Ireland in September 2010
The summary of the meeting
Meeting in Inagh from the 27th of September to the 2nd October
The Irish welcomed us with a wonderful session in the school hall with dancing, singing and poetry. The pupils also taught us the Siege of Ennis dance.
After coffee we had a school tour and saw the normal classrooms and the classrooms for children with special needs.
1. What have the participants been doing at school since last meeting
Ireland: The Irish team has photocopied the Bunratty project for every participating country to bring back home. The Cliffs of Mohar project has started with observing the visitor centre. They have learned the Irish dance “Siege of Ennis”. Local papers made an article on the Irish project.
Italy: The Italian team had introduced all the materials from the previous meeting (music, drawings, etc.) for the pupils. The school started the 16th of September, so there was no time to do anything else.
France: Also the French pupils started school two weeks ago, so they have had no time continue the project, but brought traditional games and music with them now.
Germany: Same problems with time, but they have brought a portfolio for every participating country including e.g. handicraft models, games, photos, architectural plan of the Memmelsdorf church. Germany also presented a video of a national dance in national costumes and a dvd of children dancing three national dances.
Finland: The Finnish taught the dances at school and have a dvd of the Dancing Day we organised in Spring for everyone. We arranged an exhibition of the Comenius works ( also on DVD)and have a questionnaire for the children coming up.
Turkey: Problems with time, the school started 20th of September. Also the school building is being repaired because of the last big earthquake (-99), which causes some difficulties in organising classes to work with the project. Meral danced the beautiful Turkish heroine dance in a national costume in the opening session. Turkey also presented a dvd of a Turkish dance, but unfortunately we weren’t able to open it.
2. Teaching the games for the pupils – instructions in English
Finland presented the Jolly Jumper game.
France presented the Hopscotch game and some other games invented by the children. The had made a lovely dvd of some games and likes and dislikes.
Italy presented the game of pebbles with some authentic Italian stones for every group.
Turkey presented the Handkerchief Snap game.
Country groups taught the games for the children on Thursday morning. FUN!!! Children also taught Jon and Jesse to play hurling.
3. Local media contacts
Finland: Jyväskylä University paper made an article on Hannalea’s class
Ireland: The local magazine
Italy: The school paper
4. The second year
This year the focus will be on the environmental impact of the building, e.g. recycling, pollution, energy conservation, water and the same time the importance of maintaining local traditions. A common review will be done at the end of the project in each school. This review process will be decided upon at one of our meetings and the results will be shared at the final meeting
Each teacher decides, which environmental and traditional aspects he/she will concentrate on with the class.
- Plans for the whole 2nd year
- collect a list of environmental aspects for each building
- Skype connections
- co-operation between the pupils: pen-pals etc.
- detailed plans for the next meeting ( environmental and cultural activities)
- Which could be the environmental aspects:
- cultural and architectural surroundings, energy conservation, future development (e.g. in a 100 years), streets around the building, plants, architecture, materials of the building, pollution, improvements for the building to make it more environmentally friendly, the use of wood, nature surrounding the buildings (e.g. plants, trees), nature conservation, changes on the meaning of the building, farming, gardening, heating and cooking systems, how the purpose of the building has changed with time.
- The traditions/ cultural aspects:
- art, music, national costumes, food, crafts, folk songs, annual religious festivities
5. Next meeting in Turkey
- The meeting will be the 11th--15th of January.
- Participants: Germany 5, France 3, Finland 3-4, Ireland 3, Italy ?
- cultural/traditional lessons: be ready to teach a simple traditional song/rhyme/poem for everyone ( your own language)
- questionnaire for the final review: facts or opinions about the project, gathered from the pupils involved in the project and all the teachers (?). And ideas for the future:
children’s opinions on what they would like to learn about other European countries
- the Turkish team will arrange a hotel deal for the whole group
6. What shall we do before going to Turkey?
- a presentation of religious festivals (food, decorations etc.)
- national costumes ( pictures, backgrounds, colouring models..)
- a short folk song in your own language
- a declaration of how to be a good citizen by pupils
Some ideas the countries might be working with:
Italy: meaning of the building
France: plants, conservation
Finland: plants, meaning of the building, music…
Turkey: streets around the building, meaning of the building
Ireland: streets around the building, conservation, future development of the house
7. Meeting in Finland will be on Tue. 24th –sat. 28th.
In spring, countries will be working more with the environmental aspects of the building. More detailed plans will be made in Turkey.
An enormous thank you for participating to the meeting. The Irish team – you had done a brilliant work. We all got a wide view about Irish traditions, touristic sights and your school ( children and staff). We had a great time at school when co-operating with the pupils. Our pockets are full of memories .
Thank you all for the great time together – now we turn towards Turkey and January! See you all there! Let’s continue our work with mr. Comenius.
