The Family We Call Europe

BACKGROUNDIn the past few years a significant number of European countries have undergone political, financial stress as well as social turmoil that have contributed to the decrease of tolerance, acceptance and understanding. Educators have noticed a negative attitude towards the European spirit during lessons, therefore, the demand to cooperate towards the unified Europe has arisen.NEEDSIt is therefore necessary to find ways to focus on cultural elements that make each country special and unique as well as reveal common historical, artistic features, languages and the past that shaped our future; make education more innovative and give richer cultural baggage to young people.OBJECTIVESThere are several objectives we aspire to reach:1. all participants' raised awareness of common European identity and feeling of unity with the rest of Europe;2. all participants’ increased understanding and tolerance towards other nations;3. all participants' raised awareness of their national identity;4. teachers' and students' improved ICT skills;5. students' improved skills at communicating in a foreign language;6. all participants' developed social skills;7. teachers' developed ability to turn ideas into action through creativity, innovation and risk taking as well as ability to plan and manage international projects.PARTICIPANTSSchools:Luzino: the school, which is a local cultural centre, puts much effort into maintaining local and national traditions. Varda: the school with great attention to classical and foreign languages, social sciences.Šiauliai: the school that considers key competences and has great experience in both national and international projects for students and adults: teachers, parents.El Puerto de Santa Maria: the school that has a Spanish curriculum alongside an international curriculum in English and that puts stress on cooperative learning, multiple intelligences, mindfulness.Teachers involved in this project are of different subjects (Languages, History, Arts, Dance, Music) with experience in European and national projects and specific competences in use of ICT in teaching. The project involves students (aged 14-16), their parents and members of the community.ACTIVITIESAll activities are connected in this project. The project is divided into four basic axes, each of them characterized by one topic to be undertaken by one of the 4 schools involved. We intend to focus on common historical memories and experiences, art and dance, languages and the past that shaped our future. Before the mobility to each country four different eTwinning projects will also be created and run.METHODOLOGYStudent-centred methodology;Creative thinking;Space to ICT and languages;Process as important as the result;Non-formal learning;Enjoying the school time;Interdisciplinary teaching/learning.RESULTS AND IMPACTThe concrete results we want to produce are:1. dissemination via Facebook, Instagram, Youtube, website, leaflets, posters;2. eTwinning projects including activities planned for the period between the students' exchanges as well as running TwinSpace;3. Field research activities in museums and historical sites;4. A project logo;5. Padlet, Storybird, Pixton files created by the students;6. Dance classes and Dance Festival in Lithuania - accounts, articles, photos;7. CD with students' recordings of traditional songs, plus a new song created by them as a team, to be distributed in local authorities and communities;8. cross-curricular classes on project themes;9. student blog on the topic of languages: common traits, typical examples, stories shared.By the end of the project students are expected to have developed competences in ICT skills, gained a broader understanding of creative and critical thinking, raised awareness of the European community: uniqueness of each participating country and common features each of them shares.LONG TERM BENEFITSThe experience in teaching European issues gained throughout the project duration will be beneficial to all the schools in the long term. A set of lesson plans, tried out and developed over the course of the project, will be available in each of the partner schools as well as on the school website, open to be used by everybody.