Qualified staff for a modern school (KA 1 2014)

Project coordinator at St. Stanislav’s: Marko Weilguny
Start date: 1. 7. 2014
End date: 30. 6. 2015 (extended till 30. 6. 2016)
Coordinating institution: St. Stanislav’s Institution, Ljubljana, Slovenia
Partner institutions: /
Project in the programme: Erasmus +, KA 1

We find it very important to keep our teachers up-to-date and constantly renewing their skills. In this round we have decided to focus on 4 main aspects: language – both on primary and secondary school level; outdoor learning for primary school and natural sciences for secondary school.

Our primary school teachers gain further competences on outdoor education. They attend courses on inspiring creativity, experiamenta learning as well as specific knowledge on nature and related topics.

Another key point for primary school is also developing language teaching skills for young learners. Children from Alojzij Šuštar Primary School learn English from the first grade on and it is really important for teachers to gain experience and have opportunities to share good practice.

In secondary school we also aim to improve and renew approaches in foreign language teaching. We have therefore chosen several  courses in order for the teachers to improve teaching skills and bring  the process of lerning a foreign language closer to students. Some courses on the other hand aim to brush up our teachers’ language skills.

The last segment of the courses chosen is a course in chemistry which is focused on the adaptation of ICT in the classroom. We are in the process of reshaping natural science classes and therefore have chosen this workshop as a pilot class to gain experience and broaden horizons.

Young Etrepreneurs in Action! (YEA!)

Project coordinator in St. Stanislav’s Institution: Mirjam Lindič
Start date: 1. 9. 2014
End date: 31. 8. 2016
Coordinating Institution: St. Stanislav’s Institution, Ljubljana, Slovenia
Partner Institution: Kongshavn Videreganede skole, Oslo, Norway
Project in the Programme: Erasmus +, KA 2 (schools only)

General Description of the Project:
logo erazmus + - fotkaThe partnership between St. Stanislav’s Institution and some Norwegian schools has developed as a side product of the primary school’s project on outdoor education. Besides, outdoor learning the Norwegians have a very well developed entrepreneurship training from kindergarten to university, which is coordinated by Junior Achievement – Young Entrepreneurs programme. The JA-YE programme is internationally recognised and has been in operation for more than 50 years. Through it, St. Stanislav’s Institution made a partner school with one of the best schools in entrepreneurship Kongshavn Videreganede Skole in Oslo. Kongshavn holds some of the best innovation camps where students face real life challenges in international enterprises and propose solutions that are sometimes implemented in real life. Besides, the school runs a well-developed course on entrepreneurship and their students perform well on competitions.
The purpose of this project is to acquire entrepreneur skills from the Norwegian partners, benefit from innovation camps, develop materials for the use in Slovene classes and exchange some Slovene experience on this field with our partners. In the realm of this programme students found a stock company, trade their product, plan financial management and close down the firm at the end of the school year. Students actually produce, sell their products or offer service for real money and share profit among stockholders at the end of the school year.
To fulfil the plans there are several student exchanges planned within this project.

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Slovene Team of Young Entrepreneurs

DCG Students Participate in European Competition on Entrepreneurship in Estonia  
We are proud to announce that the students of The Diocesan Classical Gymnasium won the Slovene competition on entrepreneurship, thus gaining the participation in the European competition 2014 in Estonia, which took place from 22nd-25th July 2014. With participants from 36 countries, the competition was fierce. Despite little experience the Slovenes managed to receive two minor prizes.

 

 

 

Innovation Camp for Slovene and Norwegian Students in St. Stanislav’s Institution

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Shared enthusiasm generates innovative ideas

From 24th – 26th March 2015 the DCG students took part in the innovation camp together with other students from different Slovene high schools as well as the students from Oslo, Norway who shared their abundant experience in entrepreneurship. The main theme of the camp was to find the best marketing approach for Microsoft challenging the young for the use of Office 365. During the process of answering the challenge the students learned how to cooperate, exchanged ideas in English and took in some know-how offered by Slovene businessmen, mostly the DCG alumni. Students came up with various creative solutions; however, the first prize went to a group that presented the idea of “Microsoft Puzzle Challenge« and won the tablets.
The event took place under the sponsorship of Microsoft in cooperation with the Slovene Institution for Promotion of Entrepreneurship among the Young, which functions in the realm of the international organisation JA-YE. The innovation camp is a part of the Erasmus+ project, led under the mentorship of Mirjam Lindič, teacher of German.

 

Innovation Camp in Oslo with Students from Norway, Germany and Slovenia

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Winning team with their teachers

Another Erasmus+ project in the form of an innovation camp took place from 9th – 14th November 2015 in Oslo, Norway. Twelve students of The Diocesan Classical Gymnasium, as well as those from Kongshavn Videreganede Skole, Oslo and another German high school tried to solve a challenge posed by a famous entrepreneur from Oslo. Students’ task was to set the financial construction and present it before a professional jury. English was the official language of the camp.
The mentor of the project in St. Stanislav’s Institution is Mirjam Lindič, teacher of German.

Natural Science for Social Impact (NaSSI)

Project Coordinator at St. Stanislav’s Institution: Nasta Zupančič
Start date: 1. 9. 2014
End date: 31. 8. 2016
Coordinating Institution: St. Stanislav’s Institution, Ljubljana, Slovenia
Partner Institution: Sint-Calasanzinstituut, Nijlen, Belgium
Project in the Programme: Erasmus +, KA 2 (schools only)

General Description of the Project

logo erazmus + - fotkaAfter several exchanges between the above-mentioned schools were carried out on the subject of natural sciences, it was decided to take on a project that would be more beneficial of a more long-lasting nature. The aim of this project is to reconsider the way natural science is taught, as it is our purpose to bring it closer to students and to demonstrate its usefulness and applicability in everyday situations. Students’ abilities and competences are taken into consideration, bringing forth their sense of understanding what scientific approach is about. The main goal is to make natural science a school subject that would not be forgotten upon leaving secondary school, but a useful academic subject where problem approaches and analysis are taught and search for successful solutions are encouraged.
The main focus of the project lies in natural science, energy and raw materials, sustainable development, environment as well as climate changes. Natural science teachers, laburants and students of the DCG interested in natural sciences are included in the project. The Institute for Education Research and Development, an organization within St. Stanislav’s, dedicated to the continuous improvement of the pedagogical process, assists in the project as well. The project includes several teachers’ and students’ meetings of both partner schools as well as a publication of a brochure. All visits include also learning about the partner school’s country, in particular about its natural and cultural highlights. There are several student exchanges planned in the course of the project.

 Study and Comparison of Natural Sciences Classes (November 2014 – May 2015)

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Front Cover of Comparative Study

A significant part of the project is the evaluation of classes of natural sciences at both schools, which included the revision of year teaching plans, study of sample classes, and  analysis on how students and teachers view natural sciences classes. The document was published in September 2015.

Click to browse the study.

 

 

Publication of Brochure ( March 2015 – April 2016)

Both partner school have set up 62 class preparations for biology, chemistry and physics, for natural sciences clubs and classes. It is all about the exchange of good practice examples, ideas and study material. The entire brochure is translated into English, but is also available in Slovene version; the Flamish preparations were translated in Slovene as well. The presentation of the study material is scheduled for June 2nd 2016, when workshops for natural sciences teachers will be organized.

Click to browse the brochure.

International Teachers’ Meetings (June 2015, January 2016, June 2016)

Within the project, three teachers’ meetings from both schools were planned in order to set things ready for the publication of a brochure as well as to prepare practicalities and a detailed content plan of student exchange visits. The first meeting took place in June 2015 in Slovenia with two participating Belgian teachers, in January 2016 two Slovene teachers were travelling to Belgium, the final meeting will happen in Slovenia with four Belgium participants in June 2016.

First International Teachers’ Meeting (14th – 17th June 2015)

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Sightseeing tour followed the working meeting

 

Mrs. Snels and her colleague Ms. Roofthooft attended an international meeting on Erasmus+ programme Natural Science for Social Impact in St. Stanislav’s Institution. The first meeting was dedicated to a comparative study on Natural Sciences Classes. Both teachers met with the representatives of InERD (Institute for Evaluation Research and Development) to evaluate the study plans, record lessons, suggesting possible improvements. At a later stage, both teachers discussed the timeline, work done, results achieved and planned the activities for the second project year with the project coordinator. Talks on further preparations of classes for the brochure release followed with all Slovene natural sciences teachers. The first teachers’ meeting was rounded up by a trip to Slovene coast and informal get-together.

Second International Teachers’ Meeting (25th – 29th January 2016)

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Both participants with the entire student group in Brugge, Belgium

Nasta Zupančič, project coordinator and teacher of chemistry at The Diocesan Classicla Gymnasium, and her colleague Mojca Lavrič, assistant teacher of chemistry, took part in the second international teachers’ meeting in Sint-Calasanzinstituut in Nijlen, Belgium. Meeting included talks on the development of the brochure publication, which is described in the above post. It was reviewed thoroughly in terms of material, corrections and additions. The time chart was set as well. Besides, all practicalities on students’ activities and the final international meeting of four teachers and two students in Slovenia were discussed. The latter is to take place in June 2016. A part of evaluation work was carried out as well and further cooperation after the finalization of the project were considered.

