Learning for Healthy Lifestyle

"This project tackled the problem of living healthy and learning the ways how to do that by teaching our students healthier ways of living and themselves participating in the activities related to that. The programs have outset in problem based learning approaches using multiple intelligences and learning styles with the students as the ""motors"" for the project. Each of our countries has had both good and bad habits concerning food, exercise and other habits connected to health. We learnt from one another to improve our lifestyles while respecting each country’s cultural standards. And using one another to focus on ""blind spots"" for improvement. The target group included students aged 12-16: at this age, they were able to understand the relevance of the themes proposed and interact in the English language, as well as they managed to change their lifestyles. We created a website for interaction between school partners and it was a permanent source for every citizen to be used. We used messenger for communication during the project creating the groups, where coordinators and international working groups shared teaching/learning programs and events, results and outcomes there, During the project 6, 1 to 3 weeks cross curricular teaching/learning programs on healthy living were developed on healthy nutrition, sports or combination also using the science from other subjects relevant for the topics like biology, physics, chemistry and math. and 6, ½ day to 2 days health-events.Results were published on the web-page which was developed during the project and available for the following 2 and half years after the project. The programs and events can be downloaded from this page now and for the next 2,5 years.A protocol on healthy life style was developed containing the most useful teaching programs, event, investigations, experiments and some of the good habits we have learned, hints and ideas for a healthier life style.During the 20 months of the project implementation, we have had 5 mobility visits to every project country: during the program the developed programs/events were presented and development of new programs were initiated and presented. First year 2 students and 2 teachers paerticipated in the mobilities, later on 3 - 4 students and two teachers visited their partner hosts. There were most of the partner schools pupils engaged in the project and more teachers than engaged directly in the mobilities participated in the project indirectly.By the end of the 20 months, all partners, teachers and students tested new healthier ways of living during their own investigations and activities. The protocol was a manual with two appendixes: posters that any school can display; brochures that were handed out to students, parents, the local public, local authorities; videos to be shared and discussed with wide audience, badges crested, T-shirts made.A website was used in order to communicate easily and upload all work in progress and results. The building of the website aimed at outlining and developing a detailed protocol and investigations to remain available for years also after the project so that students from other schools or any other citizen can apply to his way of life to improve his/her habits. However, as the expected long term result, we hope students will reconsider health and educational aspects that now they take for granted. Each group learnt how to plan and develop a research project which was student centred. During its development each student learnt to be autonomous, flexible, cooperative, negotiate with their international peers, and assess their work and process used. As for teacher,s they compared teaching methods, enhanced their language and ICT skills. Besides, participation in the project enhanced training and knowledge of European education systems. Students and families were main targets.Inside our organisation, the project was disseminated to students and the whole school staff. Outside, the project was disseminated to parents so that they could support and advice their children well and use the protocol themselves. All in all, this project changed the partners’ mentality, opened the minds and brought the European ideas directly to each school. So, gradually, we can hope that the generations to come will be healthier and more conscious of their health."