Erasmus+ project „Inclusive and Green School with an International Approach“
The Erasmus+ project „Inclusive and Green School with an International Approach” (Nr. 2022-1-LT01-KA122-SCH-000078937) was the first opportunity to join the Erasmus Schools Network, and aimed to:
1) to provide two school staff members with the opportunity to undertake international training in project organisation and management and in physical activity and healthy lifestyles;
2) to enable pupils to take part in a short-term group mobility on STEAM and ecological activities (building a smart greenhouse, organic plant and animal agriculture), engaging in non-traditional educational activities together with Norwegian peers.
Staff Mobility
In order to increase the school community’s capacity to participate in international activities, as well as to provide fun, inclusive and diverse physical education, in 2023 we have participated in two training courses.
During the Project Management course, we learned how to effectively manage KA1 and KA2 EU-funded projects. In the Physical Activity course, we got ideas on how to motivate students to be active according to their individual needs, and how to incorporate health promotion and environmental awareness activities into the Curriculum.
Pupil Mobility
The 8th grade students and their accompanying teachers took part in a group mobility in Norway. Together with students from Buskerud Secondary School, the group of „Pažinimo medis” school engaged in practical activities related to organic farming and modern farm management methods, learned about the principles of organic waste composting and the circular economy, Norwegian culture and traditions, and shared their experiences of implementing STEAM projects in Lithuania, as well as updated the e-Diary throughout the week.
The Erasmus+ project „Inclusive and Green School with an International Approach” (Nr. 2022-1-LT01-KA122-SCH-000078937) was implemented in the period from 1st of June 2022 to 31st of August 2023.
Project objectives and achievements
Objective 1: To increase the school community’s participation in international activities.
During the Project Management course organised by PMSE+, the school’s project coordinator made direct contacts with teachers and project coordinators from Greece, Turkey, Spain, Italy, Latvia, Germany, who not only shared good practices but also got to know the „Pažinimo medis” school and their experience. The course focused on the main requirements for the preparation and implementation of Erasmus KA1 and KA2 projects, as well as on application planning practices.
After the course, the project coordinator presented the Erasmus programme and its opportunities to the school community, as well as the most relevant aspects of project planning and implementation. An Erasmus Project Management Team was set up, discussions on the need and benefits of international collaborations were organised, the plan for the accredited Erasmus mobility project, which will start in September 2023, was reviewed and planning for a new partnership project (KA2) was started.
All this should provide more opportunities for the „Pažinimo medis” staff to develop their skills and for the pupils to learn in collaboration with peers from other cultures, which was the aim of the project’s first objective.
Objective 2: To promote physical activity and healthy lifestyles among students.
The teacher of physical education took part in a course organised by PMSE+, where she gained knowledge about the latest healthy lifestyle methodologies and tried various practical activities in open spaces: orienteering and endurance training, mountain climbing and paddle sports, Jugaad challenge, Japanese calligraphy, visual memory, concentration, relaxation, etc.
Since returning from the training, the teacher has applied several new methods learned during the course in physical education lessons, and is continuing to communicate remotely with teachers from other countries, while planning next year’s short-term mobility activities for students.
The teacher gave a workshop to her colleagues at the „Pažinimo medis” gymnasium, where she presented breathing, relaxation and concentration techniques learned during the Erasmus course, so that they could use them in their practice with students of different ages. She has also developed a series of the „Body-Mind-Nature” classes for pupils in grades 8-12, which she intends to implement and monitor how these new methods enable more children to engage in active physical activities and become more interested in a healthy and active lifestyle.
Objective 3: To promote student engagement and leadership by contributing to a cohesive organisational culture.
The students’ short-term group mobility activities were directly linked to a STEAM project during the school year – the creation of a school community greenhouse. The smart greenhouses were constructed by students in the 8th and 9th grades for the school’s kindergarten and primary school children, and the most active participants had the opportunity to go to school in Norway.
At the end of the 2023 school year, the pupils joined their Norwegian peers at Buskerud Secondary School to engage in practical activities related to organic plant and animal farming, to learn about the principles of composting organic waste and the circular economy, Norwegian culture and traditions, and to share their experience of STEAM projects in Lithuania.
During the next school year, the students who participated in the mobility will be encouraged to share their knowledge with other grades and levels of education and to continue the school’s community greenhouse project by implementing STEAM activities related to plant production and organic waste recycling.
The pupils recorded their most memorable impressions of the short-term group mobility in an electronic Diary.
The growing interest of the school community in international cooperation opportunities shows that participation in the project management course has contributed to the development of the international dimension of the organisation.
We believe that the experience gained from the Body-Mind-Nature course organised by PMSE+ will encourage more students of „Pažinimo medis” and other members of the community to engage in active physical activities and to become more enthusiastic about a healthy and active lifestyle.
The project not only provided the students with useful practical knowledge and skills, but also increased their motivation to learn, developed leadership skills, competence in learning, and allowed them to contribute to the cohesive organizational culture.
Starting in the 2023 academic year, we are launching an accredited Erasmus mobility project that will provide even more opportunities for all members of the „Pažinimo medis” community to gain useful international experience that will allow them to fully grow as individuals and to develop professionally.