A round-up on various EU-sponsored Comenius projects and related overseas meetings in which local schools have taken part with the help of funding allocated by the Maltese EU Programmes Agency (EUPA) under the Lifelong learning programme.
Walking tours in Germany
As part of the Comenius project 'Walking together through Europe' a group of students and teachers from St Monica School, Birkirkara, recently joined peers from partner schools in Italy and Turkey for a week-long visit to Hamm, Germany, their German partner school's host town. In keeping with the project's aims of promoting a healthier lifestyle, the participants undertook walking tours around the town and the historical cities of Cologne and Munster, a visit to the Veltins Arena, the homeground of Schalke football team, and a Big Wall climbing event.
Saving energy, saving the world
Gozo College's Ninu Cremona Boys' Secondary School, Victoria, and 10 other schools from Malta, UK, Italy, Poland and Latvia that are partners in multilateral Comenius project 'Saving energy, saving the world' last month held a meeting in Gallarate, Italy.
The project aims to make students, teachers, parents and the general public more aware of how they make better use of water and electricity, and recycle waste material. Throughout the scholastic year, students from each school have been calculating levels of pollution in streets in their respective villages and comparing the findings with those of other countries.
During the visit the schools presented and discussed activities held during the year and set up an exhibition on what their respective country is doing on waste separation. They also built a symbolic 'rubbish man' from recycled material, which was exhibited at the foyer of the host school.
The Gozitan school was represented by two teachers and three students from Forms 2, 3 and 4.
The next meeting will be held in November at Zabrze, Poland. For more information on the project visit www.essw.eu.
Protecting endemic, indigenous species
Two teachers and four students from St Benedict's College Boys' Secondary, Kirkop, recently met with colleagues from Cyprus and Italy in Gravina, Puglia, for a meeting of project partners in the Comenius project 'Endemic and indigenous species and their protection' to conclude the project's first phase. The participants planned and discussed the objectives and organisation of work to be carried out by students and teachers during the project's second and final phase and worked on an action plan for the coming months.
The next project meeting will be in November in Limassol, Cyprus.
The Maltese school was represented by teachers, Sharon Sammut and Marisa Bonavia, and students Luca Schembri, François Borg, Justin Farrugia and Ryan Pantalleresco.
Science is for girls too
Suzanne Gatt from the University's Department of Primary Education addressed a conference held in May in Prague, Czech Republic, about the 'Hands on Science' Comenius 3 Project (HSci).
The project involved putting up a theatre performance with a girl as the main character, to promote science among young children and send out the message that science is for girls too. The initiative was realised with the collaboration of Isabelle Gatt from the same department and a group of B.Ed. (Hons) primary student teachers.
The conference, entitled 'Changing research landscapes to make the most of human potential - Ten years of EU activities in 'Women and Science' and be-yond,' was organised by European Commission Directorate General for Interpretation and the DG for Research as part of the Czech EU presidency activities.
The world watched by children
Five teachers from Theresa Nuzzo School, Marsa, visited Gniewkowo, Poland, between May 27 and June 1 for a meeting of the Comenius project 'The world watched by children'.
Connie Abdilla, Marise Bugeja, Chantelle Bugeja, Sr Carmelina Farrugia and Sr Candida Sacco met up with colleagues from Bulgaria, Romania, Italy and Greece and Italy to discuss and exchange ideas on how to help children get to know other children from other countries and to learn about their cultures.
The next meeting will take place in Malta in November.
Teaching outside the box
Lorraine Soler (left) and Adelaide Azzopardi from Zejtun Primary 'A' are seen with two pupils from the small elementary school of Plangeroß, in Pitztal, Austria, during a meeting of partners in the Comenius project 'One class holds all' which aims to develop innovative teaching and learning techniques. Together with teachers from schools in Estonia, Austria, Czech Republic, England, Finland, Holland and Spain they discussed the use of 'technology boxes' containing materials and instructions from different European countries to make a variety of objects that involve problem-solving suitable for children.