Erasmus project „Communication is an Art” Programme of 3th meeting
Jaunmārupe, Latvia 27 September - 1 October, 2021
Short-term exchanges of groups of pupils
“Verbal & Non-verbal Communication”
During
the period from September 27th to October 1st, 2021,
Erasmus+ project “Communication is an Art” partners from Romani, Poland, Turkey
and Estonia met in Latvia, Jaunmārupes primary school to work on project
objectives.
The theme of the project is
effective communication, communication skills or in other words the art of
communication. Communication skills are the base requirement to successfully
include and introduce teenagers of different age groups and sociocultural
backgrounds. The plan of the project is to promote effective communication,
diversity and broaden student understanding of intercultural communication and cooperation
resources as well as innovative opportunities of communication.
On
day one the teachers and students were introduced to the school and the daily
routine of student’s in Latvia. During the opening event the guests were
greeted by the headmistress of the school Iveta Timule as deputies Laura
Bruavcova and Ilze Graudiņa. The guests were introduced to a presentation about
educational system in Latvia and Jaunmārupes primary school in particular.
After a walk around the school and getting to know the classrooms, the guests
had the opportunity to learn more about Latvia’s place in European cultural
space. An in-depth presentation by History teacher Sabīne Ozoliņa explored
Latvian cultural heritage, language, history, achievements and traditions
focusing on intercultural communication. In the afternoon the project partners
were introduced to Jaunmārupe and its many educational, family and youth
focused facilities.
During
day two the students and teachers enjoyed a road trip to one of cultural and
historical heritage sites – Sigulda medieval castle, Turaida
Museum Reserve, Turaida castle, the hill of Folksongs, Gauja River etc. The road
trip was a great opportunity to experience the multilayered Latvian history and
traditions in one spot as well as practice communication between project
participants in informal setting.
Day three offered workshops to students, focusing
European values and Latvian cultural heritage (decorative fabric bleaching,
wood product making, national cooking, candle making, ethnographic buckle)
together with teachers Alvis Reinis and Līva Prekele. Meanwhile the teachers met
Mārupe municipality representatives. The guests were greeted by the first
deputy of the municipality Mārtiņš Bojārs while the executive director Kristaps
Ločs introduced the guests with a presentation about Mārupe county. The visit
ended with a musical greeting from the director of Mārupes Art and Culture
center Ira Dūduma. In the afternoon of day three the guests were offered to
join an autumn harvest festival in school’s outdoor area as well as playing
traditional games and practicing folk dances as another activity to strengthen
the intercultural communication.
On
day four the focus shifted to verbal communication skills. During a student
workshop, students from all countries participated in various musical
activities, worked with the project song and also created a silent theater play
about communication. In the afternoon students and teachers joined a city tour
of capital Riga with such stops as the House of the Blackheads, Old Riga,
Freedom Monument, Art Nouveau district and many others, completing the
exploration of Latvian cultural heritage.
On the final day
of the meeting the student’s joined every day lessons of their Latvian hosts
while the teachers participated an evaluation session to share feelings about the activities and provide
suggestions and opinions on the organization of the meeting. As the final
event, students and teachers joined communication through song and dance
workshop and after a lunch break presented the result as well as received their
certificates of participation and said goodbye to Jaunmārupes primary school.
Erasmus + projects are a
great opportunity for students and teachers to reinforce their usage of digital
solutions for communication, improve foreign language skills, test their
creativity – especially while long distance learning was our reality. It helps
creating friendly bonds between different countries, get to know each other’s’
culture and traditions, work together on creative tasks and gain a broader understand
of the world around us.
On September 30th, 2021, Mārupe municipality representatives met with the teachers of Erasmus+ project “Communication is an Art” from Romania, Poland, Turkey and Estonia, who were visiting Jaumārupes primary school from September 27th to October 1st.
During
their stay, project partners were introduced to the school and its daily
routine as well as daily routines of students outside of their studies. Through
city tours, road trips and presentations the participants found out more about the
cultural heritage of Latvia and the cultural similarities and differences. In
group activities students and workshops the students and teachers could show
their creative side as well as practice their intercultural knowledge.
The
guests were greeted by the first deputy of the municipality Mārtiņš Bojārs
while the executive director Kristaps Ločs introduced the guests with a
presentation about Mārupe county. The visit ended with a musical greeting from
the director of Mārupes Art and Culture center Ira Dūduma.
The theme of the project is
effective communication, communication skills or in other words the art of
communication. Communication skills are the base requirement to successfully
include and introduce teenagers of different age groups and sociocultural
backgrounds. The plan of the project is to promote effective communication,
diversity and broaden student understanding of intercultural communication and cooperation
resources as well as innovative opportunities of communication.
Erasmus + projects are a
great opportunity for students and teachers to reinforce their usage of digital
solutions for communication, improve foreign language skills, test their
creativity – especially while long distance learning was our reality. It helps
creating friendly bonds between different countries, get to know each other’s’
culture and traditions, work together on creative tasks and gain a broader understand
of the world around us.
The
transnational meeting ended with an evaluation session organized to share
feelings about that activity and provided suggestions and opinions on the
organization of the meeting.
As the Estonian team could not participate in that mobility, we had 3 online meetings with them where they presented their activities as week watched ours.
Many personal and professional benefits were gained by participating in that activity of the teachers and students involved into it. At personal level, they developed their intercultural skills, communication skills, motivation for self-development and awareness, enhanced self- esteem, expanded linguistic skills, general knowledge, awareness of EU values at national level. At a professional level, teachers and students participating in that mobility developed their knowledge of educational systems in other EU countries, the methodology and tools used by other European teachers, deepened analytical and problem-solving skills, learnt to integrate a multiple learning approach and promote interest in promoting learning based on interactive learning. If we think of the long-term benefits, the participants developed their skills to feel more comfortable in "foreign" environments, expanded their sensitivity and cultural participation to promote the spirit of a united Europe.
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