PIECE OF A WHOLE

We actualized the second mobility of Piece Of A Whole in SLovakia between 23rd-28th of March in 2014 with the representative of Estonia (two teachers and a student), France (two teachers), Italy (3 teachers and four students), Poland (three teachers and eleven students), Spain (one teacher) and Turkey (three teachers).

On Monday French, Spanish and Turkish teams were ready at Slovakian school (Zakladna Skola) and visited the departments of school with the accompaniment of Slovakian students. Ludmila, who represent the  Slovakian team were always with us. Eva and Olga representing the administration  of Zakladna Skola were really helpful in other ways.

In the first day we had the chance to learn about Slovakian school. There were several sport halls and out space sport opportunities. We could get into the classrooms and talk with kids. They were very interested and keen to interact with us.  

The second day was the formal welcome of the meeting. Students wearing traditional Slovak clothes were ready with salt and bread to serve the guests in front of the school. There were introductory wallboards of each partner counrty in the enterance. Ludmila told that there was also a knowledge contest among their students about the countries carried out with the well-prepared wallboards of partners.

After Polish, Estonian and Italian teams had time to see the school departments (as they were just arrived on Monday), some kind of honouring (good food and presents)were ready for us in the teachers’ room. Mayor of Raca (the region where the school is located) visited us at the same moment with a kind welcome and some presents representing Bratislava.

Then we could see an amazing show prepared by the students. There were performances of Piece of a Whole Project activities like ryhtm, drama and chorus. Students displayed some traditional and modern dances prepared by themselves also.

Later the POW team made a meeting in the library to discuss about ongoing and further activities. We talked about new Social Media Tools activitiy arranged by the coordination of Spanish and Turkish collaboration. We expect our students interact with each other  more effectively via twinspace  by introducing the new steps about social media tools activitiy to the responsibles.

On Tuesday evening we were together in a beatiful restaurant with Comenius friends and we had an opportunity to degust delicious Slovak wines.  There had been a surprise for Ludmila, the deputy headmaster of Slovak school, also. She had her birthday in the following week. But Jagoda, Polish English teacher had organized a surprise birthday party for her after the meal. There was a cake and a surprise birthday song performed by Italian and Polish students. It has been an emotional memory for Ludmila.

On Wednesday, POW team visited a crafts shop in Bratislava and guest students from Italy and Poland had the chance to make traditional Slovak handcrafts accompanied with experienced handcraft teachers bu using wires, ropes, wood, paint etc.

After the time in crafts shop POW  team visited the historical and important places in Bratislava old town in the content of a guied tour.

On Thursday POW team visited a play school (kindergarten) accompanied by English teacher, Sonia.  We could see the classrooms and had chance to talk with kids. We observed that there were big classes for each age levels from 3 to 6 and they also had a seperate sleeping and lunch places. We were impressed with the kind welcome and special interest of the administration and teachers of the kindergarten.

Later we visited old Raca’s home and could see the museum inside. We saw the pictures and products of old ages in Raca.

In the evening we attended the Teachers’ Day Dinner at school. We could taste very special food served for us and we enjoyed the entertainment program prepared by the Slovakian teachers.  Teachers’ Day Dinner was the formal ending of our visit in Slovakia. We said good-bye to each other and declared our best wishes till the next mobility.

Many thanks to Ludmila for the amazing Slovakia week, special interest and deep emotional relationship grown stronger during the meeting events.