Dissemination activities in Estonia

Monday, October 27th,:
Presentation of the project to the English teachers of the Rapla County.
They found it very useful for our school life.

Wednesday, October 29th:
Staff meeting at Kaiu school .
Presentation of the results of the project reunion and the feedback from teachers and students.

Paivi Aljamaa
Project coordinator

Results of the students' workshop (Kaiu, Oct. 2008)

1.What can your parents do to help you to become successful in the future ?

They help us with our homework, they inspire us to learn well at school, so in the future we won’t have problems to find a good job. We think that every parent wants their child to have a good education and that they will learn in college.

They can give us some advice. They can support us with money.

They can choose a good school for their kids. Help them with their homework. The parents have to care about their kid’s marks. Parents have to support their children’s hobbies.

They can support me, give me advice, explain what is the best for me, material support (money, clothes, food, school things, computers, cellphones etc.). They should discuss issues with their children.

2. How should your parents work together with your school?

They should come to class meetings. They should care about their children marks and behaviour at school. They should take part in events and definitely take part in development talks.

They should go to school at least once a month, because they have to discuss school problems with teachers. Parents should be talking to me about school every day.

They should take part of meetings where teachers and parents discuss school life. Parents should give their opinion about school. If parents think something is wrong at school they should talk about the problems and fix them.

They should go to parents’ meeting at school. They get information from e-school. They can go to the theatre with students. They can watch their children learning progress in Open- Doors day and they can watch sport days etc.

3. How can your teachers help you to become successful in your future?

Every teacher should teach their subject well and if we don’t understand, they should make it understandable.

Teachers should be friendly and they should teach us well.

They should try to give students good education. Teachers should organise class meetings, after the meetings there could be a coffee table for the parents and the teachers so they can learn to know each other.
The teachers could organise concerts for the parents where the kids are performing and showing the parents what they have learned.

Teachers should help students, when they have problems. They should listen to their opinion, give advice where you should go after a basic or high-school and what you are good at. Teachers can organise projects, what helps us to understand the world and inspire us.

Students' Feedback

I have very good memories about how the children danced and sang at the welcome concert. I also liked the way how the project teams worked together. We discussed very important things connected with school- parents and students and we found good answers for all the questions.Especially I’m very happy about the opportunity to meet my good friend Danand new friends from Turkey. These three days were just great! We worked a lot and enjoyed the time together.
Anar Pajula. 16

I think it’s really exciting and interesting to hear other students’ opinions. I also hope that it will inspire me. The most exciting thing about that project is the people are from different countries and share opinions And of course I can make new friends, too.
The first day was a little bit boring because I was tired and in my own world. The coolest thing was when the Romanian and Turkish boys came to our lessons. I think the boys are really cool and intelligent.
Gerttu Kimberg 15

I had very good time in the project. When we watched the Romanian and Turkish presentations about their countries I realised that Estonia isn't the only beautiful country in the world. I really loved to see Turkish architecture and Romanian nature and castles. I am very happy to make new friends from Turkey and Romania. One thing is amazing too, how great Turkish and Romanian boys are at math. I really enjoyed that project because it makes us think about the problems we don’t pay attention every day but which are so important for our everyday life and future. I'm looking forward to going to Romania.
Juhan Taalik 15

I think these two days were very interesting. Yesterday the concert was beautiful. In the evening we went to a disco. It was very cool.Today we had lots of fun when we discussed the problems about school and family. Our new friends from Turkey and Romania are so friendly and nice. This is project is very useful because it’s connected with our real life.Keterin Kahl 13
I like this project because it’s very good to discuss problems together. Everybody is very kind and friendly. The first day was a little bit boring because I didn’t understand everything – new voices, different vocabulary. It took me some time to get accustomed to new speakers but I really enjoyed our team work next day. I like that we can meet people from aboard. The concert and disco were also great.
Lisette Pajula 13

The most interesting thing was when I first met the boys from Romania and Turkey. They were very friendly. The second day was really great and hardworking. I liked working in a group and I hope the results will be good and useful for us, our school and parents. The disco was fun and great. I hope the boys had great days with us. Sometimes we didn’t understand each other but anyway we managed to discuss all the problems with body language and smiles.
Marian Mäeots 14

In my opinion this project is very important and interesting because I saw how it is in our families. I liked very much flying by plane because it was the first time for me and I was very nervous because I was a bit scared. I'm making very many friends here. Kaiu School is very beautiful and the teachers are very friendly with the students. I liked very much the concert because I saw the folkdance tradition in Estonia. I would like to stay here because life is very interesting here.
Dan Tecar, Romanian team.

