After visiting Poland, Special Teachers in Aver-O-Mar School produced some games for both SEN and regular students to play. These gamesare now displayed on the project’s blog and have different degrees of difficulty.
Teachers used the applications suggested in Learningapps.org in order to create games that, in a playful way, mobilized skills to built knowledge.
Therefore, there are question and answer quizzes upon video observation, matching games with i.d.e.a. mascotsor crosswords activities in English and Portuguese languages.
In the pictures below, some SEN pupils play a matching game and watch a video featured after a book called “O Som das Cores” (The sound of the colors) and, step by step, answer questions related to the lyrics that they are listening to.
Students enjoyed these activities and the portuguese team hopes other students can play these games as well.
The 2nd short term joint staff training event of the project I.D.E.A.!
Together We Can! - Individuals with Disabilities Education Aim - took place
in Bytom, Poland from 03rd to 9th March and successfully accomplished.
There were 27
participants - teachers, coordinators, education staff and students – meeting
at Szkola Podstawowa Specjalna nr 40 in Bytom to attend several
training sessions and workshops, concerning Polish Educational System,
Biofeedback Therapy, use of Technology in class, Art Therapy, cooperative
commitments to University of Third Age or Vocational High Schools, Local
Heritage and National Culture, thus enhancing knowledge and the exchange of
good practices or experiences that will enlarge, in return, teaching methods
and an European citizenship in each partner’s school.
All planned
activities focused on how to teach students with special needs and promote
their developmental skills and social inclusion.
The Polish
team was dedicated and tireless throughout the mobility, planned and organized
all activities carefully, following the project’s plan, gave support to
partners at all time, ensuring their safety and well being; they were always
present, escorting the group and providing translation for each activity and
immediate communication with and within the international group.
Sunday
03-03-2019:
It was
arrival day for partners although at different schedules.
In the
evening, we all had dinner at the Kawiarnia Suplement, a restaurant in
the heart of Bytom, located in a typical square. An interesting place, with
excellent dishes, a moment to start tasting Polish gastronomy and socializing.
This was the
first contact that we had with Polish culture, a mix of multiculturalism and
gastronomy. Gastronomy represents an important element of social
differentiation, therefore, knowing and experiencing other food practices is a
valuable element for integration and inclusion, values that we want very much
present in our project and schools.
Monday
04-03-2019:
At Bytom's
school Szkola Podstawowa no. 40.
At 8:15 A.M.
the group arrived at the host school. The reception moment began with a special
education student kindly welcoming visitors at his school. Then, the school
headmistress – Mrs. Romualda Procek – presented herself and gave her official
welcoming speech. The coordinator, Patrycja Pytlik, introduced partners to
students, parents and staff gathered in the school hall for the reception
meeting.
The whole
school was decorated with works that called our attention. The works showed the
concern in portraying each partner country, but there were also some items of
the I.D.E.A. project - Together we can!
Then, we were
offered the opportunity to attend "The Selfish Giant", a theatrical
play with music, mime and dance superbly performed by the students of the
school. It was very pleasant and conveyed the appropriate message that
"Only those who are good are happy," which delighted us.
After that,
each country involved in the project was asked to briefly present itself, gifts
portraying the different partner’s cultures were given to the school by each
coordinator. A moment to show that those partners they had been learning about
in class were real and that their language, cultural icons, souvenirs would
stay in their school for them to observe, play and learn.
There was
also time to visit the school premises. As it was only aimed at teaching
students with educational needs, it was not surprising that the classrooms and
support offices (where therapies were developed, namely occupational and speech
therapies, as well as the "Biofeedback" therapy) were small, since the
classes were made up of a very small number of students. We did not find a
canteen but later we realized that students do not have lunch at school, since
they have two "reinforced snacks" and are free at 3 P.M.. It was nice
to see that the spaces were warm, so the school turned out to be welcoming and
cozy.
Mid morning,
there was time for a coffee break, nicely served in the teacher’s room, and
some “getting to know each other” integration activities between visitors and
hosts.
