrived home and we already miss you all. It has been a very enriching and unforgettable Erasmus experience. You are a great team, students and Erasmus teachers. You are the best. Thank you for your hospitality and welcome. I see you soon, Un beso muy fuerte para todos. Teresa Marques, Spanish Coordinator We had enough pre-information and tasks were student-friendly. We were welcomed nicely from the very beginning. The program had good parts in school as well as outside. The portuguese culture was well represented. And when we had some changes in Swedish staff, our team worked together very well to get partner's train on track. As an example, we were able to do planning part in one heavy afternoon. The most memorable moments were the visit in Porto prison with all the inmates and staff who had organized a special event. Another great memory is the dinner prepared by our hosts. The atmosphere was great! And the tour around Matosinhos area gave us a whole different idea of the special character of Matosinhos. Obrigado/-a. Petteri Mertala and Anu Huttunen, Finland This was an unforgettable experience for me. I was most impressed by the Portuguese people. Their kindness, modesty, tolerance ... I believe that the project has brought me great benefits. I met a new country, their habits, culture. I will never forget the hospitality and soft skills of our beloved Manuela, Esmeralda and all the others project helpers. Above all, I am richer for many new friendships that have enriched me. Urška Senica, Slovenia In the context of my participation in the WOW project in Matoshinos, I gained valuable experience in collaboration in English, I recognized Portugal's culture, habits, cistoms, food, the functiong of the school sistem. The most valuable insights are the following: no matther where we come from, we are all people with simililar problems, both in the teaching profession and outside of it. Similarly our student have their own wishes, expectations and goals. Thanks to Portuguese hosts for a warm, honest and hearty reception and all the care they showed us. My personal opinion is that we achieved the goals of the project, as both teachers and students developed soft skills in a single moments of their stay and work in Matoshinos. Hermina Vucajnk, Slovenia SWEDEN, APRIL, 2018 There was not much time between the first two meetings, but despite that, we finished all tasks on time. Students did business plans and presented them in front of external jury. We all (teachers and students) had an opportunity to evaluate their ideas and invest our virtual money into their ideas. Students created personal portfolio and expressed creativity by making informal CV. They learned how to create a blog and wrote some articles. They also learned how to code a robot and run it, what are the possibilities to enter Sweden university and the employment opportunities. The meeting was well organized and the time we spent in Varnamo was excellent distributed among project tasks we worked on and free time activities, where all Swedish took active role in organizing all events. It was a good example of time planing and effective orientated meeting. Students gained many soft skills and teachers learned from each other how to create a lesson where students are actively involved. Teachers cooked a traditional Swedish dinner and enjoyed cultural experience. Here is a thought of my student... "...it is the best thing that has ever happened to me ..." Swedish coordinator has made great job. Many thanks to Ann Charlott and her team. It was unforgettable. Elena Mlakar, Slovenian coordinator Our 3rd Project meeting in Varnamo, Sweden was absolutely fantastic. The Swedish partners hosted us in a very warm and kind manner. It looked as if we were at home - students and teachers. All the agenda was fullfilled and all the activities were accomplished. The agenda was beautifully prepared by Ann-Charlott and Anette, our hosts. We were able to present the companies created by our students at school, in the presence of a Juri composed by people who belonged to the swedish workforce, which enhanced the work done by all students. It was one of the meeting`s highlights. Another one was the presentation of the Formal and Informal Portfolios, that showed the group of students creativity. We also had the opportunity to mingle with everyone, getting to know more about the swedish educational system, universities, employment centre, emblematic spots, city hall activities and the swedish labour market. In a few words, we attained all the expected goals and had a very enrichnening experience, both personnally and professionally. WOW Erasmus + in Varnamo, Sweden was a success. See you in Chania, Greece! Manuela Galante and Olívia Rodrigues I attended the Erasmus + “World of Work” project in Värnamo, Sweden. I presented how to develop soft skills in the field of self-management skills - how you perceive yourself and others; manage personal habits and emotions and react to situations; build inner excellence to have a strong mental and emotional foundation to succeed in a career within the workshops “Learning to Learn” at our school. I gained important information from the presentations of the professors of other participating schools, who will benefit me in the implementation of the subject of Communication skills. Alternative curriculum vitae presented by the students in the form of an exhibition was also very interesting. I would like to thank our hosts for allowing me to speak with