 

First Student Exchange in St. Stanislav’s Institution (19th – 26th Oct. 2014)

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Friendly farewell of both parties

Fourteen Belgian and fourteen Slovene students took part in this exchange. Two educational excursions to Primorska (Littoral) and Gorenjska (Upper Carniola) were prepared for the occasion, when the natural beauties and specifics of both reagions were observed. The students also visited the House of Experiments and the Reactor Centre Jožef Štefan Institute in the vicinity of Ljubljana, where a lecture on nuclear energy was held.
In the school the workshops on physics, biology and chemistry were prepared by our teachers. Students got acquainted with the school through a guided tour of St. Stanislav’s Institution, when a special emphasis was placed on recycling, environmental care and outdoor learning. They also learned some basics on Slovenia and Slovene language and visited the capital city of Ljubljana, where the guests were taken on a guided tour, prepared by students themselves. The Slovenes are already looking forward to the return visit in six months.

Second Student Exchange in Sint-Calasanzinstituut Nijlen (4th – 11th March 2015)

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Workshop on human evolution

 The same students paid a return visit to Belgium, where they had a sightseeing tour of Brussels with a workshop on human evolution in the Museum of Natural History. They visited also the cities of Antwerpen, Brugge and the northern sea shores. Of special interests were also a walking tour in the forest in Genk, a visit of the former mining site in Beringen and a guided visit of Kamp C in Westerlo, which is an educational site on sustainable building and living. In school students performed scientific experiments and got acquainted with the Belgian educational system and way of life.

 

 

Third Student Exchange in St. Stanislav’s Institution (18th – 24th October 2015)

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Performing scientific experiments

Fourteen Belgian students visited The Diocesan Classical Gymnasium with view to exploring some natural science aspects of our school and the country, as well as its cultural and natural highlights. We broke ice first through some introductory workshops in school and then continued the first day with a sightseeing tour of Ljubljana. Even more exciting were the whole day excursions which were to follow, firstly to Primorska (Littoral) with Postojna Caves and Piran with the northernmost salt flats in Slovenia the Mediterranean and secondly to Dolenjska (South Carniola) with the visit of a nuclear power plant, the international generic pharmaceutical company Krka and the Carthusian Monastery Pleterje with its open air museum. The rest of the time was spent in school following the lessons and hanging around with our guests. They all look forward to the exchange in Belgium, which is to take place in March 2016.

Fourth Student Exchange in Sint-Calasanzinstituut Nijlen (4th – 11th March 2016)

The meeting took place from 4th-11th March 2016 when 14 DCG students accompanied by two teachers visited Sint-Calasanzinstituut in Nijlen, Belgium. As a part of Erasmus+ project on Natural Science for Social Impact, we visited the Museum of Natural History and Planetarium in Brusselles, Isotopolis, where managing nuclear waste was presented; Antwerpen, the city of diamonds; quaint Brugge and a Waste Collection Centre. At school, Belgian hosts prepared a range of very interesting research workshops, where we assumed the role of criminologists and forensic detectives, as we solved a mystery murder using natural science knowledge. /Ana Bavec/

 

Summary of the project (1st September 2014 – 31st August 2016)

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Apllying science in life is always fun

At the Diocesan Classical Gymnasium, we aimed to reconsider the way natural science is taught, as it is our purpose to bring it closer to students and to demonstrate its usefulness and applicability in everyday life. We wanted to increase the interest in natural science and environment-related contents and this encourage our students to apply for natural science study programmes. We introduced new contents on environmental protection and sustainable development to our lessons. In addition, one of our objectives was to raise awareness about the importance of natural science and environmental protection and thus improve natural science literacy. Moreover, we tried to boost and trigger the use of ICT and other modern approaches in the classroom.

The Diocesan Classical Gymnasium within St. Stanislav’s Institution was the applicant organisation and Sint-Calasanzinstituut of Nijlen, Belgium, was the only partner school in the project. Sint-Calasanzinstituut is a relatively small school with both grammar and technical school. Both schools have been cooperating with each other for several years. However, this project strengthened the cooperation between them.

The main objective of the project was to improve and enrich natural science classes, develop problem-oriented approach, encourage independent and research work of students, acquire long-lasting and useful knowledge and develop critical thinking. Another objective was to exchange good practice. Throughout the project, we designed new natural science units (chemistry, biology and physics) and compiled them into a brochure. In addition, we wanted to raise the interest in natural science by encouraging students to participate in extracurricular projects. We cooperated with Društvo Planet Zemlja (Eng. Translation Planet Earth Association) and our students had an opportunity to participate in their projects. Another important objective of the project was to strengthen social links by taking part in student exchanges. Communicating in English, comparing school systems of both countries, comparing environmental protection policy, becoming familiar with natural and cultural heritage of another European country are examples of learning outside the classroom. Last but not least, the project also aimed at improving and strengthening the cooperation and links between natural science teachers and lab workers of both schools.

A significant part of the project was the comparison of natural science syllabi of both schools. For this part of the project, Institute for Education Research and Development that works within St. Stanislav’s Institution offered great help. After recording selected natural science lessons at both schools, preparing questionnaires for students and teachers and analysing the results, the so-called Comparative Study of Natural Science Classes in Slovenia and Belgium was published in 2015. This study was the basis for the evaluation of the state of affairs and for critical reflection. The next step was to prepare a brochure for natural sciences classes or clubs. 10 teachers of both schools were involved in this work. The brochure consisting of 62 biology, chemistry and physics learning units was published in English (80 copies) and Slovenian (50 copies). Both the brochure and the above-mentioned study are available online at https://en.stanislav.si/international-cooperation/international-projects/natural-sciences-for-a-social-impact-nassi/, http://www.stanislav.si/mednarodno-nassi/predstavitev-rezultatov-erasmus-ka2-projekta-nassi/.

Student exchanges were a very important part of the project. The first exchange was held in October 2014 when 14 Belgian students and 2 teachers came to Slovenia for 8 days. The students stayed in families. A group of Slovenian students returned their visit in March 2015. In October 2015 and March 2016, another two exchanges took place with different students involved. During the exchanges, special natural science workshops were organised. In addition, the participating students also visited several institutions involved in natural science or environmental protection and became familiar with natural and cultural heritage of their host country.

International teachers’ meetings were held to plan and evaluate exchanges and other project-related activities and to prepare everything necessary for the publication of the brochure.

The project and its outcomes were presented on three occasions. On 2 June 2016, we organised a seminar for natural science teachers and lab workers at the Diocesan Classical Gymnasium. At the beginning, the project coordinator gave a presentation about the project and the brochure. The presentation was followed by three different workshops, where some experiments from the brochure were conducted. 19 high school teachers attended the seminar. The second presentation followed on 2 September 2016 at the National Education Institute Slovenia as part of a seminar for natural science and maths teachers. The third presentation entitled Student Exchanges as an Opportunity for Natural Science Open Learning was held at the international conference SIRikt on 6 October 2016. In addition, an article about the project was published in two local newspapers.

We are about to carry on with student exchanges and include more natural science teachers of both schools in our activities. /written by Nasta Zupančič, project coordination; translated by Monika Novak, INERD /

 

 

Art Nouveau - Art Renouveau

Project Coordinator at St. Stanislav’s: Alenka Battelino
Start date: 1. 9. 2014
End date: 31. 8. 2017
Coordinating Institution: Wellington School, Ayr, UK
Partner Institutions:

  • St. Stanislav’s Institution, Ljubljana, Slovenia,
  • Mallinckrodt-Gymnasium, Dortmund, Germany,
  • Institut saint Dominique, Mortefontaine, France,
  • Colegiul National “Constantin Cantacuzino”, Targoviste, Romania,
  • Sredno obshtoobrazovatelno uchilishte Emilyan Stanev, Veliko Tarnovo, Bulgaria

Project in the programme: Erasmus +, KA 2 (schools only)

General description of the project

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This project aims to examine and explore the art nouveau movement (1890-1910) and link it to developments in design in the 21st century. Art Nouveau is considered a «total« art style which embraces, among others, architecture, fine and decorative arts, jewellery, interior design and lighting. By studying the Art Nouveau movement, students will be encouraged to explore their own natural environment and create objects inspired by the natural world using 21st century materials and media. The project helps students to understand the place of the arts and creativity in today’s society and in the European context. The project will improve the attainment of young people in mathematics, science and literacy (mother tongue and foreign language), with a particularly emphasis on the development of entrepreneurship, digital skills and multilingualism.

News about the project

 

Oscar Wilde’s Ideal Husband Staged by English Drama Club of St. Stanislav’s Institution
an ideal husband (37)English Drama Club of St. Stanislav’s Institution presented a performance in English of a famous play by Oscar Wilde An Ideal Husband and published in 1895 at the onset of the Art Nouveau movement in Europe. The play was warmly received by the audience from all over Slovenia and on all three evenings in September 2015 the house was full.

 

 

 

 

Teaching Learning Activity 1 in Ayr, Scotland
glasgow - mobility 1The first Erasmus mobility on the theme of Art Nouveau- Art Renouveau took place from 14th – 20th June 2015 in Wellington School from Ayr. More than 60 international pupils gathered on this occasion and were a part of an exciting and most inspiring programme.
On the first day, the Erasmus group went on a visit trip to Glasgow, were they enjoyed a variety of activities such as a tour of the Glasgow School of Art and learnt lot about Sir Charles Rennie Mackintosh. There was also a walking tour of the city of Glasgow, looking especially at pieces of architecture in respect to Art Nouveau. On the following day students gathered at the host school for a whole day of creative workshops on photography and design. During the stay, they also visited the Isle of Arran by ferry, where they took a nature walk to discover the wildlife around it. The rest of the day consisted of workshops using stained glass and ceramic painting, which helped them to explore further the designs and shapes of Art Nouveau. The last day took place in Wellington school, where they organised an Art Nouveau – Art Renouveau exhibition of all the products created throughout the week. As a grand finale, we had a closing ceremony to review and celebrate the achievements of a successful week.