At 10:00 A.M.
it took place, in the Town Hall, a meeting with Deputy Mayor of Bytom, Mr. Adam
Fras, that due to a last minute official commitment, was represented by the
Vice President responsible for education and culture. First there was a brief
speech by the main coordinator of the project, Mrs. Tanja Nikolovski,
explaining its goals and objectives, then the vice-president of Bytom, welcomed
the group, stated the importance of such exchanges for the local community and
the pride of hosting different countries in Bytom; gifts were exchanged between
the schools and this representative of the local authority, strengthening
bounds between people and cultures. A photo was taken for future memory and
shared within local official media, which can be seen in www.bytom.pl/razem-mozemy-wiecej1, publication date 5th march 2019.
Back in
school, it was time for “getting to know each other” activities in classrooms.
Each country joined a class, groups presented themselves and visitors taught a
dance/music from their country. There was time for some rehearsal,
translation of lyrics, showing and learning dancing gestures and steps to the
rhythm of the music. It was a lot of fun because the students joined with
enthusiasm. It should be noted that the rooms were decorated with information
from the different countries, namely posters done by students. Later on, the
whole school gathered in the entrance hall to watch the presentations -
dance/music - that each country had rehearsed in class with students. It was a
very special moment, since all were united by the melting pot of different
traditions and cultural performances, a very brief showcase of the project.
After lunch,
served in school, partners attended a presentation about the Polish Education
System and could notice differences, or not, in comparison to their own
Education Systems. In Poland, formal education starts at the age of 7
throughout 7 years of schooling, divided into two stages, three years in which
teaching is guided by one teacher, and 4 years, fragmented in different
subjects with different teachers. With regard to special education, students
with needs (cognitive, social, behavioral problems...) usually start their
course in mainstream education schools, but end up, at their parents' option,
attending special schools.
The rest of
the afternoon was dedicated to workshops. The participants were divided into
groups and went around the rooms to participate in different workshops:
Workshop
Using Technology to motivate students - It consisted of the presentation of technological
tools that can be used in the process of teaching and learning with the
students or as means of motivation for learning. Among the various options
presented, we experimented: Tellagrami - a tool that presents a doll in which
we can put, according to the options presented, hair, color of eyes, clothes...
With this doll each student can make a presentation of himself to the class,
which is still interesting and motivating. Garage Band - Tool that allows you
to work the attention / concentration through beats of music that students will
have to repeat, among many other potentialities. Math Game - Tool that allows
you to develop mental calculus, therefore great for the subject of mathematics.
Jigsaw - Tool that allows you to build puzzles and then play.
Workshop -
Biofeedback therapy - In this
workshop, teachers learnt about Biofeedback Therapy - is a non-drug
treatment in which patients learn to control bodily processes that are normally
involuntary, such as muscle tension, blood pressure, or heart rate - and its
importance to help students control stress, attention, concentration; teachers
were given the opportunity to actually try it and learn how a real session is
organized. Among participants, there was recognition that this therapy must be
very beneficial for the teaching and learning process of SEN students.
Dinner was
served in a typical restaurant “Zalipia". The group tried traditional
Polish food, namely "zurek", a soup on bread, the popular
"Pierogi" or "dumplings", a type of ravioli with various
fillings. Another moment to relax, interact and get cultural awareness of
polish gastronomy and habits.
Tuesday
05-03-2019:
In the
morning, the group visited a Private Institution for Adult Disabled Persons, a
response of Polish Special Education System to try to integrate adult disabled
people. Although private, this institution has some state support. In this
institution, there were various workshops where adult disabled persons
performed useful activities: painting, clay modeling, metal, wool,
embroidery... The group was able to visit each workshop and appreciate the work
being done in there. In fact, these persons, despite all the difficulties
inherent to their limitations, were able to produce various artifacts and
materials to be sold in community sites, the income to be optimized to cover
the necessary expenses of the maintenance of the institution. We learned that
some students were even able to develop some craft work outside the
institution, in one or another company that employed them. Through handicraft,
the institution was able to improve self-esteem, professional guidance,
integration in society and working market for adult persons.
Visitors were
invited to participate in the workshops, which they did with great pleasure,
under the curious and attentive look of the students of the institution.
