Education with a difference

Two learning assistants from St Albert the Great College in Valletta - Helen Cini (Year 3) and Daphne Farrugia (Year 2) - were recently selected to represent the school in the Comenius Project "Let's all Smile at Europe" in Budapest, Hungary.

St Albert the Great is in the second year of its second Partnership Project with other six EU countries - Staunton and Corse in Gloucestershire and Co. Durham both in UK, Hungary, Portugal, Italy and Poland.

"Let's all Smile at Europe" is a three-year project. The theme of the first year was "Festivals and traditions", whereby, among other activities, students had to create a booklet for tourists, with information on places of interest, festivals and a typical school day.

In their second year, students focused on "Games and pastimes". Each partner school invited an elderly guest speaker to talk about games of long ago played in their respective countries. Attractive booklets featured the students playing these traditional games, together with general information and instructions.

This year's activity saw the children invent a new game presented in any medium, together with instructions. This year the children will also focus on "Local myths and legends". You can visit the Website www.smile-at-europe.ik.org.

The objective of the meeting in Budapest was to mainly evaluate the ongoing Comenius project, which was providing exciting and relevant collaborative activities between participant schools. Project works were exchanged and dates and programme for the next meeting were also discussed.

Learning about Hungarian culture and teaching practices was also part of the project. Agnes Pap and Kate Bácskai, teachers from Kerekerdo Alapitvany Ovoda, were responsible for showing Ms Cini and Ms Farrugia around their 'fairy-like' Kindergarten school and several other schools.

During their visit to various schools, both learning assistants came across innovative educational systems that differed from those in Malta. The diversity lies mainly in the approach. Students are not taught through academic textbooks, but rather through a hands-on curriculum based on experiences and activities.

A case in point was the Máriaremete-Hidegkút Ecumenical Primary School, which emphasises Bible studies, ethics and the teaching of English or German, and comes up with other creative activities.

Such innovative teachings were also promoted at the Kindergarten for education with artistic instruments. Learning here takes place through humour, discovery and art and the serenity of the children was amazing.

Both assistants were also given a taste of the Waldorf Education experience, visiting the Budapest Teachers' College in Solymár, where education is based on the ideas of Ruldolf Steiner, whose educational methods are practised in schools throughout the world.

Steiner schools have their own comprehensive and distinctive curriculum and teaching methods based on a child's holistic development. It strongly emphasises social abilities and the development of pre-numeracy and literacy skills.

Schools in Hungary also stress the importance of local customs, folk, traditions and history.

Moreover, Hungarian schools emphasise the well-being of their pupils. In fact, schools also prepare food for the children, ranging from fruit to soups.

"Our visit in Hungary left a very warm feeling in our hearts, despite of the cold and gloomy weather. We witnessed first hand the way the Hungarians live and their culture. We also met and made new friends from partner countries," Ms Cini and Ms Farrugia said.

The visit was made possible through EUPU funding.