a teacher in the immigrant integration program. With this topic I deal at my work and the Swedish experience will improve my approach to students coming to our school from abroad. I believe that the value of international meetings for pupils and teachers is in developing the soft skills that we gain from working with colleagues from other countries. By doing this we begin to realize our own knowledge and our own values, we build a positive self-image, exchange experiences and complement our knowledge. Alenka Pečnik Kranjec, Slovenia GREECE, SEPTEMBER, 2018 Swedish teachers evaluation project meeting Chania We left a cold and rainy Sweden and came to a warm and welcoming atmosphere in Chania. We have had a great time, even though some misunderstanding and lack of internet made that the student had problems getting some tasks done. We are so satisfied and happy about all the visits we made. The Technical university of Crete showed us a lot of very interesting research about new technology such as hydrogen cars and drones. It was so nice to meet such enthusiastic young people, who lives for invent better things for our planet and humanity. We have already promoted some of the info we got there to our student back in Sweden. After the visit at Terra Crete we now know how to get a hundred years old 😊The guide gave us a very informative lecture about farming, harvest and produce oil from olives. We also got a good lesson in how you should taste olive oil in the right way. We also were lucky to visit The Botanic Garden. It was a marvelous experience and we all were amazed. All the students were so fascinated, so much that their mobile phones run out of power during the photo session. We will surely get back. On Sunday evening we felt so welcomed, a huge buffet was prepared by the parent and the entertainment from the Greece students were excellent. A perfect week with a perfect ending took place at ELA taverna with perfect food arranged by perfect hosts. Thank you very much Spiro and your crew for a lovely week. LOTTA AND ANETTE Greek week - far away from home but close to our hearts. Greek hospitality is well known over the Europe, but we were surprised anyway. On the first day student's parents and teachers prepared us great dinner with music and dance. The farewell dinner was an mixture of different cultural performances. We celebrated birth day and made it unforgettable. A special song was created for this occasion. We have connected on personal level. On the other hand we did some important project tasks. Students have made a questionnaire on ideal lessons and evaluated it, created some ideas about ideal lessons and presented them to others. They worked in mixed groups and created creative CV and. Some of them presented it. I believe we all learned how creative students are and how determined they are about their future. Some creative CV were amazing. Lesson presentation, the activity among teachers, is becoming better and better. Portuguese teacher presented the travel lesson in a prison, where are not many didactic tools to use. Swedish teacher presented the lesson how to make your sale more effective. Slovene teacher present a lesson that encourages group work among students. Spanish teacher presented the lesson that combine foreign languages and promotional activities. Greek teacher explained the lesson on student’s whole year knowledge – a treasure hunting and Finnish teacher the very creative art lesson on personal portrait. All presentations were well done and educated. There were many educational activities as the lecture on promotional approach, visit of Tera Creta, Botanical garden and Technical university of Crete. The last one inspired us about a new topic for the next Erasmus project. I have to mention promotional fair, where students and teachers worked together on presentation of country and its typical product. Many thanks to Greek colleagues who organized us great week full of experiences. Elena Mlakar, Slovenia I participated in a project meeting in Chania, Crete. The Greek professors, students and their parents prepared a heart-warming welcome with a traditional Greek dinner. What I liked the most at the meeting was students’ eagerness for cooperation, acquiring knowledge related to writing application letters for job advertisements, presentations of ideal school lessons, promotion of countries and their products to passers-by at the fair in front of the market place in Chania. The experience from such projects is priceless for teachers and students. Getting to know other cultures, languages, values and making new friends is invaluable. The presentations of ideal school lessons of participating teachers was the most important for me and I am positive I will be able to include some ideas in my own work, especially in a new school project, Innovative pedagogics 1:1, which our school is taking an active part in. Deja Avsec, Slovenia I attended a project meeting in Crete, in the coastal town of Chania, in the company of project manager Elene Mlakar, colleagues Deja Avsec and two students of the 4th year of pre-school education, Anja Rešetič and Veronika Starc. We started the meeting with the pleasant reception of the locals who brought us closer to their culture with food, drinks and a program that connected us in one way or another. All the next project days were carefully planned and defined with the goals and tasks that were to be carried out by students, project groups and followers from different