The fourth transnational meeting of the project, together with the third joint staff training event and the second exchange of pupils, took place in Institut Aubenç in Oliana, Catalonia, on 3 - 9 October.
While the coordinators of 7 partner countries were mostly engaged in planning and discussing the project work and task division of the second year, 24 visiting teachers enjoyed job shadowing activities and 17 pupils attended lessons and spent time socializing with the hosting buddies.
During the meeting, all present teachers were introduced to the pilot teachers' protocol by Claudia Sabatano, the headmistress of the coordinating school IC Giorgio Perlasca (Rome, Italy). Visiting teachers also took part in Glória Farré's conference "Emotional Intelligence" and had a workshop on the self-reporting tool.
Students were involved in PE games, Art activities, where the emphasis was put on emotions in learning. That is how nice collages of their feelings were created. Another heart-warming workshop for students was organised by Catalan teachers and pupils' grandmothers - they made bath salt with local herbs, which later served as souvenir gifts for all the guests.
Visiting pupils, together with their buddies and accompanying teachers, prepared not only school presentations, but also performances of dancing, singing and poetry reading in Catalan for the public event which took place on Friday, 7 October. During the event, the students' video, filmed in Tonbridge, England, was presented as well as the logo contest winner and participants awarded.
Finally, cultural activities, so much enjoyed by everyone, should be mentioned. Catalonia has so many things to offer! Children were amused by the dinosaurs' museum in Coll de Nargo, which is one of the three most important sites of its kind in the world. We also visited La Seu d'Urgell cathedral and the old town, went rafting in the olympic park del Segre.
The last day was dedicated to sightseeing in beautiful Barcelona.
Oliana is a small town, situated in the Segre valley, surrounded by the Pyrenees. Institut Aubenç is a small secondary school with only 15 teachers and 125 students, so it was like visiting a big friendly family! Thanks to Joseph Maria and all the community for their hospitality and great experience imprinted in all Metaminds project participants' minds and hearts!