Transnational Project Meeting 2 in Veliko Tarnovo, Bulgaria
13.12.2015-tarnovoThe second transnational project meeting of Art Art Nouveau – Art Renouveau took place from 1st – 5th July 2015 and was organized by Emilyan Stanev School from Veliko Tarnovo. The activities of the first year of the project were reviewed and evaluated: it was found out that all activities were carried out according to the plan made at the first TPM in Scotland. The response from all active participants was positive with a lot of ideas for further cooperation among partners and outer organizations. The results of the project are regularly published in local newspapers. Plans for the second year of the project were discussed since it will be a busy year with three Teaching Learning Activities on their way in the coming academic year (Rumania in September, Slovenia in January and Bulgaria in April).
Alenka Battelino, Daša Oberč and Bernarda Podlipnik from St. Stanislav’s Institution participated in the event.

Teaching Learning Activity 2 in Târgovişte, Rumania
romunija 2015The second TLA of Art Art Nouveau – Art Renouveau took place from 6th – 12th September 2015 and was organized by Colegiul National Constantine Cantacuzino in Târgovişte. The visit first included a tour of Targoviste, where participants learned all about Art Nouveau and paid specific attention to small architectural details, such as door handles and garden fences. What followed in the next days were a trip to Bucharest, where we visited the Romanian Parliament, which is the second largest administrative building in the world after Pentagon; a visit to the Romanian-orthodox Stavropoleos Monastery and learned about the Orthodox Church; a whole day trip to Sinaia, a mountainous region of Rumania with holiday resorts and castles, some of which are beautiful examples of Art Nouveau style. At workshops we did a lot of stitching, cards with Art Nouveau motifs made in a traditional way with corn, papier mache and ceramics with Art Nouveau motifs. Our stay in Rumania rounded up with the reception in the Town Mall by the mayor of Targoviste, while the afternoon was marked by the closing ceremony and the opening of the exhibition of the products that were made during the mobility. In the evening we had a wonderful farewell party observing traditional Rumanian dances.

Teaching Learning Activity 3 in Ljubljana, Slovenia

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Logo desidn by Lučka Žagar

Teaching Learning Activity as a part of the project Art Nouveau – Art Renouveau, Erasmus +, will take place from 17th-23rd January 2016 in The Diocesan Classical Gymnasium. The purpose of the seven-day activities is to get to know the Art Nouveau movement in Slovenia and to create new ‘art renouveau’ works of art. Forty-seven students  and teachers from Bulgaria, France, Germany, Rumania and Scotland will study, explore and have fun together with Slovenian participants and their families.

The mentor of the project at St. Stanislav’s Institution is Alenka Battelino, teacher of English.

 

Teaching Learning Activity 4 in Veliko Tarnovo, Bulgaria

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Veliko Tarnovo

Teaching Learning Activity as a part of the project Art Nouveau – Art Renouveau, Erasmus +, will take place from 11th-18th April, 2016 in Veliko Tarnovo in Bulgaria. The purpose of the seven-day activities is to learn about the Art Nouveau movement in Bulgaria and to create new ‘art renouveau’ works of art. Students and teachers from Bulgaria, France, Germany, Rumania, Slovenia and Scotland create pieces of art together and  enjoy each other’s company.  The mentor of the project at St. Stanislav’s Institution was Alenka Battelino, teacher of English.

 

 

Transnational Project Meeting 3 in Târgovişte, Rumania

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Joint photo of participating teachers

The third transnational project meeting of Art Nouveau – Art Renouveau took place from 1st–5th July 2016 and was organized by Constantin Catacuzino National College from Targoviste. The activities of the second year of the project were reviewed and evaluated: it was found out that all activities were carried out according to the plan made at the second TPM in Bulgaria. Three teaching learning activities were organized starting with the first in Rumania, followed by the second in Slovenia and ending with the one in Bulgaria. Around 100 students were involved in each, either travelling, hosting or organizing activities. They were accompanied by 17 teachers. The response from all active participants was positive with many ideas for further cooperation among partners and outer organizations. The results of the project are regularly published in local newspapers and other media. Plans for the third year of the project were discussed since it will be a another busy year with two Teaching Learning Activities on their way in the coming academic year (France in September and Germany in April) and final reports to be written. The hosts organized a wonderful programme where the Art Nouveau town trail on Targoviste was tested. The trail was designed during the project. We had an Art Nouveau tour around Bucharest, which was flourishing at the time and with many houses built in the Art Nouveau style called Little Paris. Alenka Battelino, Daša Oberč and Bernarda Podlipnik from St. Stanislav’s Institution participated in the event. /Alenka Battelino, project coordinator/

Project Summary

Art Nouveau-Art Renouveau: at the turn of the 19th and 20th Centuries a common artistic movement spread across Europe from the Atlantic Ocean to the Black Sea. Drawing on the philosophical and historical contexts of the Art Nouveau movement, participants learned about our shared European heritage and its local, national and international accents. Through developing an understanding of the beauty and function of design, students applied their knowledge to the creative process and made their own works of art. An emphasis on using recycled materials and the natural form reinforced the theory of sustainability in this project.

The objectives of this project were to make young people aware of their joint European heritage and to foster a greater awareness of European citizenship. Emphasis was placed on the development of digital skills, linguistic competence, entrepreneurship and the creative process. The development of soft skills was important with young people learning how to live and work together in a multilingual and multinational environment. Six schools from six countries took part in this project: Bulgaria, France, Germany, Romania, Slovenia and the UK (Scotland). The group included a wide variety of educational establishments: public and private schools; schools with a religious affiliation and with none; schools for children from 3-18 and those with a narrower age range; day schools and some with boarding facilities; schools with pupils from a wide range of socio-economic backgrounds; schools with pupils with support needs; city schools and semi-rural schools.

Art Nouveau was an important movement in these six countries and during the project, participants worked together and discovered common threads and local interpretations of the style. In particular, they learned of the interconnectivity of design and philosophy across Europe in the years leading up to the outbreak of WW1.

The main activities fell into two groups: activities undertaken during the school year and those completed during TLAs. Each year, pupils studied elements of the Art Nouveau movement in their own area. They studied Art Nouveau through printed and web-based materials and visited areas of interest. When possible, pupils visited art exhibitions, e.g. the Klimt in Paris, the Mucha in Glasgow, The Nature of Art Nouveau (Narodni muzej Slovenije, International Travelling Exhibition, 20.1. – 19.4. 2015) in Ljubljana. These visits and discussions with experts formed an important part of the preparation for the Town Trails.

In their own schools, participants undertook a number of creative workshops and produced works for sale at charity events and Christmas fairs. This gave pupils an insight into entrepreneurship and encouraged them to contribute to charities.

Each TLA had a specific theme related to Art Nouveau-Art Renouveau. These are described fully in the relevant section of this report. In Scotland, the natural world was to the fore. In Germany, participants learned about Jugendstil architecture in the industrial context and in Ljubljana, the use of new materials and design in the reconstruction of the city after the 1905 earthquake were examined. In Bulgaria and Romania pupils learned that Art Nouveau arrived later. For most participants, a highlight of the project was the chance to work with experienced film producers in France. Students learned about film-making, and featured in a short documentary about the French Erasmus mobility.

The results of this project are qualitative and quantitative. At the end of each TLA, students presented their work in a final exhibition and during the last TLA, a digital exhibition showed the results of three years’ work. Town Trails are available through local tourist offices and on the web for use by young visitors to the project countries. The project website provides a comprehensive picture of the work undertaken during TLAs and projects the student voice. The questionnaire confirms the positive impact of the project on pupils’ understanding of Art Nouveau.

During the project, participants improved their competences in literacy, numeracy and digital skills. In particular, improvements in soft skills were noted with pupils gaining in confidence in their use of other languages, in interpersonal skills and in

self-confidence. As one participant said ‘If I can dance in front of strangers at the Eiffel Tower, I can do anything!’ The improvement in soft skills is to the longer-term benefit of participants. Some students revised their future study plans based on their Erasmus experience by choosing to study a creative subject at university, by applying to study at a university abroad or by applying for courses which include an Erasmus year abroad. Pupils set up their own WhatsApp group and are in regular contact with each other. A ‘post-Erasmus’ group meeting organised for September 2017 in Paris is testament to the strength of the friendships forged during this project. We believe that the young people who have benefited from this project have an enhanced understanding of their roles as young Europeans today. /Susan Coontz, Scotland/

 

More informaiton on all project events http://schule.mallinckrodt-gymnasium.de/erasmus+/art_nouveau-art_renouveau/

 

Outdoor Learning

Project coordinator at St. Stanislav’s: Ela Rupert
Start date: 1. 7. 2014
End date: 31. 12. 2015
Coordinating institution: St. Stanislav’s Institution
Partner institutions: Borge Skole, Fredrikstad, Norway, Slovenian Catholic Girl Guides and Boy Scouts Association, Ljubljana, Slovenia
Project in the programme: EEA Grants and Norwegian Grants

There are several exchanges planned for the course of the project. Many of them include primary school children. Pupils learn first hand about different cultures, experience the natural environment and get motivated to promote the outdoors in their families and classes.

In the Alojzij Šuštar Primary School we find it really important to stay connected with nature. We believe it is our calling not only to teach the kids about nature but also to really make them appretiate and respect it, be inspired by it or even in awe of it. We realise that with the technological advances the usual backyard playgrounds are dissapearing and it is also up to schools to get children to enjoy outdoor activities.

So this is one of the many projects (mainly local or national) that we take part in. Teachers attend several classes and courses on outdoor education, an outdoor classroom was constructed ni th eimmedate vicinity of the Alojzij Šuštar Primary School and we are constantly developing new ideas on this subject.