In my opinion this project is very important. This project is very useful and interesting. I came from Turkey and I saw very different places, different people and different culture. Here are the people, the culture and the buildings very different. I've spent a lot of time with friendly people in here. I love Estonia, Estonian people and meals. The organization is very good. Thanks a lot everybody.
Feyyez Selvi 16 Turkish Team

I really love this project. When our guests came, there was a little welcome concert. I liked it because I was one of the performers there. Our group work was very exciting and funny sometimes. It's good that we can develop our English here.I think the Turkish and Romanian students are very friendly. One big plus is we get new friend here. And I think today is more interesting than yesterday. Our group work is better and more efficient than yesterday. It's a great project!
Merily Viiron 14

I like the project because it's a great way to meet new friends and it'snice to have friends from other countries. I liked the disco as well and the project is very helpful for our future. It makes us think in more mature way.
Siim Asperk 16

I am very happy to be here. This organisation is very interesting and nice. I would stay here. Estonian people are very friendly. My host mother and host father are very hospitable.
Mustafa Oran 16 Turkish team.

I think that yesterday when we were in class we changed ideas and discussed the main problems between students, parents and teachers. But the meeting was a little bit boring. Today when we did group work it was so interesting. Turkish boys are very friendly but at the disco one Turkish boy danced and was very socialised but the another one was a little bit shy. The Romanian boy is very friendly, too. The disco was great but it's very sad they went home very early.
Silje Vokksepp 14

I think this project is interesting and useful. These two days have been different and hardworking. I have enjoyed the activities very much. People came here from Romania and Turkey. I’m happy to meet people from other countries. The first day started with a little welcome concert. After that we discussed project topics with all group. Last night we had a disco, it was great. I liked most to see new places and traditions about Romania and Turkey when we watched the presentations. I would really like to spend more time with our new friends.
Silva Jõessar 15

I really liked the past days because in our school there have never been Turkish and Romanian people. It is really good to meet people from different countries. I hope they like it too. I liked the concert because I like to sing. The boys from Turkey and Romania were very kind. I hope the boys will have good time in Estonia. I hope the project will be successful because these are problems so close to us.
Ülle Savi 14

I think that this project is very interesting and good. I think that yesterday wasn’t so funny as today. We didn’t do anything great. But today we speak each other a lot. Today I enjoyed the teamwork. Turkeys and Romanian boys and their teachers are very friendly and I like them. I like all the project, because we can speak a lot of English, discuss important problems and make new friends.
Sandra Linaste 13

I think this meeting was very exciting. It was so fun and nice to meet students from other countries. I just liked it very much!! The Turkish boys were so nice and pleasant. They were a bit shy but that wasn’t a problem. The Romanian boy was nice and pleasant too. The first day was very strange because we just met and we didn’t know what to talk or what to do. On the first day we had sessions and I liked them very much. At night we had a disco. It was cool. I really enjoyed it. But the Turkish boys didn’t want to dance, it made me feel sad. On the second day we did hard work. We had to write our opinion and ideas.For the end, I really liked to participate in this project. I liked the team work and I liked talking to those people and sharing ideas.
Terje Vandmann 15

I like this experience, because I can meet new people and I can speak and learn more English. It’s acute important to talk about family relationships. Family must get more information about their children’s school and support them. I also like it because it’s very interesting to find out new things about Turkey and Romania and it is very nice to find out how friendly and nice these people are.
Liis Lillestik 15

I think the project is very interesting and fun. First I like the fact that we can learn more about Turkish and Rumanian people, their culture and traditions. It is really great that we have guests from other countries in our school. All the students definitely liked the disco on the first day and working in groups and discussing the problems is cool too.
Marii Sernjuk 14

Back from Estonia - Laura

It’s been almost a week since we came back from Estonia but only now I could put my memories together to write about this wonderful experience.
I must confess that at the beginning I didn’t know much about this country. I only knew that it had been part of the Soviet Union and that they speak Estonian (of course, due to Maris, Paivi and Anar who visited Romania, I could imagine that people are very nice and kind… but I couldn’t imagine that almost all of them have blue eyes!J)

When we arrived there, at first I was impressed by the civilization and the modernity of the capital, Tallinn. A big city with a lot of beautiful parks, with a combination of extremely modern buildings and old, historical ones, with calm people and good traffic.

Than I had the opportunity to visit Kaiu and I was impressed again: a village with beautiful villas, built with a lot of good taste, neat gardens, a village surrounded by forest: an extremely beautiful scenery, like in fairy-tales!
The visit to school brought us other nice surprises: little children expecting us all happy, in traditional costumes, pupils who performed like real artists, dancing and singing, friendly teachers: it was such a warm welcome!
When time for work came, students and teachers from all three countries: Estonia, Romania and Turkey, showed implication, responsibility and a strong will to work together as a team.

