Title of the meeting

Addressing cultural diversity

The third learning activity 

Short-term exchanges of groups of pupils

Date: 14th - 18th March 2022

City: Czeladz

School: Szkola Podstawowa nr 2 im. Marii Konopnickiej

The students’ exchange in Poland took place from the 14th to 18th of March 2022. It was postopned due to Covid pandemic situation. Moreover, because of the war outbreak in Ukraine only the Portuguese, Slovakian and Turkish partners took part in the meeting. The Dutch and the Irish partners decided not to arrive as they had put their safety in high concern and the situation beside the Polish – Ukrainian boarder was diffilult to predict.

The coordinator of the project Mr Henk Frenken joined the opening ceremony online. Together with the Polish hosts he welcomed all guests and wished effective work over the project tasks and best results.

During the exchange students worked on the following activities:

1. „Healthy mind in a healthy body” – first students discussed all the benefits of healthy lifestyle and watched short educational films which put emphasis on the importance of proper nutrition and physical activity. Finally, students and teachers played a volleyball match together.
2. Preparing a videoclip – both, the group of students and teachers, were invited to a professional recording studio. Before that the participants were asked to choose through voting the best song in their opinion. They chose „Believer” by Imagine Dragons and pracised singing it and learning the lyrics by heart. At the recording studio they had a chance to record the song and later make a video.
3. Polish students together with teachers involved in the project designed desk calendars, sweets „Krówka” and notebooks with the logos of the ‘Inside Out’ project, Erasmus+ programme and all partners’ flags. All these were handed in during the closing ceremony.

Students who were involved in the project were choosen through questionnaires which asked about their knowledge of English and their expectations towards the project. For some of them, participating in the project was the only opportunity to travel abroad as their financial status had never let them do so. Some were special need students ie. with Asperger syndrome, hearing loss or dyslexia.

Teachers who took part in the project were mainly those who knew English at least at a communicative level. Besides the school coordinator who taught English, they were the teachers of Polish, Maths, Physical Education, IT and Art. It was a great change to improve their language skills and exchange experiences with foreign teachers. What is more, they had the possibility to see the differences among the systems of education in each country.

Students’ parents also played an important role in the project. They always assisted their children and teachers in all tasks. They helped with the organisation of the exchange in Poland. They not only gave their ideas but also accompanied the meetings. Moreover, they hosted foreign students in their houses and carefully looked after them.