 

General report on the project – Outdoor Education at the Alojzij Sustar Primary School

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Pupils naturally enjoy keeping outdoors

At Alojzij Sustar Primary School we have successfully finished a two-year Outdoor Learning project in which we cooperated with two partners, Borge skole from Fredrikstad, Norway and Slovenian Catholic Girl Guides and Boy Scouts Association.

There were 5 exchanges of staff and pupils during the project, and we have immensely improved the outdoor learning methods and techniques. We have also improved the outdoor learning classroom where we have built many playing equipment, planted new plants and gardens, bought numerous tools which we all use when having lessons and other activities outdoors. We even have two sheep in the outdoor classroom which our pupils take care for. In this school year, we are planning to build a traditional Slovenian hayrack called »toplar«, so we can learn outdoors during cold winters.

On the academic level, we organized and held two major events. The first one was a national seminar named Učilnica v naravi (Outdoor Learning) in March 2015, where 30 teachers and pedagogic workers from all over Slovenia came to listen to lectures and try out some outdoor activities.  In October 2015, we organized an international conference Outdoor Learning. The main speaker was Jan Kare Fjeld, a teacher and outdoor activities coordinator at Borge Skole in Fredrikstad, Norway. Around 60 people participated at the conference. We cooperated with many other faculties, organisations and institutes that are involved in outdoor education. Both events were a great success and the participants were thrilled about the knowledge they gained on outdoor education.

Though the project has ended officially, we are developing outdoor learning methods in our future work since outdoor education is one of the main goals at our school. In September 2016, three of the teachers are attending the 15th European seminar of the Institute of Outdoor Adventure Education and Experiential Learning (EOE) in Salzburg titled Changing Horizons: Challenges to Outdoor Education in Europe, where they will present outdoor activities and techniques that take place at the school. /Ela Rupert, MA; project manager/

 

Improving Quality and Accessibility in In-Service Trainings for teachers (IQAIST)

Project coordinator at St. Stanislav’s: Marko Weilguny
Start date: 1. 9. 2014
End date: 31. 8. 2016
Coordinating Institution: YouNet, Bologna, Italy (Istituto Comprensivo 16, Ist. d’istruz. superiore Aldini Valeriani)
Partner Institutions:

  • Sulforma, Evora, Portugal, (Agrupamento de Escolas D. Carlos I)
  • Asociatia Europanet, Iasi, Romania, (Scoala Gimnaziala Vatra Moldovitei)
  • Step Institute, Ljubljana, Slovenia, (St. Stanislav’s Institution, Gimnazija Škofja Loka, GEPS Piran)
  • IES Ribeira de Louro, O Porriño, Spain (CEIP Plurilingüe Antonio Palacios, IES Pedra da Auga)
  • Balikesir Universitesi, Balikesir, Turkey (Huseyin Avni Atesoglu Primary School, Mehmet Vehbi Bolak Ticaret Meslek Lisesi)

Project in the programme: Erasmus +, KA 2 (strategic partnerships)

In the course of the project the needs and specific plans will be defined together. The coordinating partners will then decide on the workshops and seminars offered.

St. Stanislav’s Institution will then send 2 teachers to attend the trainings. They will participate in the activities and as well as in their evaluation. Improvements and further development of the offered programmes will be recommended.

In this way we are trying to contribute to the quality of the courses offered for the potential Erasmus + KA 1 projects.

Music to Life

Basic facts about the project:

Name od the project: Music to Life
Project Coordinator: Damijan Močnik
Start date: 1. 9. 2017
End date: 31. 8. 2020
Coordinating Institution: Zavod sv. Stanislava / St. Stanisalv’s Institution
Partner Institutions: Panstwowa Ogolnoksztalcaca Szkola Muzyczna II stopnia im. F. Chopina, Krakow, Poland
Project in the programme: Erasmus +, KA 2 (schools only)

General description of the project:

Music is one of the important fundaments of European cultural and art heritage, thus we believe it is necessary to take care of its development and progress. Music to Life is a common project meant to upgrade individual music making of the orchestra and choirs of the Diocesan Classical Gymnasium and Musical Gymnasium of Frederick Chopin from Krakow. The purpose of the project is also to get to know how individual countries work in the field of music; to prepare quality concerts, thus increasing students’ motivation to join the orchestra; to create music for the use of orchestras or choirs as well as design workshops for preschool children, which would encourage music making, enjoying music and promoting any positive impact music makes.

Part One: Music To life – Erasmus+ Exchange to Poland

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Night Singing Rules

On October 5th, the String Orchestra and St. Stanislav Youth Choir of The Diocesan Classical Gymnasium began their journey to Poland, where we’ll be a part of the Erasmus+ exchange Music to Life and will return the visit to the Polish students who visited St. Stanislav’s Institution in May 2018. Approximately 90 students and teachers got on the bus and set off at around 10 in the evening.

On Saturday morning we arrived to our first destination, Zakopane, a smaller city and famous winter resort. Excitement visibly filled us with energy and hid our lack of sleep caused by the night drive. After settling in our hotel we had some free time which most of us used to take a walk around the lovely town or hike up a small hill right above our hotel in order to enjoy the breath taking view of Zakopane. Saturday afternoon was the time for our first short concert in one of the local churches. The friendly audience gave us a huge round of applause and eagerly asked for another song although we weren’t too satisfied with our performance. We spent the rest of the evening exploring Zakopane by taking a walk through the city center, enjoying local food and live music in small cosy cafes.

On Sunday morning both the orchestra and the choir participated at the holy mass. After that, we impatiently waited to see what “lunch with a surprise” on our programs meant. We were more than thrilled to see horse carriages waiting for us! Local coachmen took us to a big meadow where Polish girls dressed in national costumes welcomed us with their traditional music. They set up fires on which we grilled our lunch while singing Slovenian and Polish songs. In the end we all sang to the melodies of Elvis Presley’s Can’t Help Falling in Love as one. This was a wonderful introduction to our least favourite part of the day – practice. We spent the rest of the afternoon working on our pieces and were proud to see some major improvement as hours passed.

All of us are having a wonderful time and are looking forward to our departure to Krakow where we’ll finally meet our Polish friends once again. /Anja Tršek, year 4/

Part two: Music to Life – Erasmus+: From Zakopane to Krakow, Poland

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Rehearsals are an Important Part of the Tour

The second reporting from the music tour to Poland runs as follows: on Monday 8th October 2018, we said goodbye to Zakopane and proceeded our journey to Krakow. In the morning we drove to Wieliczka, where we visited the famous salt mines. We could see the underground corridors, learn about the history of mines, touch and taste rock salt and even sing in the fascinating concert hall the chapel of St. Kinga. Its carved walls and floors as well as chandeliers were absolutely impressive. In late afternoon hours we finally made it to our main destination, Krakow. Some students left with their host families, while the rest of us had lunch at the hotel. We spent the evening walking down the picturesque main square of Krakow and singing to people in the streets.

The next morning the orchestra and the choir made their way to the Polish conservatory where we had separate rehearsals. Later, the Polish students guided us through the Old Town and surprised us with some interesting legends about Krakow. During our free time we took some pictures, had a cup of coffee or one of the delicious famous doughnuts, maybe took a carriage ride and keenly absorbed Krakow’s lively life. The relaxed afternoon was followed by two intense hours of rehearsal for Rutter’s Mass of the Children, which we will perform on the main concert on Saturday. The start was chaotic as about 150 energetic musicians couldn’t concentrate and just kept chatting. However, by the end of the rehearsal, some parts of the magical melodies sounded quite promising.

On Wednesday morning we had some joint rehearsals again and were excited about the progress we had managed to make so far. The Slovene orchestra and the choir got on the bus once more and drove to Nowy Sacz, where we had our third concert. Having performed versatile melodies in the beautiful Town Hall, we had dinner and returned to Krakow to get some sleep for the rest of our busy tour in Poland. /Anja Tršek, year 4/

Part Three: John Rutter’s Mass of the Children – The Hightlight of Music Happening in Poland

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Majestic Joint Performance of the Poles and Slovenes

Each of the final three days of our tour in Poland was a unique experience despite the somewhat monotonous schedule: breakfast, practice, lunch, practice, free time, concert. On Thursday night our music sounded off the walls of St. Florian Basilic in Cracow’s city centre, whereas Friday’s concert took place in Miechow. There we performed at the festival of the University of the Third Age, therefore our singing and playing were often interrupted by enthusiastic cheers of elderly ladies. :) Saturday finally came – that was the big day we had all been expecting for the entire week. After packing all our belongings and leaving the hotel, we had some more time to explore Cracow and enjoy the wonderful weather. As the evening was quickly approaching, we could all feel adrenaline working through us and as the final rehearsals weren’t what we had expected, our nervousness was getting only worse. However, our conductor and mentor advised us to relax, do our best and enjoy the good acoustics. The Divine Mercy Church was packed and full of expectation. After the Polish choir, it was time for the Slovenes to perform. After orchestra’s Concerto Grosso in B flat major by Georg Friedrich Handel the choir performed their varied palette of songs that included everything from Slovene folk melodies to spiritual pieces. What all of us had really been anticipating was actually the joint performance of all Polish and Slovene choirs and orchestras. John Rutter’s Mass of the Children was absolutely magnificent – the interlacement of fast and slow, joyful and melancholic intricate melodies created by the choirs, the symphonic orchestra and the soprano and baritone soloists touched everyone’s hearts and resounded in our ears throughout the magical evening. Still touched by the majestic last chord of Rutter’s masterpiece it was time for us to leave Poland and return back home. We are so thankful to have had the opportunity to collaborate with such talented young musicians, to make new friendships and get an insight into the Polish culture and lifestyle. I am sure every one of us could agree that each concert was a new unforgettable adventure. We are looking forward to playing music with our Polish friends in the future Music to Life exchanges. /Anja Tršek, year 4/

Erasmus+ Music To Life: STRING ORCHESTRA OF ST. STANISLAV’S INSTITUTION IN KRAKOW

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Our school string orchestra, under the skilled mentorship of Drago Arko and conducted by the unmatched Damijan Močnik, went to Krakow for a week  from 19th-25th October 2019 to participate in an Erasmus+ exchange with the Polish Conservatorium of Frederick Chopin. After our last rehearsal on Saturday evening we boarded the bus and departed towards Krakow. In the early morning we arrived to Katowice where we attended the Holy Mass and took a city tour and were rather astonished by its beauties. Then we visited the church of saint Faustina Kowalska and  stood on top of the bell tower admiring the magnificent view of Krakow. Then we proceeded to our hostel which was in Krakows suburbs. With nothing to do, most went to sleep to prepare for the next day.

