Girona Meeting – from 17 to 23 of March 2019

2018-1-EL01-KA229-047725_5

Modern Odysseus in the arms of Europe

Girona Meeting – from 17 to 23 of March 2019

   To the teachers from:

19^th Primary School from Katerini

Rigas Zolitudes Gimnazija

Agrupamento de Escolas de São João da Talha

Osnovna Skola Majstora Radovana

We are pleased to welcome you to our school for the second meeting of the Project “Modern Odysseus in the arms of Europe”.

During this whole week we will introduce the Waldorf Education System focus on arts. The Waldorf method of teaching is a unique educational strategy which aims to create well-rounded students through a broad curriculum, including academics, art and music education, physical education, and emotional and social education. The stated goal of the Waldorf Method is to produce individuals able to create meaning in their own lives.

The teachers coming to the meeting will attend lessons and workshops related to this pedagogical approach, and will assist as well to the performance of ”Journey to Ithaca,” represented by pupils and teachers, based on the Ulysses adventures and the metaphoric new Ulysses who are the immigrants trying to arrive to Europe.

     Looking forward to welcoming you

     Àngel Villalón Torres

      Director de l’Escola Pericot

Brief content of the Learning and Training activities

Project:	Modern Odysseys in the arms of Europe2018-1-EL01-KA229-047725_5
Dates:	From 17 to 23 of March
Place:	Escola Pericot
City:	Girona

Lectures and workshops summary

The Waldorf  System	Waldorf schools are based on the philosophy that imaginative and practical, hands-on work is the best way to promote learning, and children are introduced to lessons through music, visual arts, dance, writing, and myth. Classical mythology, cultural folk and fairy tales, and religious images are common in Waldorf classrooms. This education aims to inspire life-long learning in all students and to enable them to fully develop their unique capacities.	By ÀngelVillalón, Director from Pericot School
Pericot School Project Presentation	A glimpse to the main points of the Pericot School Project and the link with the Waldorf Education System.	By ÀngelVillalón, Director from Pericot School
Arts in Curriculum	Visual arts education helps to develop sensory awareness, enhances sensibilities and emphasises particular ways of exploring, experimenting and inventing. Practical workshop about how to encourage developing and understanding the art forms and art appreciation. We will have the opportunity to explore various art media, looking for develop specific skills and techniques, using the visual arts elements.	By Jordi Serra, Primary Visual Art teacher from Pericot School
Exploring and making drama	Connecting drama to Curriculum. Drama is a performing art, an outlet for self-expression, and a way of learning. Is an effective learning tool because it involves the student intellectually, physically, socially, and emotionally.  Activities in improvisation, pantomime, play-making, and scene re-enactment serve to develop the creative potential in the participants and help to develop critical thinking skills and empathy	By CeliGraells, teacher from Mediterrània dance school
Dance in the curriculum	Dance is movement, and movement is the first language we learn, even before our mother tongue. The inclusion of creative dance in the education curriculum has been variously justified as dancing is an integral way of learning, using the whole body, not only the brain, optimizes the learning process. It’s easier to remember something when you are using your whole body, this is why dance and movement is a good resource to teach other school subjects (languages, mathematics …). You learn to observe and reproduce, to focus, and you see the necessity of repeating and strive to improve, without pressure, intuitively. You also improve postural habits, flexibility, balance and strength	By CeliGraells, teacher from Mediterrània dance school
English Festival: Journey to Ithaca	A sample of what we have been seeing and doing in the lectures and workshops during the week: arts, music and dance, all together in a story about the feeling of leaving home, the nostalgia of the homeland and the situation of refugees. Everything linked with Odysseus and his return to Ithaca	Performance by pupils and teachers from Pericot School
Teaching about your country	We ask the different participants in the meeting from each country to introduce some aspects from their culture to the upper classes	By our teachers guests
Dealing diversity at the classroom	Diversity is a term that can have many different meanings depending on context. This practical workshop will offer a comprehensive definition of the term, Identifying how diversity affects the classroom and providing practical tips for promoting an inclusive classroom	By Isabel Bravo, teacher of Special Needs from Pericot school and Anna Darné, responsible of a Special Support class
Robotic at school	This workshop will show you how working with robotics goes far beyond the obvious lessons surrounding building and coding—it’s also an effective way to teach literacy competency and other various “soft skills” that are essential in today’s world.	By Gerard Descamps and NarcísGarcía, Robotic teachers  from Pericot School

Additional Information:

All the activities will be held in; the class meeting, the Arts classroom. The Dance classroom and the Gym/Theather. All located in the Pericot School facilities

Since the beginning of time, mankind has been moving from place to place. Leaving their home, searching for a new place, for a new start. Many people have been forced to leave their places, always hoping to find a shelter, to find peace. I’m leaving my home. A happy place I once known. Now lost to disease and war. Families parted; never ready to leave. Some not so lucky; never able to flee; So many memories lost with my home. A home were I no longer belong. Not anymore. I have left many friends who are now only shadows in my night. Friends who I wish to meet again. I’m scared, I see mom and dad worried, Sad, trying to hide the uncertain future. I wish everything were as before. A country so far from my own, But, geologically, only next door. A country who's fate you will never know. A fate you will never have to feel so close to home. Maybe one day I will once again be able to call her my own. You are my land and you always will be,  How green are your valleys, how blue your great skies, Your mountains stand tall in their glory:                                      Your rivers run free, Your beauty is endless before me.                                           Will I be back someday? I only have a suitcase A few things, but a heart full Of memories and wishes. Goodbye. I must leave. I wish I hadn’t It’s time for me to go I want you to know I’ll be back some day I know that you will be close to me Wherever I go. So, when I say goodbye, remember I’ll be back someday Leaving home. The place where we were born. The house where we lived. The neighbourhood. The fields. The mountains. The river. Travelling always homesick… Always missing the land we left behind. Don’t forget me, and send me a message telling how much you miss me.