Ltt Carlet "Care or Scare" Wednesday 15th November Improving the quality of life

Wednesday 15th November 2017

Once upon a time on a beautiful Wednesday morning with an astonishing Spanish sun the amazing group of international students gathered for the 3rd day in a row in the cosy canteen of IES 9 Octubre... 

After a little delay they were treated to a very interesting lecture on biomedical engineering by four students from the British school of Alzira. Their project ‘stand again’ won a prize in the politécnic university of Valencia because of the highly innovative level regarding the price reduction. (...)

This inspiring, in-depth presentation was followed by a transnational tournament for the students. It didn’t take long before they were semi-experts in the regional game of colpbol. 

After a delicious coffee break the teachers were taught bachata by a swinging student. It was obvious that compared to Mediterranean hip shaking Joan the international teachers still had a lot to learn. It was an interesting experience to see the cultural differences, such as jumpy Rutger from Holland in a pair with Hürriyet from Turkey trying to convince him to shake his hips like a belly dancer. 

Some Spanish students organized an activity to entertain the elderly at a nearby nursing home with an origami folding workshop. They counted on the international delegation to help them help the elderly. It came as a shock to some of the international students and teachers when they realized that some 90 year olds were able to fold origami a lot better then them. Luckily, it was also very interesting to engage in a conversation with these lovely people and they weren’t forced to stick to origami. That way they learned about what life in Spain was like some years ago and about the variety of different cats that live in the garden of the caring home. 

Lunch time was perfect for the headmaster to once again show off his cooking skills. Within the blink of an eye he threw off his suit and appeared in an apron. Impressing us with the Fideua on Monday wasn’t enough, he went for a second round and prepared paella for everyone. 

After lunch both students and teachers had time to relax a little bit and enjoy the sun or prepare the last parts for their presentations. Some teachers went for a digestive walk and discovered a work-out park.

After lunch the Aquaponics project was presented. Aquaponics is a system that combines conventional aquaculture with hydroponics. By combining both systems, synergy effects can be exploited, and fish and plants then benefit from one another.

The group could see how much work and effort the host school put into this project.

To maintain the vibe of the day (and maybe a little bit of the Spanish culture) the school presentations also started a tiny bit later. The Romanian delegation hit it off with a level of interactiveness that should win a  prize because they made everyone experience what it is like to live with a seeing or hearing impairment in a fun and active manner. The Dutch followed with some very practical solutions to improve a walking cane and a sling. 

The bar was set high by these groups but the Italian students who followed weren’t intimidated and delivered a great in-depth presentation about inclusion and the technical tools which make life of disabled or older people easier.

The Spanish students closed the presentation round with a very interesting demonstration of the (...) project.

These were the last presentations of this week, but even though it all happened in a relatively short time they became pretty famous. In fact, even Spanish students who don’t participate in the project did everything he could to be able to attend them.

Ltt Carlet "Care or Scare" Tuesday 14th November Improving the quality of life

Ltt Carlet – Tuesday 14th November 2017
Tuesday was field day. Snoozers with few hours of sleep were able to catch up during the trip by coach. The trip went southwards to the town of Gandia – crossing beautiful hill land. Our first adress was one for culture vultures – the castle of the local Dukes`family, the Borgia who also gave the world two Renaissance popes involved in rather doubtful activities. The guided tour focussed on one of the Dukes, Francis, who, at a later stage of life, turned mercilessly religious  by joining the Jesuit monks. The castle itself prides itself of marvelous azuleios tiles and lots of both gloomy and pious pictures.
After a short refreshment the crowd crossed the town centre to reach the local Faller museum that illustrates the doings and undoings of the regional feast in March. People build figures or groups of figures, more often than not in satirical and exaggerated shape to comment on local events. These monument sculptures of paper mâche are carried around the towns during Faller week, duly admired and then burned. Only bits and pieces are preserved for at least the following year. Anyway – everybody then had a chance to try their luck by cutting wildly around in order to create little monument sculptures themselves. Before leaving the town of Gandia the group had lunch in the outskirts of this peaceful place. Whilst the professorial group was forced to have, once again, a go at regional dishes the group representing humanity´s future was dismissed to find grub at an International burger place whose name will not be disclosed here...
Body, spirits and brains refreshed – everybody dozed off in the bus again to wake up in a stretch of land between sea and the Albufera lake. Boats took us out along the lakeside with thick reed, a noble restaurant and arrogantly looking birds. Tons of selfie photographies were taken, thanks to the impressive background – wide and large.
Those who assumed that it had been a full day were positively disappointed because our coach took us to a further destination. CEE Schneider is a factory that assembles parts of cars of all brands – in the industrial estate of Picassent. Whyever would our tour managers, Joan Linares and Francis Sangil, want everybody to visit this production site? A large part of the personnel is disabled, either physically or mentally. The firm`s philosophy is to tailor the production lines and machinery to the staff´s needs – a great chance that not all economic enterprises offer. To the enjoyment of the Young lady teachers and old female students not Dr Schneider, the owner, himself gave the introduction. He left the field to a Young engineer who upheld the honour of the firm.
This meant the end of another intense day for the group – leaving the rest of the entertainment to the trusted hands of the host families.

Ltt Carlet "Care or Scare" Monday 13th November Improving the quality of life

Care or Scare Monday 13th November Improving the quality of life:

Ltt Carlet – day 1

This morning a big surprise – students from 6 schools in arrival at the Carlet school, an extensive complex of buildings in midst of Orange and khaki plantations. After a short and friendly welcome speech by the school`s principal – a distinguished figure with the air of a successful soccer coach – everybody flocked into the working hall – icebreaking activities to get to know everybody. This was followed by an interesting guided tour through the school, its numerous technological workshops where students were trained as car mechanics, technicians etc. Afterwards time for a mid-morning brunch in the cafeteria – to reload the body exhausted by too much listening and talking in English, a Language which was nobody `s mother tongue after all.