Monday arrived too soon and after breakfast we took the bus to the school where we had our first rehearsal with the Polish orchestra. After an exhausting 5-hour practise we had lunch and then were divided into several groups led by Polish students to take a Krakow city tour. The tours were indeed interesting and we learned quite a lot about the city and its people. Tuesday and Wednesday were pretty much alike. In the morning we had rehearsals with the Polish orchestra, then we had rehearsals of our own and finally lunch. Most of us spent both evenings enjoying Krakow nightlife while trying to be sufficiently rested for the next day. Finally Thursday came. The D day of our great concert in the church of the Blessed Aniela Salawa. First we had our solo performance, playing Corellis Sarabande, Gigue and Badinerie and 3rd and 4th Part of Benjamin Britten’s Simple symphony. Afterwards, the Polish came on stage and we played Sanjarija, Ave Maria and Meditation, at which Marjeta Banko blessed our ears with her deeply emotional and astonishing violin solo. Then our Polish colleagues took over, having their choir reinforced with a couple of our girls, and performed their parts. After the concert we felt exhausted but satisfied and once more we boarded the bus, this time taking us home. /Erazem Ivanc, year 4/

 

Eurostronomia

Project Coordinator at St. Stanislav’s Institution: Alenka Battelino
Start date: 1. 9. 2017
End date: 31. 8. 2020
Coordinating Institution: Wellington School, Ayr, UK
Partner Institutions:

  • SUGS Georgi Dimitrov, Skopje, Macedonia
  • Escola Secundaria Henrique Medina, Esposende, Portugal
  • Wellington School, Ayr, Scotland, the UK
  • Mallinckrodt-Gymnasium, Dortmund, Germany
  • Institut saint Dominique, Mortefontaine, France,
  • Colegiul National “Constantin Cantacuzino”, Targoviste, Romania
  • Sredno obshtoobrazovatelno uchilishte Emilyan Stanev, Veliko Tarnovo, Bulgaria
  • St. Stanislav’s Institution, Ljubljana, Slovenia

 

Project in the programme: Erasmus +, KA 2 (schools only)

 

General Description of the Project:

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Eurostronomia is an Erasmus+ project connecting eight schools in eight countries namely Bulgaria, France, Germany, Macedonia, Portugal, Romania, the UK, Scotland and Slovenia.

The main theme is Astronomy and through our collaboration we will strengthen STEM (science, technology, engineering, and math) skills, communication skills and European citizenship. /Alenka Battelino, project coordinator/

News about the project:

Eurostronomia, Erasmus+, Transnational Project Meeting 1

From 22nd to 24th September 2017 the first Transnational project meeting of the project Eurostonomia, Erasmus+, took place in Mortefontaine. Three teachers from St. Stanislav’s took part: Tine Golež, Martin Čokl and Alenka Battelino.

We enjoyed the hospitality of the partner school OGEC Saint Dominique. All the partners participated in reviewing the application and intensively planning the activities for the first year. The first stargazing activity was organized by our enthusiastic physics teachers and we were discovering star constellations beyond the familiar ones. We all look forward to working together and opening new horizons in the field of astronomy through diverse perspectives.

We are glad to announce that the first Learning Teaching Activity will take place in Slovenia at St. Stanislav’s from 10th to 16th April 2018.

The First Student Meeting of Eurostronomia in St. Stanislav’s Institution

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This Erasmus+ Project took place from 10th – 16th April 2018, uniting 37 young astronomy enthusiasts from Bulgaria, Germany, Macedonia, France, Portugal, Scotland, Romania and Slovenia. Together with their teachers, they participated in some amazing workshops, star gazing, discussions and other astronomy related challenges. You can see the programme and read the students’ blog at http://schule.mallinckrodt-gymnasium.de/erasmus+/eurostronomia/index.html. /Alenka Battelino, project coordinator/

Eurostronomia, Erasmus+, Transnational Project Meeting 2

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From 7th to 11th July 2018 the second Transnational project meeting of the project Eurostonomia, Erasmus+ took place in Targoviste, Rumania. Two teachers and two students from St. Stanislav’s took part: Martin Čokl, Anton Križnar, Aleks Kaapre Rehtijärvi and Alenka Battelino.

This is the first time that students participate in project meetings so that their voice will be also heard throughout the project. This time they were working on composing guidelines for all future Erasmus+ students. They presented their findings at the plenary meeting held on the last day of the meeting. According to the coordinator of the project Mrs Susan Coontz (Wellington School, Scotland) they accomplished their work with excellence and contributed greatly to the success of the meeting.

We enjoyed the hospitality of the partner school Colegiul National Constantin Cantacuzino. All the partners participated in reviewing the activities realized in the first year of the project and intensively planning the activities for the second year. The feedback of national agencies were discussed. The stargazing activity was unfortunately cancelled due to bad weather conditions. We visited the Institute of Multidisciplinary Research for Science and Technology from Valahia University of Targoviste and Museum of Human Evolution and Technology in Paleolithic, Stelea Monastery,”The Royal Court” Museum, Townhall and Old City Center.

It was another wonderful experience working in the inspiring environment of good friends. We all appreciated generous hospitality and thorough organization of the managing team at Colegiul National Constantin Cantacuzino. We all look forward to our next teaching learning activity which will take place in Scotland between 16th and 23rdSeptember 2018. /Alenka Battelino, project coordinator/

The Second Student Meeting of Eurostronomia (TLA2) at Wellington School, Ayr (Scotland)

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The Slovene participants in Ayr

The second teaching learning activity for students and teachers in the Erasmus+ project Eurostronomia took place from 16th – 22nd September 2018, uniting 33 young astronomy enthusiasts from Germany, France, Portugal, Scotland, Romania and Slovenia. Three teachers and eight students from St. Stanislav’s (5 from high school and 3 from the primary school) took part: Tadeja Drašler, Martin Čokl, Matej Urbančič, Špela Plevel, Eva Jeraj, Ana Julija Prešeren, Eva Jocif, Filip Marinšek, Zala Vintar, Sara Lesar, Alenka Battelino. We participated in numerous amazing workshops, listened to fabulous speakers (e.g. prof. Martin Hendry, LIGO), watched highly interesting documentaries and movies on latest discoveries in the field of astronomy, danced Ceilidh, tried Scottish food, experienced a real Scottish storm and so much more. Mr Čokl had a workshop on constructing Mars Rover and Mrs Battelino had a workshop on East-West Space Race.

You can see the programme and read the students’ blog at http://schule.mallinckrodt-gymnasium.de/erasmus+/eurostronomia/index.html. You can follow the project on twitter @eurostronomia.

It was another wonderful experience working in the inspiring environment of good friends. We all appreciated wonderful hospitality and thorough organization of the organizing team at Wellington School.  We all look forward to our next project meeting which will take place in Macedonia between 6th and 11th July 2019. /Alenka Battelino, project coordinator/

Eurostronomia, Erasmus+, Transnational Project Meeting 3

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Enjoying Hospitality in Skopje

From 6th to 11th July 2019 the third Transnational project meeting of the project Eurostonomia, Erasmus+, took place in Skopje, the Republic of Northern Macedonia. Three teachers and four students from St. Stanislav’s took part: Martin Čokl, Helena Horvat, Ajda Oblak, Karin Terglav, Klara Demšar, Klara Žabkar and Alenka Battelino.

This is the second time that students participate in project meetings so that their voice will be also heard throughout the project. This time they were working on composing and editing multi-lingual astronomy glossary for all future Erasmus+ students and Astronomy enthusiasts. Additionally they did the research on significant events in the field of astronomy in the last two years, they were designing the cover page for the glossary and shot the video My Erasmus+ (Eurostronomia) experience (available on FB of the project). They presented their findings at the plenary meeting held on the last day of the meeting. According to the coordinator of the project Mrs Susan Coontz (Wellington School, Scotland) they contributed greatly to the success of the meeting.

We enjoyed the hospitality of the partner school SUGS „Georgi Dimitrov“. All the partners participated in reviewing the activities realized in the second year of the project and intensively planning the activities for the third year. The stargazing activity was this time successfully carried out on the plateau Kozjak. We visited Old City Center guided by our enthusiastic hosts. The last day we had the whole day trip to Ohrid, a hidden jewell in the south of the country, a historical cradle of south Slavic languages.

