Italy in May 2010
Summary of the meeting
Meeting in Fasano, Italy 5.5.-8.5.2010
1. What have we been doing since last meeting at school. Introducing the visitors.
Everyone has been able to attend this time! Regardless of the storm, ash etc. The project has kept everyone buzy.
2. Presentation of the architect
Germany: Julia presented the half-timber oak house with a hand-made rebuildable miniature model. Then she presented Friedrich Stowasser, the famous German artist and architect from the 20th century, later known as Friedensreich Hundertwasser. Along with his works we saw some nice drawings made by children, inspired by Hunderwasser. Wonderful!!
Regina presented Johann Leonard Dienzenhofer, a 18th century architect whose buildings we saw i.e. in Bamberg, with posters made by children.
Finland: Finland presented Alvar Aalto with a “building lifeline”, scetches and paintings made by children about the Aalto buildings, Aalto design by me -posters, Blue1-magazine, Aalto museum papers and leaflets, and Savoy-shaped mobile jewellery. Vesa presented the Jyväskylä Lyceum miniature model.
France: Sylvie presented the fish bone construction research of the “ramparts”, city walls. Christine presented pictures-and-questionnaires-orienteering-game and a house colour game made for her small students. Sylvie presented the famous Le Corbusier, the inventor of don’t-step-out-of-the-resting-stool architecture. French children had made posters of the mill construction of La Fontaine de Vacluse, and Louvre, with Jean Nouvel, and the castles in Le Thor/Thouzon. They had also made an informative and beautiful model of the architectural history of the area with the most famous buildings.
Ireland: Claire presented the nice miniature models of a keep and fort, and told us about the historical phases of Bunratty castle. The miniature was made by her carpenter husband! She also told about the present day activities of Bunratty castle.
Turkey: Yesim presented everything they have done with their project houses. They had a miniature model of the Maiden Tower, a glass painting from the Hidden palace, a presentation and a miniature of an “Istanbul house”, and a miniature model of a very old fort/castle “Rumeli hisari” made by students, plus it’s history. Turkish children had also made a ceramic scenery photo of Istanbul.
The Turkish architect presented was Mimar Sinan, a genius from 16th century, a designer of i.e. Selimiye mosque, presented also by Yesim. Children had made wonderful posters with pictures and writings about mr. Sinan.
Italy: Arianna presented their architect, and a power point presentation of their project houses trullo and masseria.
3. English books
Every country brought the example books from the 1st English studying year and they were exchanged.
4. What shall we do before the next meeting:
- an exhibition at school
- teaching the dances
- presenting the English books at school
5.Website
Jesse gave a lesson on the website for the Germans and the Irish. Everybody should update their web pages during the project. Especially the page ” The schools of the project” should be ready by each country in the end of this term.
6. Evaluating the project this far. Brainstorming.
Each country must give a report for the EU after this first year. Here are some tips for you:
Opinions about the first year:
- Italy: time is a problem – children only work in the morning, and there simply is not enough time for the project work beside obligatory lessons. Some teachers have to be persuated to give the students time for the project. On the other side, children are really into this project. They feel involved and enjoy especially the visits. Another positive side are the contacts – visiting and getting to know the particitants’cultures and countries, and improving English skills.
- Germany also feels that time is a problem. The curriculum is so wide so it’s hard to integrate the project into it. But the children are motivated.
- France: same problems. Less money and more work year after year. The problem with the small children was to get their interest in the subject?
- Turkey: Curriculum has so much stuff in it, that teachers don’t have time to do everything. They’ve had extra time for this project. Children have been really excited about the project. Also using the Skype was a big thing for children.
- Ireland: Different people go to meetings every time, so continuity is a problem. Information of the project doesn’t reach everyone. Curriculum was changed and some themes of the project were integrated in it.
-Finland: Time was a problem. Also the location of the buildings is problematic, because we need to travel by bus (and there’s not that much money from the city for bus tickets). One main thing in this project was to have a long term involvement in the project. Children are motivated to work with the project when they see the products of the other groups and countries.
Skype motivates and improves language skills as well as writing the letters.
- Skype should be used more. If used, we should keep it simple (so that children can just sing a song or something). Finland has skype, so does Turkey, Italy and Ireland. France might get it. Germany?!?
7.Dances:
Teachers can teach each dance in their school.
Dances were taught and we have the music and steps for the dances. Ireland will give more instructions in September.
Turkey. Could you inform us about the music?????
8.Meeting in Ireland
- Arriving on Tuesday 28th September, leaving on Saturday 2nd October. Every country should arrive on Tuesday and leave on Saturday (unless some want to have extra time in Ireland, that’s ok).
- Bed and breakfast accommodation near the school??
9.What shall we do there and bring there with us??
- Detailed plans for the 2nd year
- Detailed plans for the term to January
- Every country should bring a simple well known children’s game It can be anything that children play i.e. on breaks.
Each country teach the game for the Irish pupils and give the rules for the others.
- presentation of the exhibition and dances ( video)
- handcrafts model ( paper…)
Thank you very much for this first year and especially the hosts Germany, France and Italy!!! Every country has been working very hard .We must just think that the official curriculum is perhaps not the thing children will remember from their school. The thing can be for example these projects they do and the international connections they get!!
