The Future in our Hands

Educational visit / move within the program Comenius,    the "Agrupamento de Escolas Anselmo de Andrade - Escola Secundaria com 2o e 3o ciclos Anselmo de Andrade» (Almada - Lisbon - Portugal)

Length of Visit: 6 days from 07/11/11 - 13 / 11/11

General Programme title: «The future in our hands»

The program of the visit

The theme of the educational visit / travel: «The future in our hands»

Participants: 12 students guests from Poland (5), Greece (4), France (1), Turkey (2) and 10 teachers from 4 countries.

Specifically attended the following schools:

1. Zespol Szkol im. Narodow Zjednoczonej Europy w Polkowicach (Poland)

2. Agrupamento de Escolas Anselmo de Andrade - Escola Secundaria com 2o e 3o ciclos (Portugal)

3. College et Lycee du Sacre Coeur (Aix en Provanse - France)

4. Gaziantep Anadolu Lisesi (Turkey)

5.3rd Lyceum of Patras (Greece)

Language contact / work: English.

Central project coordinator: EWA KOWALIK, the school of Polish

Participants Greek teachers from  3 rdthe Lyceum of Patras:

Kritikos Stamos IP 02 (project coordinator),

Tectonidou Domna IP 19 (member of the teaching team for the Comenius 3rd  Lyceum of Patras).

Zacharopoulou Georgia  IP6 (member of the pedagogical team for the third Comenius Lyceum of Patras).

There were also the students of the second class of high school:

Theodorou  Georgia, Karavola Angelliki, Lata  Ariadni, Kothri Sotiria

 Objectives: the  promotion of the idea of a common European route and  the claims of a hopeful future, as an act of resistance at the time deadlocks. Young people have the opportunity to meet and get to know people from other European countries, to find out that the others are not so different from them so as to ultimately promote a greater tolerance for diversity, respect and appreciation for other peoples and cultures. This will enable students to broaden their mind and their perceptions because of their contact with other cultures and foster their ability to communicate. Finally, what is achieved is the connection of the school / training process with the European society.

Means - Activities:all students who participated in the program were hosted by families of Portuguese students in order to gain different experiences of their lifestyle and culture (intercultural contact - cultivating relationships)

●             Visits to archaeological sites, monuments and museums to contact the cultural history of Portugal (Lisbon, King Jesus (Christo Rei) Castle of Saint George, BELEM, SINDRA, etc.)

Summary activity.

The first meeting in Portugal was about : the "Presentation of each country and each school" and offered through power-points a picture of the position of each country in the European Charter of geography and history, to then inform the students of other states about the  political and especially the educational system. Last step in the attempted first acquaintance among students of different countries was the thorough presentation of their own school with its own peculiarities, activities, interests in a variety of programs, distinctions and awards.

Short account of actions

MONDAY November 7, 2011 : Reception at the airport of Lisbon by the program coordinator and a representative of the school in Portugal, Agrupamento de Escolas Anselmo De Andrade, Elia Martins, who led us directly to the school where we met and got to know with delegations of other schools in the partnership. 

      We were welcomed by the Head of School Maria Margarita Geada Coutinho de Lucena who wished us a pleasant stay and success in the program objectives. Subsequently we toured the area surrounding the school, developed in about 10 acres. Actual recreation area for teachers and learners.Lunch followed at the school restaurant, where in an absolute order ,students, paying electronically,ate their lunch meal. After lunch back to classes for shaping public website. 

  

 TUESDAY November 8, 2011: A busy day on the school premises, where we attended music lessons, gymnastics, dance, painting. After 4 o’clock we were free to visit Lisbon, the city of Fernando Pessoa, Jose Saramago, the Camões and others. 

WEDNESDAY November 9, 2011: We attended a geology class and the course was followed by a meeting of the School of delegations concerning an approach of the program as well as a  presentation of countries, cities and schools of  origin. After lunch we boarded a bus and visited the coast CAPARICA, which operates the aquarium and a project-center. There we were given the opportunity to observe the geological changes in the region. Soon we left the coast and enjoyed the sound of the ocean. Subsequently, after a brief break at the hotel, we watched the THeatro Municipal de Almada a music-dance performance by pupils of the school at Theatro Municipal de Almada. The work excited us all and the symbolism of the scenes  led us to paths of emotion.  

THURSDAY November 10, 2011: The day began with a discussion on the progress of the program. Then a debate was held on issues concerning "the future of euro" and "oil or alternative energy." A video, which was prepared by our school,  functioned as the basis and source of topics for the debate that followed. After lunch, followed  a traditional class  for students and teachers of all schools and presentation of Alqueva, the large dam in Portugal and the climatic changes that occurred because of  the construction.

       Farewell ceremony was followed by an exchange of gifts in a climate of emotion.

 

FRIDAY 11 November 2011: Departure from school at 7:30 to visit Alqueva. One route where we had the opportunity to discover the countryside of Portugal and forests of cork trees. After lunch in Alentejo, we visited the middle-aged city of Evora, which has been designated by UNESKO as a protected archaeological site.

        In the evening followed a dinner at the theater auditorium in the city, in conjunction with the celebration of forty years of the school, which was attended by many teachers.

SATURDAY November 12, 2011: Visit to the historic center of Lisbon and monuments, with the pleasant accompaniment of Portugal fellow teachers and students as well as the parents of students who hosted our students .

SUNDAY 

13 November 2011: Visit to the famous summer palace of the kings of Portugal, in SINDRA. . Last Farewell of Portuguese students at the school, parents and teachers at the airport. Departure for Greece.

   

 EPILOGUE: Through this multiethnic meeting, we feel that we promote mutual understanding, exchange of ideas and views, communication between members of different educational communities. By the way,  naturally and effortlessly, a  happy "metekenosis"is achieved, a metekenosis of  mentalities, attitudes, knowledge, which is necessary to open up horizons in education, through Interdisciplinary and interculturality, to bear the coveted air of renewal in educational methods and practices.

STAMOS, DOMNA, GEORGIA