At the end,
they offered us a small souvenir - a handmade necklace - and all the visitors
returned the gesture with a contribution to the institution, besides making
other purchases of unique objects specially handmade to be sold.
Back to the
host school, teachers and students continued participating in workshops, this
time on Art Therapy – a) Painting like Bartosz Fraczek – after a brief
introduction to the work of Fraczek, the groups were invited to use gouaches,
pastel crayons and others to create pieces of art similar to those of the
polish painter. It was extremely pleasant to see the birth of very interesting
and naïf works from an aesthetic and visual point of view.
b) using
wool, soap and water to make wool flowers: wet wool with a mixture of water and
soap, arranged in layers, which, after well kneaded, scrubbed and washed, was
shaped into a flower.
c) paintings
and collages – collaborative workshop, cooperation with senior retired ladies
that frequently come to school and work together with students, there were
collages with various materials and paintings with brushes and sponges. The
result was a very colorful and interesting combination of creativity and
artistic outputs of art.
All these
workshops made it possible to raise awareness about how far Art can be used as
a therapy in the development of skills and abilities of SEN students, or after
all, of students in general.
At the end,
the group walked back to the hotel, but not before mingling into the host city
of Bytom, after all one of the oldest cities in Upper Silesia, 80 km from
Krakow. Thus, we walked along streets with beautiful Neo-Renaissance buildings
and churches which stood out for the reddish brick and green domes of the bell
towers, side by side with more recent buildings. Naked trees, with dry trunks
and halted by the cold winter, suggested that at any moment the shoots of new
leaves would be born, announcing the spring that was already knocking.
For dinner,
the group moved to NiKiszowiec, in Katowice, to one of Poland’s
National Heritage sites: a housing estate with houses, streets, shops and
church, built in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, where the miners used
to live. It was as if we were back in time, walking in a quarter flanked by red
brick houses in a row with its red and white windows. Magnificent!
The
restaurant, Slaska Prohibicja, located in the Nikiszowiec neighbourhood
served excellent food, once again we had the chance to taste Polish
specialties, namely Silesian dishes as the famous dessert Pavlova in Nikiszu.
Food being indeed a powerful communication tool; through food and the act of
eating, values and culture are communicated and identity meanings related are
produced.
Wednesday
06-03-2019:
The day was
dedicated to discovering and understanding the historical and cultural heritage
in Krakow, the second largest city in Poland. This city was for centuries the
capital of Poland. It is an extremely beautiful city, with hundreds of years of
history perpetuated in its magnificent buildings. The group was able to visit
emblematic sites as the Wawel Castle, the Old Jewish Quarter Kazimierz, the
Ghetto, the Schindler Factory, Rynek Glowny Square, the largest medieval square
in Europe, among other places and monuments. All this central part of Krakow,
was considered World Heritage in 1978 by UNESCO. We were dazzled by its
incredible architecture: historic houses, palaces and sumptuous churches. We
got acquainted with local legends and traveled back in time to World War
II, a time of horror, as could still be felt in the ghetto’s Bohaterów
Square, where each of the 65 chairs fixed there aim to symbolize 1000 Jews
exterminated by the Nazis.
Visiting such
place gave way to an opportunity to witness history and reflect upon the
urgency to preserve premises such as understanding, respect, endurance,
multiculturalism, segregation, acceptance in a world still “at war”.
Thursday
07-03-2019:
The purpose
of this day was to visit Auschwitz, one of the world's main Nazi concentration
camps, where thousands of Jews, gypsies and other minorities were wiped out in
a cruel and inhumane way.
Everything
can be history, however, 'He who does not remember history is condemned to live
it again' (George Santayana; recorded on one of the walls in Auschwitz).
So no one
goes to Auschwitz with impunity: let us confront the inhumanity of humanity. A
guide was waiting for us and with a low paused voice, she described life in the
camp. At the entrance of the camp, the infamous "Arbeit Macht frei",
for a place where the "Final Solution" was rehearsed amongst barbed
wire.
