Template 1 for Calendar 2008

1

Dave’s Birthday

19

Barbara’s

Birthday

Adeyfield School would like to extend a big thank you on behalf of all delegates who attended the above meeting. Particular thanks are extended to the Dyrector Mrs Halina Markowska and Teachers Miss Darota Hury and Mrs Anna Morawska whose warmth and generosity made the meeting a very enjoyable and successful one.

The meeting was coordinated by Mrs Barbara Urbanowicz and Mr David Lane of ADEYFIELD SCHOOL – UK and list of participating delegates included:-

The main AIMS and OBJECTIVES had been to introduce new partners into the already established YEC project by establishing some new initiatives and create some new opportunities for collaborative work between partner schools. The emphasis was placed on Language, Cultural Diversity, Students Attitudes and their Perceptions.

The representatives from the Czech Republic made a request that the proposed project should have an identity to reflect the partnerships new aims and objectives. This was met with approval as the results of the proposal could provide the existing YEC magazine with some additional resources and for the new project an opportunity for publicity.

The Conference got under way on the Wednesday with a short Introductory meeting which lasted just over an hour. Adeyfield School had set up an Exhibition from the previous YEC project outside the Staff Room and in a good position for the Polish Students to view. The delegates were introduced and were able to say a little something about their respective schools. Some School and Community Literature was exchanged and the students nominated for the conference were also introduced.

On the Thursday morning the conference got under way with a brief talk by the coordinators and the group was then divided into two groups chosen by two of the students. The Aim of the morning was to brainstorm some new ideas for the project and then for each group to make a presentation of their findings. The students made the presentation under the guidance of the coordinators and this was very productive with some good ideas on the table.

After a coffee break the teachers were allowed to sit in on a lesson of English or Polish and it was very interesting to see students engaging in conversational English through their normal curriculum activities.

Lunch was in the school and this afforded another opportunity for discussing ideas. This was followed by a cultural visit to Lazienki Palace and Park in the afternoon.

The Friday morning session focussed on the branding of the project and the same groups were engaged in setting a strategy for the project bid and finding a suitable title for the proposal.

The partnership will endeavour to set up a two year project called SWAP (Students’ World – Attitudes and Perceptions)

This will begin with the members of the partnership working in collaboration to establish an International Calendar. Each partner will bid for a month of the year by holding an in-school competition given set criteria. The products will be voted for by the students and the chosen pages will be published on the web site of the schools and the YEC. Each School can then produce hard copies of the chosen months and customise their copy to suite their school sponsors and communities. The first calendar will be ready in time for the first meeting next year subject to agency approval.

Also students in each school will be encouraged to develop a series of unique post cards. These can be used to promote language and cultural understanding in our communities. They could be produced through normal curricular activities involving the likes of Media ICT Language Art or Technology.

Finally the students would produce collaborative Recipe Books in the final year of the project providing permanent resources to educate the future students in our communities and celebrate healthy as well as traditional eating.

The coordinators intend to publish this report to all those who attended the conference in Poland and to those partners who have pledged to stay in touch through the YEC partnership. Following a letter of intent from those wishing to participate, Adeyfield School will prepare and share the application forms in good time for the February 2008 deadline. Once the proposed partnership is established the collaborative work will begin so that the first objective can be met at the first meeting.

The venue for that first meeting will be agreed by voting once the list of participants is available.