It was another wonderful experience working in the inspiring environment of good friends. We all appreciated wonderful hospitality and thorough organization of the organizing team at SUGS „Georgi Dimitrov“. We all look forward to our next teaching learning activity which will take place in Portugal between 22nd and 28th September 2019. /Alenka Battelino, project coordinator/

The Third Student Meeting of Eurostronomia (LTTA3) at Escola Secundaria Henrique Medina (Portugal)

foto portufal -thumbnail_image2Monday, September 23rd, the first autumn day

On Monday morning at 8:30 the participants met at the Escola Secundaria Henrique Medina School, where we were kindly addressed by the head of the school and greeted by a physics teacher. Today’s program began with a remarkable performance by a student of the school who sang the song “Man on the Moon”. Afterwards we took a walk to the Museu Marítimo de Esposende. This is a maritime museum located in an interesting spot right by the sea and here we saw many interesting and historical objects. A part of the museum is a tower, which we climbed and from there we had a wonderful view of the city of Esposende. After the museum, we were greeted at the City Hall, where we watched a promotional video about Esposende and got to know the city even better.

Back to school, where we had lunch. Later we went to the coast, where we had a short dance course, getting familiar with dances from different countries like kolo the circle dance, the macarena, the ducks dance and others. We really had a lot of fun there. In the afternoon, at 2pm, we continued our program at school. We first listened to the excellent presentation by Dr. Wolfgang Unkelbach about the moon and its influence on human beings, which was really interesting. We then split into groups and discussed the various topics for 15 minutes and presented our findings to other groups. I liked and enjoyed working in groups very much because it is great bonding experience. The official program was over at about half past five, the rest of the afternoon we spent with our hosts, some at home, others went for coffee and some cake. The day was filled with interesting experience and educational contents and I am really looking forward to the next few days. /Aleks Kaapre Rehtijärvi, year 3/

 

Active Staff for a Vibrant School (KA 1 2017)

Project coordinator at St. Stanislav’s: Jerneja Primožič
Start date: 1. 6. 2017
End date: 31. 5. 2019
Coordinating institution: St. Stanislav’s Institution, Ljubljana, Slovenia
Number of mobilities: 23
Project in the programme: Erasmus +, KA 1

Active Staff for a Vibrant School is the fourth Erasmus+ KA1 project of St. Stanislav’s Institution. Based on the previous experience of planning and carrying out teacher trainings abroad, the project seeks to continue and further develop our work in the field of international development of our staff.

In the last three years, St. Stanislav’s carried out seven Erasmus+ projects (three KA 1 projects along with coordinating two KA 2 projects and being a partner in two other KA 2 projects) and some other international projects.

Participating in teacher trainings abroad is all about improving the competencies of our staff. We would like to encourage our more experienced teachers to refresh their knowledge and, on the other hand, give younger teachers an opportunity to improve their competencies and widen their horizons to increase the awareness of a broader European educational context.

With this project, we aim to equip a great number of our teachers with the skills needed to participate in international projects, partnerships, and exchanges and to become leaders of various activities within our institution.

Within the project 23 mobilities will be carried out. The project addresses six areas of interest:

  1. Communication: improving the oral and written communication in a foreign language for non-language teachers (4 courses).
  2. Foreign languages: getting to know new approaches and methods for teaching foreign languages (6 courses).
  3. Outdoor education and experiential learning (4 courses).
  4. New methods: new methods to enrich and modernize the teaching process with an emphasis on the use of modern information technologies (7 courses).
  5. Management (1 course).
  6. STEM (1 course).

 

 

Professional Staff for a Successful School (KA 1 2016)

Project coordinator at St. Stanislav’s: Monika Omovšek
Start date: 1. 6. 2016
End date: 31. 5. 2018
Coordinating institution: St. Stanislav’s Institution, Ljubljana, Slovenia
Number of mobilities: 14
Project in the programme: Erasmus +, KA 1

Professional Staff for a Successful School is the third project of the school staff mobility at St. Stanislav’s Institution. The biggest emphasis of the project is laid on the opportunities for improving foreign language skills of primary and secondary school teachers. In the last years, the number of international activities has increased and St. Stanislav’s aims at strengthening these links and establishing new ones. Therefore, we need teachers who are confident in using foreign languages and eager and willing to take responsibilities of international partnerships and activities. This project is also a step forward to a more systematic approach for introducing innovation in the teaching process. In the course of carrying out this project, we want to create a working group that will first dedicate its time to prepare a clear strategy for these changes and for the introduction to the new technologies and will later work on the acquisition of knowledge and skills and will provide trainings to better equip the staff at St. Stanislav’s.

In addition to 14 mobilities, the project also concentrates on the preparation process for teachers who will take part in the mobilities. With this preparation, we want to strenghten their sense of belonging to St. Stanislav’s and its mission. We want to encourage internal cohesion within St. Stanislav’s and improve examples of good practice already developed within our units. This preparation also makes the participants aware of the  expectations and outcomes of a particular seminar considering the European development plan of St. Stanislav’s.

 

Professional Staff for an Efficient School (KA 1 2015)

Project coordinator at St. Stanislav’s: Marko Weilguny
Start date: 1. 7. 2015
End date: 1. 7. 2017
Coordinating institution: St. Stanislav’s Institution, Ljubljana, Slovenia
Number of mobilities: 16
Project in the programme: Erasmus +, KA 1

The project “Professional Staff for an Efficient School” is the second Erasmus+ KA 1 project. The courses include structured seminars with a strong emphasis on practical work. By their content we have divided them into 4 segments: Outdoor Education, Communication and Project Management, Teaching of Foreign Languages and Mathematics.

Outdoor Education is a strategic priority of the Alojzij Šuštar Primary School. A larger number of completed project and several ongoing projects aim to develop the concept of experimental learning and outdoor activities. Consistent with our vision we take care to continously develop our staff in this field and to keep expanding our national and international network of schools and other organisations active in the field of Outdoor Education.

The main challenge of Diocesan Classical Gymnasium is to refresh some classes and bring them up to date and to better integrate some of the newer additions to the staff. In addition to that we have chosen also the seminars and workshops we would like to attend throughout Europe in 2015/2016.

The segments of languages and mathematics are intended to drive us towards an acquaintance with the modern approach to the pedagogy and to maintain the professional freshness of the professors. All of the chosen courses include larger practical sections and place a great stress on ICT and it’s implementation in the school process. The latter is also very pertinent to our long-term vision as we realise we will have to include more and more ICT contents into the curriculum. We want to do this gradually, prudently and in accordance with the adaptedness of the pedagogical staff. In the last Erasmus+ period we have focused on English and German language and on Chemistry on the part of Natural Sciences. All of these departments have already begun to reflect and implement smaller innovations. This year we are focusing on Spanish and ancient Greek as well as on Mathematics in the field of Natural Sciences.

The larger segment is meant to address the issue that arose with a larger involvement in the field of international projects and cooperation. We wish to better integrate the younger teachers and have them take on more responsible roles. Besides that, we would like to raise the level of proficiency of English among teachers not teaching the English language so they can take part more actively in different projects and contacts with European neighbours.

The goal: a professional staff, well integrated in the whole of the Institution, sovereignly taking initiative and the roles of responsibilitiy also in the field of international cooperation, that can not only transmit knowledge but also transmit it with an awareness of our every-day reality and focus on the future; with the knowledge itself being life-like, life-long and efficient.

 

Creative Staff for an Innovative School (KA 1 2018)

Project coordinator at St. Stanislav’s: Jerneja Primožič
Start date: 1. 6. 2018
End date: 31. 5. 2020
Coordinating institution: St. Stanislav’s Institution, Ljubljana, Slovenia
Number of mobilities: 14
Project in the programme: Erasmus +, KA 1

Creative Staff for an Innovative School is the fifth Erasmus KA 1 project of St. Stanislav’s Institution. Based on numerous evaluations performed in the past years, we came to the conclusion that one of the priorities of St. Stanislav’s in the future is further development in the field of international collaboration. We are aware of the added value of extensive experience and competence our participants obtained at training courses abroad.

This project predominantly addresses a single area of interest – innovative pedagogy. We want to make lessons more interactive and improve our knowledge and usage of different approaches and methods (use of modern information technologies, experiential learning, using games as an educational tool, problem solving etc.). We also want our students to take more active roles in learning and attain certain skills rather than mere knowledge.

All activities are organised and coordinated by the Institute for Education Research and Development (with the help of the management and other units of the institution). The institute is responsible for the administrative and organisational part of the project. It also provides support to the participants, help them define the exact purpose of the trainings and understand their obligations within the project as well as prepare contracts to be signed before the start of their mobilities. In addition, the institute also help with the implementation of the obtained skills and competences and with dissemination activities both within St. Stanislav’s and broader.

The 24-month project is comprised of 14 mobilities in the field of innovative didactic methods and modern information technologies. Approximately half of the mobilities are planned for the first year with the other half being projected in the summer of 2019. Different teacher trainings were carefully selected to meet the detected needs of introducing innovation to the teaching process. They present examples of good pracice, innovative teaching methods, they also adress the question of lessons personalisation. The courses were selected also with the intent to promote the development of teaching staff with varied subject matters.

Participating in teacher trainings abroad is all about improving the competences of our staff. Participants refresh their knowledge, improve their competences in oral and writtten communication in a foreign language, widen the horizons, increase their awareness of a broader European educational context and cultural diversity. With this project, we aim to equip a great number of our teachers with the skills needed to participate in international projects and to become leaders of various activites within our institution.

Participants will be actively involved in various activities of reporting, dissemination and strategic planning with the institution. Knowledge and skills obtained in teacher trainings abroad will have a direct impact on the formation, development and modelling of school lessons. Participants will disseminate acquired knowledge within their teaching group, some of the attained knowledge and competences will be presented to the entire institution and the core of the trainings wil be presented also to the “outside public” via several communication channels, plaforms and various trainings.

