ERASMUS+ KA2 GREENOPOLIS 1st MEETING IN POLAND JAN 2020

The Environmental Education Center of Vamos participated in the First International Meeting of the approved Erasmus + KA201 program "GREENOPOLIS - INTERACTIVE EBOOK ON SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT" PROJECT NUMBER 2019-1-PL01-KA201-064753 on 27 and 28 January 2020, held at Nova Wies, Czudec, Poland. On behalf of EEC of Vamos, the Deputy Head Papadogiannaki Konstantina and the member of the Pedagogical Team Eleni Despotidou participated.

A total of six organizations from four different countries (Croatia, Portugal, Poland and Greece) are participating in this international program. It is coordinated by Szkoła Podstawowa im. ks. Jana Twardowskiego w Nowej Wsi Nowa Wies and the participating parties are: from Greece, the Environmental Education Center of Vamos, from Portugal the companies ADVANCIS and BOON who specialize in the production of electronic educational material, from Poland ''Szkola Podstawowa' (Primary School and Kindergarten located  in Nova Wies) and the ''Center for Education and Entrepreneurship Support'', an NGO involved in the organizational support of educational institutions, from Croatia ''Dječji vrtić "Radost', a nursery school and kindergarten that includes 43 educational groups.

The Strategic Partnership Plan in the Education Sector aims to develop innovative pedagogy that uses the interactive e-book as a tool to promote Environmental Education for Sustainable Development in children aged 3 to 6 years, increasing their interest, through play. Within the framework of the Plan, an educational interactive e-book will be created to be used in environments of formal, non-formal and informal education. At the same time, a Guide for the use of the e-book and Parallel Educational Activities will be created, so that it can be used pedagogically by teachers. Presentations of the e-book, when ready, will be made in all participating countries, to teachers and additional pilot training for all in Chania in Greece.

At the first Meeting of this Strategic Partnership held in January 2020 at Szkoła Podstawowa im. ks. Jana Twardowskiego w Nowej Wsi Nowa Wies the approved Plan was presented. The participating organizations presented their action, the timetables were analyzed and the continuation was planned. The Environmental Education Center of Vamos undertook the part of pedagogical documentation and the definition of pedagogical goals and objectives.

ERASMUS+ KA1 MOBILITY TO ITALY 2017

The member of the Pedagogical Group of the Environmental Center of Vamos, Eleni Despotidou, attended the seminar “Facing Diversity: Intercultural Classroom Management” organized by Europass Teacher Academy on 1-7 Octomber in Florence, Italy. This seminar attended teachers/tutors and head masters from Greece, Germany and Hungary and was implemented in English.

This Erasmus+ course is for Teachers (primary, secondary, vocational, adult, special needs), Teacher trainers/ Careers officers, educational guides and counsellors, Headteachers/ Principals and Managers of schools/organizations offering adult education working in multicultural classes and Other (Paid or voluntary) management staff in institutions/ organizations.

Diversity challenges traditional teaching strategies and asks for innovative solutions.  This introductory course addressed issues such as: how is it possible to create a syllabus suitable both for native and for non-native students. How can educators face language and communication difficulties. How can students interact in a productive way regardless of their cultural belonging. 

Through case discussion, sharing of good practices and engaging activities, participants explored intercultural educative practices. They received prompts to foster communication in their classes and explored solutions to plan activities aiming at meeting newcomers’ needs without interrupting the regular didactic flow. Teaching strategies with concrete, across-the-board objectives were presented (role-playing, cooperative learning and many others).

Specifically, the objectives of the seminar were as follows:

·      Students’ different learning approaches: knowing about them to be able to choose the correct teaching strategies,

·      Ability to choose suitable methods for different classes, contexts and moments during the lesson,

·      Teaching strategies with concrete, across the board objectives: roleplaying, cooperative learning,

·      Expertise related to intercultural communication.

Overall the course helped participants gain broader awareness about different learning approaches, intercultural communication, innovative methods, and how to convert diversity from burden to opportunity.

EUROPASS is an international course provider with over 15 years experience in organizing courses for European teachers.  The main trainer of the seminars was Sheila Crown, English teacher. 

ERASMUS+ KA1 MOBILITY TO ICELAND 2017

The member of the Paedagogical Group of the Environmental Center of Vamos, Adriana Bassiou, attended the seminar "Sensitisation with Reference to Migration, Racism and Discrimination" organized by Intercultural Iceland on 24-30 September in Borgarnes, Iceland.

    The seminar was attended by teachers from different European countries (Spain, Germany, Sweden, Hungary and Italy). The aim of the seminar is for schools and teachers to become aware and sensitive about stereotypes, prejudices, discrimination and inclusion and to know how to deal with these issues with their students. In addition, they develop basic practices in the above areas and acquire clear goals and strategies to improve pupils' communication skills and intercultural competences, using well-structured and creative methods of collaboration.

   The methodology followed in the curriculum was more practical than theoretical, through collaborative work, various activities, debates, and practical training examples. Short lectures took place among the activities aiming at’’ learning by doing’’. All participants discussed and presented activities in English and developed lesson plans that educate their students and their colleagues in social and intercultural competences and raise awareness of these issues.

  Specifically, the objectives of the seminar were as follows:

• Teachers and students to become open, critical and active citizens

• Learn to live and work with others and learn to appreciate diversity

• To make students the center of learning and to strengthen and assess different skills and competences

• Students have access to these skills and competences as supportive aspects of the curriculum

• Teachers become sensitive to issues such as stereotypes, prejudices, discrimination, exclusion and racism

• Teachers learn how to teach and discuss these topics in different age groups

• Teachers learn how to create a safe class environment of trust and security

   Intercultural Iceland is a non-profit consortium that develops innovative educational initiatives and offers a wide range of interdisciplinary expertise and training activities. It was founded in 2003 in Reykjavik, Iceland. The main objectives of ICI are: To combat all forms of prejudice and discrimination through purposeful consultation and education, and to provide practical teacher training, to enhance the awareness of the benefits of diversity and of immigrants as enrichment for every society, the provision of professional interpretation and translation services and the improvement of immigrant access to information and active citizenship. The main trainer of the seminars is the founder of ICI, Guðrún Pétursdóttir.