Have a nice summer and see you in Ireland!!!
1. What have we been doing since last meeting at school. Introducing the visitors.
Everyone has been able to attend this time! Regardless of the storm, ash etc. The project has kept everyone buzy.
2. Presentation of the architect
Germany: Julia presented the half-timber oak house with a hand-made rebuildable miniature model. Then she presented Friedrich Stowasser, the famous German artist and architect from the 20th century, later known as Friedensreich Hundertwasser. Along with his works we saw some nice drawings made by children, inspired by Hunderwasser. Wonderful!!
Regina presented Johann Leonard Dienzenhofer, a 18th century architect whose buildings we saw i.e. in Bamberg, with posters made by children.
Finland: Finland presented Alvar Aalto with a “building lifeline”, scetches and paintings made by children about the Aalto buildings, Aalto design by me -posters, Blue1-magazine, Aalto museum papers and leaflets, and Savoy-shaped mobile jewellery. Vesa presented the Jyväskylä Lyceum miniature model.
France: Sylvie presented the fish bone construction research of the “ramparts”, city walls. Christine presented pictures-and-questionnaires-orienteering-game and a house colour game made for her small students. Sylvie presented the famous Le Corbusier, the inventor of don’t-step-out-of-the-resting-stool architecture. French children had made posters of the mill construction of La Fontaine de Vacluse, and Louvre, with Jean Nouvel, and the castles in Le Thor/Thouzon. They had also made an informative and beautiful model of the architectural history of the area with the most famous buildings.
Ireland: Claire presented the nice miniature models of a keep and fort, and told us about the historical phases of Bunratty castle. The miniature was made by her carpenter husband! She also told about the present day activities of Bunratty castle.
Turkey: Yesim presented everything they have done with their project houses. They had a miniature model of the Maiden Tower, a glass painting from the Hidden palace, a presentation and a miniature of an “Istanbul house”, and a miniature model of a very old fort/castle “Rumeli hisari” made by students, plus it’s history. Turkish children had also made a ceramic scenery photo of Istanbul.
The Turkish architect presented was Mimar Sinan, a genius from 16th century, a designer of i.e. Selimiye mosque, presented also by Yesim. Children had made wonderful posters with pictures and writings about mr. Sinan.
Italy: Arianna presented their architect, and a power point presentation of their project houses trullo and masseria.
3. English books
Every country brought the example books from the 1st English studying year and they were exchanged.
4. What shall we do before the next meeting:
- an exhibition at school
- teaching the dances
- presenting the English books at school
5.Website
Jesse gave a lesson on the website for the Germans and the Irish. Everybody should update their web pages during the project. Especially the page ” The schools of the project” should be ready by each country in the end of this term.
6. Evaluating the project this far. Brainstorming.
Each country must give a report for the EU after this first year. Here are some tips for you:
Opinions about the first year:
- Italy: time is a problem – children only work in the morning, and there simply is not enough time for the project work beside obligatory lessons. Some teachers have to be persuated to give the students time for the project. On the other side, children are really into this project. They feel involved and enjoy especially the visits. Another positive side are the contacts – visiting and getting to know the particitants’cultures and countries, and improving English skills.
- Germany also feels that time is a problem. The curriculum is so wide so it’s hard to integrate the project into it. But the children are motivated.
- France: same problems. Less money and more work year after year. The problem with the small children was to get their interest in the subject?
- Turkey: Curriculum has so much stuff in it, that teachers don’t have time to do everything. They’ve had extra time for this project. Children have been really excited about the project. Also using the Skype was a big thing for children.
- Ireland: Different people go to meetings every time, so continuity is a problem. Information of the project doesn’t reach everyone. Curriculum was changed and some themes of the project were integrated in it.
-Finland: Time was a problem. Also the location of the buildings is problematic, because we need to travel by bus (and there’s not that much money from the city for bus tickets). One main thing in this project was to have a long term involvement in the project. Children are motivated to work with the project when they see the products of the other groups and countries.
Skype motivates and improves language skills as well as writing the letters.
- Skype should be used more. If used, we should keep it simple (so that children can just sing a song or something). Finland has skype, so does Turkey, Italy and Ireland. France might get it. Germany?!?
7.Dances:
Teachers can teach each dance in their school.
Dances were taught and we have the music and steps for the dances. Ireland will give more instructions in September.
Turkey. Could you inform us about the music?????
8.Meeting in Ireland
- Arriving on Tuesday 28th September, leaving on Saturday 2nd October. Every country should arrive on Tuesday and leave on Saturday (unless some want to have extra time in Ireland, that’s ok).
- Bed and breakfast accommodation near the school??
9.What shall we do there and bring there with us??
- Detailed plans for the 2nd year
- Detailed plans for the term to January
- Every country should bring a simple well known children’s game It can be anything that children play i.e. on breaks.
Each country teach the game for the Irish pupils and give the rules for the others.
- presentation of the exhibition and dances ( video)
- handcrafts model ( paper…)
Thank you very much for this first year and especially the hosts Germany, France and Italy!!! Every country has been working very hard .We must just think that the official curriculum is perhaps not the thing children will remember from their school. The thing can be for example these projects they do and the international connections they get!!
Have a nice summer and see you in Ireland!!!