Small Countries Strong Cultures

Project Coordinator at St. Stanislav’s Institution: Valerija Lah Peternel
Start date: 1. 9. 2019
End date: 31. 8. 2021
Coordinating Institution: Wellington School, Ayr, UK
Partner Institutions:

  • St. Stanislav’s Institution, Ljubljana, Slovenia
  • Sint-Jozefsinstituut-College Torhout, Belgium

Project in the programme: Erasmus +, KA 2 (schools only)

General Description of the Project:

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Small Countries Strong Cultures is a an Erasmus+ project connecting three schools in three countries namely Scotland (the UK), Flanders (Belgium) and Slovenia. The aim of the project is to spread and strengthen the awareness of national cultural heritage and its importance in building a strong European community. With nationalisms on the rise, we want to show the young that they can be loyal to their local community, their country and the EU at the same time – all by learning from the past and being active citizens. /Valerija Lah Peternel, project coordinator/

 

News about the project:

Erasmus+ (Small Countries Strong Cultures) and UCAPE Conference

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Blinding Sunshine in Scotland – Mingling of the Belgian and Slovene Team

From 1st – 6th October 2019 the first staff mobility of the new Erasmus+ project Small Countires Strong Cultures took place at Wellington School in  Ayr (Scotland). At the same time the annual UCAPE conference took place with about 80, mainly French teachers, from Catholic primary and secondary schools.

The meetings covering Small Countries Strong Cultures brought together the entire Belgian team from Sint Rembert (Torhout) with their director and deputy head, the welcoming group from Scotland, led by Ms Susan Coontz, and the Slovenian team (Valerija Lah Peternel, Alenka Battelino, Eva Pišljar Suhadolc, Lily Schweiger Kotar). The meetings included finalizing the preparations for the first student mobility which is to take place in Slovenia in February 2020, funding rules for the grant, partnership agreements and taking part in the e Twinning workshop given by Gary Shiells, the representative of the British Council in the UK. One of the highlights of the visit was most definitely the Wellington school students’ performance of  Andrew Lloyd Webber’s Phantom of the Opera. The tragic love story was brought to life at The Gaiety Theatre with a lot of musicality, breathtaking special effects and scenery.  Friends of Wellington, teachers, parents were justifiably proud of the magic night. Well done Wellington school!

UCAPE whose mission is to build knowledge, values and skills for global citizenship is an international association open to all schools which share the same values. In Ayr the general assembly took place with plenty of opportunities for networking along with new arrangements for the exchanges that were set up. Mr Dominique Bernard, Director of Institution Saint Dominique (France) and the present president of the UCAPE, gave the introductory speech accentuating the fact that if anybody in  modern Europe needs to go beyond meeting students’ everyday needs, it is the teachers at Catholic schools. The yearly report followed some interesting presentations of Scottish culture and students’ good practice carried out at Wellington under the supervision of Ms Coontz, a dedicated member of the UCAPE board. /Lily Schweiger Kotar/

Voilà – the new logo for the Erasmus+ project is here!

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The new logo comes from Belgium

We are happy to launch the logo for the new Erasmus+ project Small Countries, Strong Cultures. This is a collaborative project binding together three smaller European countries, namely Slovenia, Scotland (the UK) and Flanders (Belgium) in order to make room for the exploration of our common roots as well as for the endeavours to build our common future.

There were 7 logos on the shortlist, created in all three participating countries. The winning logo comes from Flanders and was unanimously chosen, considering students’ and teachers’ preferences. In Slovenia we reached the conclusion via Instagram and it was great fun to observe the online voting. On behalf of the Slovene team we congratulate the Belgian artist for a most suggestive and distinctive logo, representing certain characteristics of all three participating countries. Well done indeed! /Lily Schweiger Kotar/

Voilà –  The New Banner for the Erasmus+ Project Small Counties Strong Cultures is Out

The new banner representing the endeavors of the new Erasmus project Small Countries Strong Cultures radiates the vibrant colours of small, yet strong countries, namely Scotland, Bengium and Slovenia. Each country is represented by either its most typical sight, dish or a figure related to Roman times. Thus Belgium shines there through Ambiorix’ statue and unmistakably the best Belgium pralines; Scotland is represented by the Athens of North, Edinburgh, and the slope from Antonine Wall; last but not least Slovenia boasts with the idylic island of Bled and the statue of Emonian Patrician. The project logo naturally assumes the central position and designed by a Beglian student, got a twist with a strong shining orange sun in the middle. The banner was designed by Matic Kotar, the Diocesan Classical Gymnasium alumnus. /Lily Schweiger Kotar/

 

The week when students from three European countries met to share roots and shape future

Discovering the Beauties of Ljubljana

 

As a part of an Erasmus+ exchange, which took place from 9th-13th February 2020, twelve students from Belgium and eight from Scotland visited St. Stanislav´s Institution together with seven teachers from both countries. The title of the exchange was Small Countries Strong Cultures, suggesting that the aim of the project was to strengthen national identity with the young people.

Monday, 10th February – Finding Our Common Ground and Roots

Our guests had already come to Ljubljana the previous day. On Monday, we started the day with a tour of the school and an exhibition of our photographs made as a part of a project Bittersweet memories. For the project we had to photograph items that would remind us of our counties and our roots in case we were forced to flee the homeland. We proceeded with lessons of Slovene and Latin and a presentation of the principle features of a Roman city. After lunch we drove to the city centre to visit the City Museum of Ljubljana and the exhibition of the history of Ljubljana. We ended the day with a trip to the city centre.

Tuesday, 11th February – Having Fun in the Old Days

On Tuesday morning there was a presentation of Saint George, the patron saint of Ljubljana. Then we proceeded with workshops of drawing, dancing, singing and storytelling. Saint George was the topic of all the workshops. In the evening we met around the fire, which was used for cooking our dinner, and we presented what we had done in the workshops. This evening was also the time for playing games and talking with our new friends. Some of the parents joined us as well.

Wednesday, 12th February – Boosting Family Values Through Cuisine

After a concert of a choir and some ensembles from Saint Stanislav´s Institution, we drove to Bled. We walked almost around the entire lake and then visited the town of Radovljica. There we learned how gingerbread is made and we even tried to decorate our own gingerbread hearts. After that we had a lunch. Some traditional Slovenian dishes were served and the owner of the restaurant entertained us with traditional Slovene music. After speeches given by our teachers, we returned home and spent the last evening with our guests, who left the next morning.

Some Students’ Impressions about the Exchange

  • During the exchange I learned a lot about Belgian and Scottish history.
  • I was introduced to their culture and I greatly improved my knowledge of English language.
  • I got some new friends with whom I still have connections on social media.
  • I am very happy that I was able to be a part of this exchange.

/Jernej Koman, year 3/

Erasmus + Strong Cultures Small Countries – teacher mobility in St. Stanislav’s Institution

Small Countires Strong Cultures in action again

After a long break of two years the time came for small countries and strong cultures to meet again. The Diocesan Classical Gymnasium hosted the teacher mobility from 16th–20th March 2022 joining two teachers from Wellington School Ayr (Scotland), three teachers from Sint-Josefsinstituut Torhout (Belgium) and four Slovene ones (Battelino, Lah Peternel, Pišljar Suhadolc, Schweiger Kotar)  from the DCG.

On Thursday a comprehensive tour of Ljubljana took place and on this occasion the Secession guide, devised during one of the Erasmus projects Art Noveau – Art Renoveau, was used again successfully. The schedule for future student mobilities was planned down for autumn 2022. On Friday we listened to two interesting presentations of the subjects which stand the test of time and which all three schools teach in their curricula. These are arts and classical languages and the values they enhance. Our colleague from Scotland presented the concept of Model United Nations (MUN) and we actually carried out a mock security council committee session. In the evening we listened to the concert where Damijan Močnik’s Passio Anno Domini MMXXI, a shocking musical story of the Passion of Christ was told. Saturday was dedicated to getting to know Slovene cultural and national heritage in the Slovene Littoral, namely the Sečovlje salt- pans, where salt is still produced traditionally, with classical salt-pan methods and tools, which is the reason why salt has retained exceptional characteristics. Scotland and Belgium also keep their own ways of producing salt which we will get to know on the next visit. The day was perfectly rounded off by a cup of coffee in sunny Piran.

We are looking forward to new ways of learning from each other and enjoying each other’s company! The student mobilities in August and September to Scotland and Belgium are eagerly anticipated. /Valerija Lah Peternel, school project coordinator/

Futur€nvironment

Project coordinator at St. Stanislav’s: Alenka Battelino

Start date: 15. 12. 2020

End date: 14. 8. 2023

Coordinating Institution: Mallinckrodt-Gymnasium, Dortmund, Germany

Partner Institutions:

Sint-Jozefscollege, Torhout, Belgium

Institut Saint Dominique, Mortefontaine, France

SUGS Georgi Dimitrov, Skopje, Northern Macedonia

St. Stanislav’s Institution, Ljubljana, Slovenia

Wellington School, Ayr, Scotland

Project in the programme: Erasmus +, KA 2 (schools only)

 

General Description of the Project:

The environment, sustainability, global warming, biodiversity – these are topics which engage young people across the world; yet while many are ‘talking the talk’, they are not all ‘walking the walk’. This project aims to capture the interest of our students in the natural world and the environment and help them to make changes that will ensure the sustainable future that they are campaigning for. Although young people are worried about the future of our planet, many are not making the small changes in their lives that would help to safeguard the planet. Food waste, conspicuous consumption and reluctant recyclers are present in our schools in Belgium, France, Germany, Northern Macedonia, Slovenia and Scotland (UK). This project will encourage the small steps which can be taken by everyone for the good of all.