countries, under the supervision of the coordinator of the entire project. In this way, students were faced with the way in which they worked in the groups that connected them, asked them to present their different views on certain situations, and to tell about the ways in which they work and think in their schools and countries (for example, how they shape their applications for the job and write interesting curricula, what are the characteristics of their educational programs, and present the guidelines to present teachers how to make their classroom more interesting for their students). Students also showed all the innovativeness, originality and ability to communicate in the street market, where they presented the products of their country by tasting, presenting the country, and explaining products to passers-by people who came from different countries and cultures. All this kind of experience has confirmed that the project work method that we perform in each class is excellent. For several years I have been upgrading and integrating professors of economic subjects into their work as a work that perfectly integrates theory with practice, enables presentation on practical examples and experiences that are invaluable, especially if they are acquired as an international exchange, either for the teacher but students. I am convinced that the student is thus provided with added value in order to be a participant in such a project and that he can be actively involved in it. Students and teachers need this kind of experience that enriches us in all areas, from social, social, to knowledge (content and foreign language) and personal growth. On the basis of this meeting, I will not make any major changes in the classroom, but I will pay attention to the fact that students will have the opportunity to participate in lessons, integrate their ideas and acquired skills, and that lessons will be based on theory that is related to practice and practical examples. Because I am convinced that this is the foundation of every learning. Karmen Štefanič, Slovenia Valencia meeting, .03.04. 2019-.03.04. 2019 Swedish teacher’s evaluation project meeting Valencia As usual we want to thank our host for a marvelous and interesting week. The week has been full of interesting and inspiring visits. The week started with the student creating their mock companies and they all made a very good job and they all have great business ideas. We have been introduced by the Valencians culture and traditions and we also were lucky to went the Macletas at a near sight. We had a great tour in the neighborhood where the statues for The Fallas are made. The Spanish student were such a great guide telling us about the background of The Fallas, which is an amazing story. And we also had the pleasure to been guided by the student’s trough some of the important buildings of Valencia, for example the cathedral and Silk Market. The week continued with a visit connected to the Erasmus + concept; the university, the port and a business school. They were all very interesting and useful for all the students. Beside all the amazing visits we made we also enjoyed the pleasure of visiting the Ocenaium and see the spectacular architectural buildings. One of the last days we were lucky to take part of a project which purpose, among a lot of other things, is to clean water and preserve animals and fauna in a sensitive and important biotope. The climate issue is one of our days most important subject and it is our responsibility to together find a solution of this problem. We all are responsible for our and for next generation future. That’s why Erasmus+ is so important for our intention to create a better world. We are so grateful for the friendly hosting we got from our Spanish friends, both teachers and students. We are mighty impressed by the knowledge, responsibility and engagement your student showed during their missions. Now we go home, fulfilled with even more energy…. Thanks a lot, to all of you from your Swedish colleagues and friends, Lotta and Anette. WoW, what a week! Valencia Erasmus+ experience was unique. After a warm welcome at school (IES Benlliure) we watched innovative lesson plans prepared by teachers and were amazed by the start ups our students created (I ‘m sure sometime in thefuture we ‘ll be proud of our young entrepreneurs). It was a week full of activities and visitsto special places such as the Ciutat de les arts I les Ciències. Tuesday began with the Exhibition Palace, the Municipal Library and the Town Hall. We were “shaken” by the Mascletà and enjoyed a tour to the old city of Valencia organized by the Spanish students. The highlight of this tour was the ringing of the bell at the Cathedral by the students themselves! The visit to Valencia Polytechnic University was very informative on how a contemporary institution functions. Besides the cultural side of the program we had the chance to expand our business knowledge by visiting the Valencia port and the EDEM business school. The Spanish hospitality and warmness won’t be forgotten. Students interacted, cooperated and had a great time proving that there are no boundaries in friendship goals. Teachers spent quality time and tightened their bonds, exchanged experience and ideas for future co operation and for improving their teaching methods. Those are just a few of the benefits of the participation on an Erasmus program! Marianna Vernardou - GREECE
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