Auschwitz I
is the smallest camp, but perhaps the place where the most "shocking"
objects are shown: loads of suitcases, glasses, shoes, baby cloths, dishes and
tons of hair from victims, cells, places for hanging, long empty corridors,
photographs, records of entrance and death dates.
In Birkenau,
a few minutes' drive away, the group was crushed by the vastness of the camp,
its iconic façade through which the trains entered; followed the platform,
stopped where prisoners were selected: to the right, the gas chamber, to the
left, the forced labor; the huge gas chambers and crematoria... an effective
and efficient killing machine. A memorial, 23 languages, "a cry of
despair... a warning to humanity".
Silently the
group wandered through the camp, entered tents and became aware of the
humiliating and inhuman life that reigned in there.
A much
disturbing visit, the absolute lack of human spirit. Memory, perhaps the only
truth that must be preserved from such obscurant, insane and exclusive action
of man against man.
In a project
that aims at fostering inclusion, these cultural visits represent an opportunity
to preserve Memory and reflect upon values such as equality, acceptance,
respect, friendship, family, solidarity, its fragility and vulnerability.
Schools and
teachers have the means to teach about Memory, raising awareness to good
vs. evil, inclusion vs. exclusion; i.d.e.a. schools stand for Together
We Can! And together in Auschwitz we thought about making the
difference in a growing multicultural society, where people from many different
backgrounds live together. The lack of knowledge or close-mindedness can issue
bullying and victimisation of those perceived as “different”. Erasmus projects
create opportunities to promote positive attitudes towards the importance of
human relationships and a shared Europe of diversity.
After a quite
trip back to the hotel, dinner was served in the Brick Krakowska 18
restaurant in Tarnowskie Góry - a famous city recently inscribed on the UNESCO’s
World Heritage List - where the first steam engine appeared in Europe, also
known for its Polish but also Silesian cuisine.
Friday
08-03-2019:
Activities
started at 9:00 AM in professional school Branzowa Szkola I Stopnia nr 8
in Bytom - the oldest school building in the city - attended only by students
with special educational needs and another example of solutions of the Polish
Special Education System for inclusion.
This school
offers more than 10 professional courses, like pastry, cookery, tailoring and
others. The group was nicely hosted by the School Headmistress who lead us to a
guided visit to the school’s various facilities and workshops.
Slovenian and
Croatian students were invited to interact and participate in the making of
cookies, which happened with a lot of fun, curiosity and even skill.
Then,
teachers attended a presentation about the school: pupils are prepared to
pursue a valid occupation mainly a practical one, however, as they apply for
jobs under similar conditions as other pupils, a significant number of pupils
in this school end up overtaken; notwithstanding, many get smaller staff
positions, sometimes, not before several attempts to enter the working world.
It was said that the school was participating in an Erasmus+ project which main
objective is to strengthen teacher’s knowledge and pedagogical skills to deal,
particularly, with autism spectrum students.
In Poland,
vocational schools like this one, seem to fiercely strive for solutions in
order to guide and teach teenagers with special educational needs, trying to
promote student’s inclusion in the working world, most of the times on unequal
terms.
At 11:00 AM,
it was time to start saying goodbye.
In the host
school, it was time for the mascots to be exchanged among partner countries.
Each coordinator introduced the mascot that had been in his country since the 1st mobility to Istanbul, described briefly its life
during those three months – some experienced activities, new friends, new
schools – and explained what souvenir/symbol the mascot had received from the
country where it had been; there was also time for showing and sharing the
mascot’s diaries which were richly fulfilled with stories, adventures, happy
moments in different places, cultural experiences – a set of experiences that
the mascots had the chance to experience.
Amazement and
curiosity could be seen on the face of each children and adult that watched
attentively each coordinator’s statements. A delightful moment that abridged
three months of the exchange within partners of this project, a single moment
that breathed life to the numerous photos, videos and words posted on project’s
blog or Twinspace.
It was the
time, for students, teachers and community to say goodbye.
The host
school invited all partners to dance a funny traditional Polish song, it was an
amusing farewell moment, filled with laugh, smiling faces, loud united voices
that sang by same tune.Time to say that it was not a goodbye, but a thank you!
