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Culture & education course: Study visit and workshops: How Belgian culture found its way into the classroom - Gent, Belgija

  • Belguim, from Aug.16 to Aug.22 2021.

    Participant from Primary school Domžale: Daša Sojer

    The course was attended with 7 participants (2 from Canarian island, 1 from Spain, 3 from Greece, 1 from Slovenia). Our guide and main trainer was Aendrik De Brant from gent, Belgium.

    Pic1: Our group

    1st day MELLE AND GENT We visited secundary school in Melle. There are 600 students and it is Chatolic school. They also have an internat for 300 students. We have also presentation about school system in Belgum.

    More on: Prezi: https://prezi.com/pdzfkmmm5gft/education-in-flanders-belgium/?present=1
    Secondary school: https://www.collegemelle.be/secundair/studierichtingen
    Primary school: based on learning objectives: https://zill.katholiekonderwijs.vlaanderen/#!/leerinhoud 

    Although we know that it would take a lifetime to get to know a city, with a local teacher (lover of the city) and some good companions, it is enough to know the most important places of this city. 
    Gent is not only impressive for its historical legacy in combination with daily life that, give us anecdotes such as: the two candy stores' owners that fight daily for their rivalry in who created the sweet first.
    We could also see a part of the city that it is not often seen by many of its citizens as we went inside the tower where the fencing guild practise their sport. Moreover, we could see different spots that are important for people today as, for instance, the beer bar that sells more than 500 types of beer or the only alley where graffiti art is permitted.

    ​​​​​​​Pic2: College Melle

    Pic3: Inside one of classroom - science classroom

    ​​​​​​​Pic4: Internat

    Pic5: Brevery visit in the afternoon

    ​​​​​​​Pic6: Night cty walk with local guide

     

    2nd day: BRUGGE AND ACTIONBOUND

    Actionbound is an app for playing digitally interactive scavenger hunts to lead the learner on a path of discovery. We call these multimedia based hunts 'Bounds'.
    The program quite literally augments our reality by enhancing students’ real-life interaction whilst using their smartphones and tablets. Create your app-based DIY escape game, a digital timeline of events or a places of interest tour, with the use of GPS coordinates and pre-placed codes and mysteries.

    We use this app to explore a beautiful medieval city Brugges.

    ​​​​​​​Pic7: Brugges

     

    3rd day: ANTWERPEN

    We wisited two different museums. 

    Red star line museum: Two million passengers boarded Red Star Line steamers and crossed the ocean from Antwerp to North America. The museum portrays their journey of being transported by the shipping company and leaving the city and harbour. The stories of the passengers are the main element of the exhibition. The era in which the exodus took place, between 1873 and late 1934, is shown in a broad social context. Migration and human mobility have always existed: millions of people all over the world left (and continue to leave) the familiar behind, looking for a new future.

    We also enjoyed the spectacular view of the city from the top of MAS museum and we walked along the picturesque streets and alleys of Antwerp, impressed by the imposing buildings and monuments. We've visited a World renowned Artist-Chocolatier in a palace kitchen.

    ​​​​​​​Pic8: Red star line museum in Antwerp - a great story of migration

    ​​​​​​​Pic9: Mass Museum

     

    4th day: BRUSSELS

    We had a guided visit around the city and witnessed the contrast between poverty and wealth by visiting the less privileged as well as the city centre.
    In this multicultural city we admired the Grand Place, the Atomium, the Manneken Pis, the House of Justice and the Tin Tin museum.

    In the Plantin- Moretus typography museum we had a first hand experience of Plantin's workshop,which is a world heritage site.We admired Ruben's paintings and we learned a lot about typography through the dozens of books on display and the equipment used for their production.

    We ended the day with an official moment: the certifications.

    ​​​​​​​Pic10: Brussels city centre

    5th day: CHOCOLATE WORKSHOP

    in a place that was lovingly given to us by the Carmelite nuns, our Teacher Aendrik, to get to know the Flemish culture, transformed us with his magic wand of knowledge, into chocolate producers.
    He told us about the raw materials, how to make chocolate and the important role played by choosing the right temperature. We were particularly impressed by the attention we had to pay to the creation of the outer shell.
    Each of us created our own unique chocolates, after imaginatively combining the ingredients he chose for the filling and the shape he wanted to give them ..
    We thank the nuns for their patience, but also Aendrik for the amazing experience. We look forwardwe teach him our own traditional product if he ever visits our country.

    ​​​​​​​Pic11: Chocolate workshop - we made a traditional Belgium chocolate

    6th day: FLANDERS FIELDS

    We made a one day trip to Flander fields. We connect coulture and nature with wisiting some natural and artificial landmarks, such as depression, dunes etc.

    ​​​​​​​Pic12: A large proportion of electricity is produced in wind farms

    ​​​​​​​Pic13: Dunes

    ​​​​​​​Pic14: Some pastures are fenced with a barbed wire. In Slovenia it is forbiden.