And when the journalists from the local newspaper came, they were all able to speak about the aims of the project, about the solutions and strategies that they proposed as a result of their team-work, about their concerns and hopes, about what being involved in such project means.
The program that the Estonians prepared for this project reunion was great, full of activities, visits related to the project theme (like the one to the Village Museum where we could see how families lived in the past), with opportunities for the Romanian and Turkish students to live in Estonian families for a few days and to see the relationship between family members.

In just a few days teenagers for three different countries became good friends and proved that different cultures can communicate without borders.

Thank you for all, dear Estonian friends!

Laura Szebeni

Project coordinator

Project Meeting in Estonia

“Higher quality in education with family support”

Project Meeting

Kaiu Põhikool, Colegiul National “Mihai Eminescu” and Usak Özel Üftade Lisesi

Kaiu,

October 8th - 12th, 2008
Program

October 8th

21.40: Turkish team Arrival

October 9th

00.20- Romanian team Arrival
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October 9th
09.00

Teachers Taken to Kaiu1

9.15

All group: Welcome and a short concert from students

10.40

All group: Tour in the schoolhouse

11.00-13.00

All group
1st session - Presentation of the School Strategies for better involving parents in their children's education

13.00

All group: Lunch at school

13.30- 15.30

All group
2nd session- Content of the Conference
"Key Competences-Transversal Competences"(May 29th-31st 2009, Baia Mare, Romania)

16.00-17.30

All group: How has the family life and traditions changed in Estonian rural area from the past to now. Visit to Mahtra peasant museum (9km from Kaiu)

17.30

Teachers: Taken to Tallinn

19.00

Students: Disco at school

October 10th
08.00-10.00
Students: take part in the lessons

09.00

Teachers: Taken to Kaiu
10.15-13.00

All group

3rd session:

Teachers: Organization of the Conference and Website, e-school introduction
Students: Group work – School- Family relationship

13.00

All group: Lunch at school

13.30

All group: Economical and social situation in Kaiu parish influencing school –family – community relationship. Visit to the community mayor

14.30-16.00

All group

4th session: Evaluation of the Meeting – good and week points (in the presence of a newspaper reporter from the county newspaper NADALINE)

16.00

All groupKaiu – the village where we come from – short tour

17.00

Students: socializing in the families and making friends

Teachers: Possibilities for children and parents from antisocial and economically poor families – a visit to Maidla children’s home

18.00Teachers: Dinner in Nõmme Kõrts

19.30Teachers: Taken to Tallinn

October 11th

09.00

Students: Bus to Tallinn

10.00-11.00

Teachers: Meeting at the hotel

All group:

5th session: Evaluation of the reunion- personal feelings - benefits

11.30 – 14.00

All group: The students and teachers are offered the opportunity to get introduced to historical Old Tallinn – our background which influences our present in all fields of everyday life

14.00 – 15.00

All group: Lunch

15.00Turkish team: Taken to the airport

17.00 Departure from Tallinn

October 12th
04.35 Romanian team: Taken to the airport

06.35 Departure from Tallinn

Dissemination Activity- Flavia Costin

Dear all,

I really have to share with you the wonderful experience I’ve had.
I was in Cluj today (actually I’ve just got home) at a Counseling Reunion for those involved in Comenius Projects. Our school was invited there to present the projects that are being caried out, together with other two high schools (Colegiul Tehnic de Industrie Alimentara Terezianum from Sibiu and Grup Scolar Industrial Emanuil Ungureanu, Timisoara).
I have to admit that I was very nervous in the beginning, but when I got there I became aware that our College is quite famous, due to the success of our projects.
I have to add that the presentation was of a real success, and everybody wanted to have a look at the few exhibits I managed to take with me, not to mention the fact that they were almost fighting to grab a leaflet of the projects (Higher quality in education with family support and Immigrants Past and Present; Towards Greater Integration?) or a copy of Borderline Magazine.
The lady from the “Inspectorat Scolar Cluj” was very enthusiastic and congratulated us, and shared with all the participants her impressions regarding the recent visit she made in our school. She pointed out the posters in the hallway ilustrating the projects, the way our students talked about the projects they were involved in, and the warm welcome they were received with. (She even remembered me, and I didn’t say that much then, you were the ones who were great, and I congratulated you for that )
So I must say that today, again, I felt very proud that I am a teacher in this school!

Well, that’s pretty much it! Thanks and goodnight!