Tuesday 2 August 2016

3rd Transnational Project Meeting, 2nd Joint Staff Training Event and 1st Exchange of Pupils


The English partner of the project, the Hillview School for Girls, in Tonbridge, was the host of the third transnational project meeting,the second staff training event and the first pupils' exchange, which took place simultaneously between 18th and 24th April.


 















The 7 national coordinators of the project were present at the third transnational project meeting, 20 teachers of different subjects participated in the second staff training event and 22 students were hosted for the whole week by the English pupils and their families.

The Hillview School for Girls is 40 km south from London, in the county of Kent. It is a school mainly for girls, specialising in the teaching of arts, namely visual arts, music, theatre, dance and fashion design.

The first morning, as usual, was dedicated to a guided tour of the school. Each group/ delegation was hosted by a group of students, who were proudly holding a badge with a word "Ambassador". We could witness a very important aspect of the school organisation, when students are divided into groups, each one with specific tasks to be performed. The "Ambassadors" represent their school and always guide visits whenever there are interested guests. They showed the whole school efficiently and patiently, answering all the questions. The visitors were particularly impressed by the great variety and quality of the specific art classrooms.















Everyone had lunch at the school canteen, together with the students: the visitors, participating in the exchange programme and their English buddies, present all the time. The English pupils were excellent hostesses not only at school, but also in their own homes along with their families.

The school organised a wide range of activities accordingly to the project. A workshop in Shakespeare's Globe theatre was one of the highlights, as well as a choreography performance, rehearsed during the week, with the older students' support,which was presented in the public event at the end of the week, introducing the project to the school community. There was also time for filming a students' video, in which they express their opinion on the best and worst things at school and share their idea about the perfect school.  

















As a whole, it was a memorable week for the pupils,who "grew up" with this amazing experience, helping them to face the world as one. 

The participants of the staff training event, once more, focused their attention on the teaching process and different methods, used in this school. They attended several job shadowing sessions and various lectures, based on the Hillview School for Girls teaching projects: Student Leadership, Teaching and Learning, A Performing Arts College. The project coordinator, Monica Melloni organised a workshop on thinking styles.




















At the same time, national coordinators were working together on the project development. An important step was taken towards the definition of the reference system of competencies, which will be fundamental to all the project activities in the next two years. 

A cultural programme of the meeting included a visit to Tonbridge and Tonbridge Wells, a short tour to London, and a walk in Brighton on the last day, allowing the visitors to know a bit more of Kent.
















This meeting was a close up of one more chapter of the Metaminds project, a moment of sharing and learning for everyone. 




Written by Joao Pereira Santos


2nd Transnational Project Meeting and 1st Joint Staff Training Event





The Danish partner of the project, the Langelinieskolen in Copenhagen, was the host of the second transnational project meeting and the first staff training event, which took place simultaneously between 29 February and 6 March. The Langelinieskolen is located in the city centre, close to its symbol, the worldwide famous Little Mermaid.


















The 7 national coordinators of the project were present at the second transnational project meeting, as well as 21 teachers from the various schools involved (3 teachers from each school).



















The first morning was dedicated to a visit of the school. Each group/ delegation was hosted by a group of nice students, who showed two buildings which make up Langelinieskolen (one building for primary school and the other for secondary level, both close to each other), emphasizing the specific classrooms for deaf students (the school has a department for working specifically with these students). This way, the visitors had the first approach to the school's working method, with its calm and relaxed environment.




















Later, lunch at school, every day with all the teachers from Langelinieskolen, so nice and helpful, that everybody from abroad could feel comfortable.
From then on, we had several meetings happening at the same time, according to each delegation's agenda, aims and purposes. During the whole week, the coordinators naturally focused on the project organizationand development, attending several working sessions on important issues to be discussed, such as logistical aspects (future meeting  organization, the project spreading and its blog or website), the project contents and implementation (metacognition training for teachers and "learning to learn" for students).

















The participants of the staff training event, in turn, focused their attention on the teaching methods and processes used in the Danish school. For that purpose, they attended several job shadowing sessions during the week, along with the Danish teachers, not only observing their techniques within the classroom, but also taking part in lessons and sharing experiences and knowledge.



























All this was complemented with lectures on teaching methods and processes being applicable in Danish schools ("Visible Learning"), as well as some projects being developed in Langelinieskolen, like the partnership they have with UNICEF ("Rights Respecting Schools").


















In line with this, there was a cultural programme (at the end of the day, after working sessions), that, despite cold and short days, allowed us to get to know a bit more of the wonderful city of Copenhagen, being always nicely guided by the Danish hosts.





















At the end, on Friday afternoon, the public event was held with the aim of presenting the project to the community.























On the last day, a visit to the city of Helsingor and its amazing library was the best way to conclude this meeting.

At the end remains a great interesting and profitable experience for everyone, not only in our memories, but mainly and, above all, in our professional development and knowledge update.





Written by Joao Pereira Santos