All the group was conscious that two of the hardest things to say in life
are “hello” for the first time and “goodbye” at the end.
But for the
i.d.e.a.! Together We Can partners this is a kind of never ending journey: the
train stops but goes on again till the next station; each single passenger
stays aboard no matter what!
Thank you
students, teachers, staff of Szkola Podstawowa Specjalna nr 40 in Bytom!
After lunch,
the group participated in the last visit of polish hosting program, Guido’s
Coalmine in Zabrze.
With more
than 100 years of transformation, the Guido Mine comprises the Coal Mining
Museum and modern areas - K8 area - for leisure, business and culture. The K8
area is a place where anyone can explore the region's mining heritage.
Armed with
helmets and guided by a guide, the group went on a 320 meters depth journey,
walked along several tunnels evidencing the harsh conditions in which miners
worked in the past and even today. Deep down a stop to visit the miner’s chapel
inside the mine, a testimony of the miners' devotion to Saint Barbara, their
guardian.
Poland is the
largest coal producer in Europe: 80% to 90% of the energy it uses comes from coal.
The intensive exploitation of coal in the country has caused major problems
like pollution, environmental problems, landslides and cracks that very often
put people's lives at risk.
In the
evening, time for the formal farewell dinner. An opportunity to mingle, chat,
dance and prepare to go home.
“How lucky I am to have something that makes saying
goodbye so hard.”
We marked the international Rare Disease Day in our local community on Wednesday, 27th February, 2019, a day in advance. Seven students from our Class 1A, accompanied by their teacher, Ms Ivana Sabljak, and the school social pedagogist, Ms Jadranka Bašić Parić, took a walk through the streets of our neighbourhood, the Stjepana Pasanca Street, the Sokolska Street and the Zagrebačka Road, carrying red balloons. We handed out leaflets with information about rare diseases to passers-by.
A disease or disorder is defined as rare when it affects fewer than 5 in 10,000. It is estimated that there are between 7,000 and 8,000 different kinds of rare diseases in the world. In about half the cases, the symptoms start in childhood, and the quality of life is often greatly reduced by the lack or loss of independence. Also, there are great difficulties in establishing the right therapy because it is hard to get the correct diagnosis due to the general lack of information and experience, and because the therapy and medicine for such conditions are very expensive.
After an hour of walking the neighbourhood streets, we returned to school, feeling rewarded by the new experience and the impact of our activity on those we encountered
On Saturday, 9th March, we joined the march through the centre of Zagreb, organised for the first time this year. The organisers of “the march with red balloons” is the Angels Association – the association of parents of children with the most serious disabilities and children with developmental difficulties. We came together carrying red balloons in Preradović Square and gave our support to this worthy cause with the goal to promote the awareness of children with special needs in the public.
Last 28th February the primary school in Nerola and Monteflavio celebrated the RARE DESEASE DAY.
All the pupils in Monteflavio sang the Italian song Si può dare di più (You can give more), waving red paper hearts in front of their parents moved by the performance. Teachers organized a walk with red balloons along the village streets to raise awareness of rare deseases among the public. Right at the end pupils released balloons into the sky in the main square of the village.
The primary school in Nerola organized an open to the public celebration. All the children were wearing carnival costumes because it was Fat Thursday, the last Thursday before Lent Tuesday. Teachers were wearing giant emoji costumes. The performance took place in the school courtyard. It started with an introduction read by the pupils of the 5th grade, who talked about rare deseases, their impact on society, bridging health and social care; it continued with the recitation of 2 poems. The 4th grade pupils recited one of Madre Theresa of Calcutta’s poem: Send me someone to love, while the pupils of the 5th class introduced the story of Francesco Lena and recited his poem Io credo (I believe), written for a friend of his, struck by a rare desease. Kids sang Credo negli esseri umani (I believe in human beings), waving their balloons in the air. Some of them went up in the sky, sending their strong and clear message to the world.
The activities were witnessed through photos and videos, put together in an interesting and captivating video made by Romina Ugolini.