 

FUTUR€NVIRONMENT meeting at Institut Saint Dominique in Mortefotaine, France

The meeting of partner schools participating in Erasmus+ KA2 project Futur€nvironment took place from 25th – 29th September 2022 in Mortefontaine, France. The hosting school was Institut Saint Dominique, with the following schools enjoying the hospitality of the French: Mallinckrodt-Gymnasium from Dortmund, Germany, which is the school coordinator of this project; Sint-Jozefscollege from Torhout, Belgium; SUGS Georgi Dimitrov from Skopje (Northern Macedonia), Wellington School, Ayr (Scotland) in St. Stanislav’s Institution with two teacher representatives, namely Alenka Battelino, Teacher of English and project coordinator, and Martin Čokl, teacher of physics.

This is how the Slovene students report on the event:

Monday, 26th October 2022

The morning after our first night abroad, we awoke in the pleasant safety of the homes of our hospitable French families. Then we ate an authentic French breakfast, which woke us up and gave us strength to start a new day. When we gathered in the dining room of the Institute of St. Dominic, we enthusiastically told each other about the first evening experiences. The program began with a speech by the headmaster of the institute, while he greeted us in French, we were able to follow his words with a help of a translator. A pleasant coffee break and snacks followed, after which we started with the workshops. The activities were environmentaly themed. After those, the mayor of Mortefonataine addressed and welcomed us into the village community. This was followed by a delicious snack.

After finishing we parted again and spent a pleasant evening with our friendly host families. /Rok Lekse, Filip Jeseničnik/

 

Tuesday, 27th October 2022:

The day began at Institut St. Dominic where the bus took us to a very special self-sufficient farm. There, we saw many different animals – pigs, a cow, chickens, ducks, sheep, goats, and two donkeys … Firstly they told us about the history of the farm, how they grow their vegetables, and take care of the animals. They also offered us their homemade fully natural apple juice and different fruit jams. Then the tour of their orchard and vegetable gardens followed. It was very interesting to learn that their farming techniques and products were completely natural – meaning they don’t use pesticides or chemical sprays. After the tour of the farm, we had some lunch and then went to the famous Paris.

Paris welcomed us with traffic jams, beautiful architecture, people from all around the world, and a very complicated language for us. From the bus, we could see Montmartre, The Eiffel Tower, L’Arc de Triomphe, L’Obélisque de Louxor, Place de la Concorde, La Défense, and Notre Dame de Paris. We also rode down the beautiful Champs Elysées, where we could slightly feel the city’s atmosphere. Then followed the guided tour of the Orsay museum where we admired the world-famous paintings and sculptures. After the museum, we strolled down the Parisian streets, took many photographs, and even crossed the Saine. This diverse day finished with some more traffic jam and a beautiful evening with our hosting families. /Lucija Kremžar, Klara Lesnik/

Wednesday, 28th October

On Wednesday morning at half past eight, we gathered in the school dining room. We walked to the school hall, where Mr. Claude Lambre had a presentation about food additives contained in European foods and their dangers. After that there was a short coffee break and some snacks. We continued with workshops and attended the one called Life is still beautiful, where we met the art teacher Kathleen Ryan, who stuck precious stones over the moldy parts of the fruit. We glued glitter depicting mold onto preprepared styrofoam shapes. After the workshops, there was lunch, during which we chatted with students from other countries and had a little break. Before the start of the second part of the workshops, we took pictures with students from Belgium, Scotland, Macedonia and Germany. In the second part of the workshops, we baked a cake – Charlotte. Charlotte is a type of cake that can be served both cold or hot. Ours was made from apples. It was special because we actually used the whole apple, since we made syrup from the peels. After finishing the second part of the workshops, we took photos again, this time our hosts, the French pupils, joined us. Then, we all planted an olive tree together, to which everyone contributed a shovelful of soil. This was followed by a ceremonial presentation of awards for participation in the project. Then the celebratory dinner with a dance took place in the dining hall. At dinner, we were most impressed with the desserts. Among others, we were also served the cake we made at workshops. After dinner, we moved the tables and chairs aside and continued our evening of dancing. At about ten o’clock, after a beautiful and full day, we headed for the homes of our hosts. /Veronika Marc, Jerca Brolih, Lily Schweiger Kotar/

 

The Closing Student Exchange Visit in Germany – Futur€nvironment Project, Erasmus+

In the week of April when Earth Day is celebrated a group of students from the DCG took part in the student exchange taking place in Mallinckrodt Gymnasium in Dortmund, Germany from 18th to 22nd April 2023. This is how the participants themselves experienced this exciting event.

»On Tuesday morning we set off for Frankfurt, then continued to Dortmund by Germany’s fastest train. We arrived in Dortmund at around 6 pm, where we were met by our host families. We spent the evening in the warm embrace of their homes. On Wednesday morning we officially started our exchange at our partner school Mallinckrodt Gymnasium. The name of the project is Futur€nvironment, so our programme included topics and activities to raise awareness of environmental issues. We discussed pollution, global warming, carbon footprint and sustainable lifestyles. In the project were involved students from six countries; Germany, France, Belgium, Scotland, Macedonia and Slovenia.

First, we started with various icebreaking activities so we could get to know all the participants. We continued with a tour of the school. The Catholic school is located in the city centre and has more than 1000 students. It was named after Pauline von Mallinckrodt, a nun who played an important role in women’s education at the end of the 19th century.

In the morning, we took part in workshops. After lunch we went on a “selfie tour” of the city. In mixed groups, we discovered hidden corners of the city that contribute in their own way to sustainable development and a better quality of life. Dortmund is a relatively new city, having been destroyed by bomb attacks during WW II. It is one of Europe’s greenest cities, with many parks, tree plantations and gardens. Infrastructure is also modern, with the exception of a few old industrial buildings. /Iza and Eva, year 3/

On Thursday, we woke up to a slightly rainy morning, but that didn’t dampen our spirits, as we knew we had to make the most of every day. We gathered at school at 8 o’clock and headed to the atrium, where we were briefed on the day’s schedule. We had various workshops available, and some of us (Eva, Iza, and Jurij) continued with the Water Heroes workshop from Wednesday. Our relationship with water was examined and what we can do to keep it clean, while others participated in the Future of Energy workshop, and the rest in Let’s be Sustainable workshop. In the Future of Energy workshop, Zarja and Ajda, along with other participants, discussed the problems of using non-renewable sources of energy and their impact on the environment. They thought about alternative energy sources and the challenges we face in transitioning to greener energy sources. They wrote a letter to the European Union Commission to make them aware that young people care about the world they will live in. In the Let’s be Sustainable workshop, Anja, Ema, and Neža, along with others, first learned about what we can do ourselves for a better future, and then they recorded a DIY video showing their newly acquired knowledge, teaching us how to make our own waste bags from newspaper. Then came our favourite part of the day, snack time, followed by the second round of workshops. We had three different workshops available: Urban Future, DIY Shower Gel and Soap, and Design Your Own Jute Bag. At the Urban Future workshop, attended by Ema and Jurij, we saw how our cities could look in the future, and then the participants themselves designed and made their own “houses of the future,” which were then put on display. At the DIY Shower Gel and Soap workshop, Zarja, Anja, and Ajda learned something new about microplastics, which are found almost everywhere, even in shampoos and water. Then they made their own environmentally friendly shower gel. The last of the workshops was Design Your Own Jute Bag, where Eva, Iza, and Neža learned about the advantages of using sustainable bags and decorated their own reusable bag. We then had a brief summary of all the activities we had done, and then we headed to our hosts. /Jurij and Zarja, year 2/

On Friday morning, we took a bus to the Gasometer in Oberhausen, where we saw the fragile paradise exhibition. The exhibition was on three floors, and viewing the city and its surroundings from the roof was possible.  The exhibition was held in a building in a form of a silo, which was intended for the storage of gases.  It was written on the exhibition flyer that “The aim of the exhibition is to show the beauty of our planet, which is worth protecting, but it also means to draw attention to the abuses that threaten our paradise.”  On the first floor there were various pictures of our planet, its biodiversity, and natural and cultural features. On the second floor there were pictures of our planet destroyed by global warming along with activities that pollute the environment presented in the form of pictures.  However, measures and goals to prevent further warming were also displayed. On the 100 m high third floor there was a 20 m large model of the earth on which various videos were projected.  We were able to observe the paths of planes and ships, the illumination of the earth at night due to cities, the formation of continents, the melting and formation of ice in the wider area of ​​Antarctica and the Arctic and much more. The entire city of Essen and its surroundings could be seen from the top of the building.

Afterwards, we had lunch and then attended the closing ceremony. It started with watching the videos made at the various workshops in which we participated.  All the products that were made were put on display. We looked at the products of different workshops then took each of our products and stored them. Having finished with this, we sat back and there was a presentation of all the people who participated, from students to teachers and hosts.  Here we also received a certificate of attendance. A feast with juice and pizza followed.  We had the last chance to say goodbye to students from some countries (Macedonia, some Germans), but others we were to see the next morning.

 

On Saturday we gathered at 9.30 in the morning, when our host families drove us to the hotel where our teachers were staying. There we said goodbyes and thanked them for everything they had done for us in the time of our visit. After that the teachers took us to the nearby Catholic church, were Mrs. Stenovec explained its characteristics. We came to the conclusion that the church was built in the Gothic style. After the short lecture we had a quick prayer and then we separated for our last adventure around Dortmund. At 13.55 we met at the hotel again and made our way to the train station. We spent some quality time, travelling around and getting to know Germany, which was great fun and interesting, but we were all looking forward to coming home. /Anja, Neža, Ema and Ajda, year 1; Lily Schweiger Kotar/