The Irish welcomed us with a wonderful session in the school hall with dancing, singing and poetry. The pupils also taught us the Siege of Ennis dance.
After coffee we had a school tour and saw the normal classrooms and the classrooms for children with special needs.
1. What have the participants been doing at school since last meeting
Ireland: The Irish team has photocopied the Bunratty project for every participating country to bring back home. The Cliffs of Mohar project has started with observing the visitor centre. They have learned the Irish dance “Siege of Ennis”. Local papers made an article on the Irish project.
Italy: The Italian team had introduced all the materials from the previous meeting (music, drawings, etc.) for the pupils. The school started the 16th of September, so there was no time to do anything else.
France: Also the French pupils started school two weeks ago, so they have had no time continue the project, but brought traditional games and music with them now.
Germany: Same problems with time, but they have brought a portfolio for every participating country including e.g. handicraft models, games, photos, architectural plan of the Memmelsdorf church. Germany also presented a video of a national dance in national costumes and a dvd of children dancing three national dances.
Finland: The Finnish taught the dances at school and have a dvd of the Dancing Day we organised in Spring for everyone. We arranged an exhibition of the Comenius works ( also on DVD)and have a questionnaire for the children coming up.
Turkey: Problems with time, the school started 20th of September. Also the school building is being repaired because of the last big earthquake (-99), which causes some difficulties in organising classes to work with the project. Meral danced the beautiful Turkish heroine dance in a national costume in the opening session. Turkey also presented a dvd of a Turkish dance, but unfortunately we weren’t able to open it.
2. Teaching the games for the pupils – instructions in English
Finland presented the Jolly Jumper game.
France presented the Hopscotch game and some other games invented by the children. The had made a lovely dvd of some games and likes and dislikes.
Italy presented the game of pebbles with some authentic Italian stones for every group.
Turkey presented the Handkerchief Snap game.
Country groups taught the games for the children on Thursday morning. FUN!!! Children also taught Jon and Jesse to play hurling.
3. Local media contacts
Finland: Jyväskylä University paper made an article on Hannalea’s class
Ireland: The local magazine
Italy: The school paper
4. The second year
This year the focus will be on the environmental impact of the building, e.g. recycling, pollution, energy conservation, water and the same time the importance of maintaining local traditions. A common review will be done at the end of the project in each school. This review process will be decided upon at one of our meetings and the results will be shared at the final meeting
Each teacher decides, which environmental and traditional aspects he/she will concentrate on with the class.
- Plans for the whole 2nd year
- collect a list of environmental aspects for each building
- Skype connections
- co-operation between the pupils: pen-pals etc.
- detailed plans for the next meeting ( environmental and cultural activities)
- Which could be the environmental aspects:
- cultural and architectural surroundings, energy conservation, future development (e.g. in a 100 years), streets around the building, plants, architecture, materials of the building, pollution, improvements for the building to make it more environmentally friendly, the use of wood, nature surrounding the buildings (e.g. plants, trees), nature conservation, changes on the meaning of the building, farming, gardening, heating and cooking systems, how the purpose of the building has changed with time.
- The traditions/ cultural aspects:
- art, music, national costumes, food, crafts, folk songs, annual religious festivities
5. Next meeting in Turkey
- The meeting will be the 11th--15th of January.
- Participants: Germany 5, France 3, Finland 3-4, Ireland 3, Italy ?
- cultural/traditional lessons: be ready to teach a simple traditional song/rhyme/poem for everyone ( your own language)
- questionnaire for the final review: facts or opinions about the project, gathered from the pupils involved in the project and all the teachers (?). And ideas for the future:
children’s opinions on what they would like to learn about other European countries
- the Turkish team will arrange a hotel deal for the whole group
6. What shall we do before going to Turkey?
- a presentation of religious festivals (food, decorations etc.)
- national costumes ( pictures, backgrounds, colouring models..)
- a short folk song in your own language
- a declaration of how to be a good citizen by pupils
Some ideas the countries might be working with:
Italy: meaning of the building
France: plants, conservation
Finland: plants, meaning of the building, music…
Turkey: streets around the building, meaning of the building
Ireland: streets around the building, conservation, future development of the house
7. Meeting in Finland will be on Tue. 24th –sat. 28th.
In spring, countries will be working more with the environmental aspects of the building. More detailed plans will be made in Turkey.
An enormous thank you for participating to the meeting. The Irish team – you had done a brilliant work. We all got a wide view about Irish traditions, touristic sights and your school ( children and staff). We had a great time at school when co-operating with the pupils. Our pockets are full of memories .
Thank you all for the great time together – now we turn towards Turkey and January! See you all there! Let’s continue our work with mr. Comenius.