Speech Activity: It is used as
a toy and material of education as tablet. When there is a sound from the toy,
animal figure in Ipad moves. It’s usage area is descriptive language skills.
Alternative Communication: It is a
writing skill for students who are having problem with using pencil and etc. At
the same time, these students are having problem with speaking. Tablets are
used to teach students for alternative communication device.
Writing Skills: While teacher
studies with a student about writing skill, other students follow the lecture
by projecting the activity to the blackboard.
Visually Focusing: Contents are
created with usage of contrast colors in tablets for students who are having
cortical vision problem. In these contents, target is developing the focusing
and following skills.
Hand-Eye Coordination: Contents are
created with usage of contrast colors in tablets for students who are having
cortical vision problem in order to support the coordination of hand- eye. This
workshop is also good for fine motor skills.
On Saturday, March 9, 2019, Primary school dr. Ljudevita
Pivka Ptuj, organized4thRED BALLONS MARCHdedicated to THE DAY OF RARE DISEASES, which
is part of the all-Slovenian March. On February 28, we mark the International
Day of Rare Diseases. In Slovenia, it is astimated that 120,000 people are
affected.
This event was one of the activities of the international
school projectI.D.E.A. TOGETHER WE CAN!
of 6 Europeen partners: from Slovenia, Italy, Portugal, Turkey, Poland and
Croatia.
To this end, we invited participants of the march to gather
between 9.30 am and 10.00 am at our school.We sawa short film about the
school and aprogram that was prepared
by pupils of the school.
At 11.00 am., the march started in front of the school,
continued alongVolkmerjeva Street,
Panonska Street, Slomškova street, Vinarski Square, Lackova ulica and finished
on Mestni Square 1 - in front of the town house.
The Mayor of the Municipality of Ptuj, Ms Nuška Gajšek and
the Minister of Agriculture Mrs Aleksandra Pivec attended the event too.
Association Soroptimistk from Ptuj prepared home baked
pastries, Talum d.o.o.donated funds for
filling balloons with helium. Štajerski frajtonarjispiced up the event with music ... they
stretched their accordions so far that they could be heard all around!
Sincere thanks for your contribution to the event.
Slovenian team : Tanja, Borislava, Zdenka,
Sabina, Janja and Sara visited our project partners in Poland.
Polish
teachers and students prepared a lovely
reception for us and they greeted us nicely.
Our studens Sara and Janja adapted without problems and quickly attached
contacts with Croatian and Poland students from the school host.
All the
participant partners in the project prepared a music-dance routine that
presented the country the performers are coming from. At the end we all had fun
dancing together because we all tried to dance the dance routine from other
countries. It was really fun but the most important thing is that we all felt
connected and ready to work together.
We participated in different workshops (art
therapy, making flowers out of wool like material, cooperation with University
of Third Age and cooperation with hihg-school students). Including older people
in school work was a great idea because they had given us a lot of useful
knowledge that they got from their life experiences. Our school has already
been included in a project like this one. We are currently considering in
re-establishing it.
They have introduced us different methods and
work techniques(Biofeedback therapy, using technology as a mean to motivate
students and art therapy). We are intrested in trying them out and using the
therapy type at our school. Children could be easily taught to recognize and
control their emotional reactions.
Many motivational comptuter programs for learning
different teaching contents have been introduced to us. Our students
participated at workshops (English and Croatian group). Work was fun and
educational for them.
We were acquainted with Polish school system
for elementary and high school. Our school system is quite similar to theirs.
The only difference are the exams taken at the end of the year. The exams are
not adapted for children with special needs.
We also visted the City hall where the Deputy
Mayor greeted us
and the Solutions at Polish special educational system (workshops
in Private Institution for Adult Disabled Persons and workshops in Special
Vocational School).
The city Cracow fascinated us with its
beautiful sights. Auswitz left a big impact on us.
We came back home filled with unforgetable
memories.
We would like to emphasize: good organisation and managment,
demonstrations of new and interesting methods and work techniques for children
with special needs,
Thank you Polish team 💗
good cooperation between partners, hospitality and kindness
of local people, excelent Poland cuisine and sweet culinary delights in the
teachers room.