Spirits and bodies refreshed the whole bunch set out for the town centre where the Mayoress of Carlet was already waiting to welcome all the guests. The music, sort of Celtic sounds, gave a somewhat nostàlgic note to the encounter. It quickly became clear that Carlet seldom sees such a motley crowd of people from so many diferent countries. Then the whole group set out for a town walk – to appreciate the many examples of gracious early 20th century architecture.

The Non-Spaniards, by that time, were eagerly awaiting lunch – not being used to such long interlapses between breakfast and midday meal. To the guests`s utter amazement the Carlet school´s principal was to be found with an apron wrapped around his loins – the chef Fideuà cook. This dish is, by and large, a paella with pasta instead rice.

 The afternoon was meant for more academic work. First of all several groups, in turn, attended a presentation by one of the science teachers, the Cyrano project, called like this after the famous long-nosed French poet and minstrel singer. The project itself, though, has nothing whatsoever to do with long noses. Rather it dealt with help for disabled people who, through computer Applications are enabled to transmitter commands and thus make things move in help of their handicap. Like moving roller shutters up and down, zapping through tv channels and operating air condition as well as heating at the exact temperature desired.

In the early evening the students from three countries started giving their talks about their work prepared at home. There was a whole range of topics, from the situation of disabled people at school to the scary significance of modern technologies in literary dystopia, thus providing gloomy pictures of a possible future of mankind. The students were then dismissed home to the human warmth of their Carlet host famílies. Everybody to their individual evening programme covered by the mantle of privacy. At school only the participating teachers remained to complete their Planning of the things to come. 

Care or Scare ERASMUS KA219 Recognition

The general director of Linguistic Policy and Management of Multilingualism, Rubén Trenzano, has given recognition to the 134 teachers who participated in the Erasmus + KA2-school education and adult education day, approved 2017 projects, a meeting whose objective is to encourage the educational centers that have been beneficiaries of a project subsidized by this European program.

The Erasmus + KA2 program facilitates the development of training projects or work between educational centers throughout Europe. The Ministry of Education, Research, Culture and Sports, with the organization of this day, aims to promote the internationalization of Valencian educational centers, an action that brings benefits both for students and families , and advise the management teams about the steps that must be made in the program.

For Rubén Trenzano, this day "expresses the will of the Ministry to accompany our educational centers in the management of European programs. Help them, advise, motivate and make them available so that Europe opens Educational doors and Valencians and Valencians can not be delayed. We have to put our educational centers at the forefront of Europe, at the same level as the most advanced European regions. "

The call for Erasmus + K2 has been a success for the Valencian centers, since the funds that have been allocated to their projects have doubled: it has risen from the 1.2 million euros allocated in 2016, to 2 , 4 million euros from 2017. The number of centers participating in this call has also increased.

Among all the projects benefiting from these European subsidies, we must highlight Print 3D, led and coordinated by the Ministry of Education, Research, Culture and Sports, which has the second highest economic grant of the State: 280.506 euros. An initiative that works for the inclusive education of the blind population.

Webcam conference Care or Scare in the school IES 9 d'Octubre (Carlet)

Webcam conference to present the Programme "Improving the quality of life" , a new step in the Project Care or Scare. Challenges of Modern Technologies within ERASMUS+  KA2 partnership with the participation of 7 countries RO-TR-DE-NL-CZ-IT--ES

CHALLENGES OF MODERN TECHNOLOGIES: Improving the quality of life

CHALLENGES OF MODERN TECHNOLOGIES:

Improving the quality of life

Within the framework of Erasmus + and most particularly, as a part of our  KA219 project “Care or Scare. Challenges of new technologies”, our school, IES 9 d’Octubre, had the pleasure of leading an interdisciplinary meeting between vocational and secondary education students and a group of visually impaired students with their teachers and educators from SESSAD PRO DV Valentin Hauy (Association Valentin Hauy au Service des Aveugles et Malvoyants) located  at Chilly-Mazarin -next to Paris- with the aim of making our youngsters aware of the cumbersome situation of  partially-sighted people and  therefore,  marking   a step forward towards integration and normalization of the disabled.

We would like to acknowledge the task of the municipal Councilor for Culture at Carlet Town Hall,  Mr. Bernat Nogués, who  has facilitated and made  this contact possible. 

En el marc d'Erasmus + i, en particular, com a part del nostre projecte KA219 "Care or Scare". Els reptes de les noves tecnologies ", el nostre institut, IES 9 d'Octubre, ha tingut el plaer de liderar una reunió interdisciplinària entre estudiants de Formació Professional i Secundària i un grup d'estudiants amb discapacitat visual amb els seus professors i educadors de SESSAD PRO DV Valentin Hauy (Associació Valentin Hauy au Service des Aveugles et Malvoyants) ubicat a Chilly-Mazarin -ciutat veïna a  París- amb l'objectiu de conscienciar els nostres joves de la complicada situació de persones amb visió limitada i, per tant, donar un pas endavant cap a la integració i la normalització de les persones amb discapacitat.

Ens agradaria reconèixer la tasca del regidor municipal de Cultura de l'Ajuntament de Carlet,  Sr. Bernat Nogués, que ens ha facilitat aquest contacte.

En el marco de Erasmus + y en particular, como parte de nuestro proyecto KA219 "Care or Scare". Desafíos de las nuevas tecnologías ", nuestro instituto, IES 9 d'Octubre, ha tenido el placer de liderar una reunión interdisciplinaria entre estudiantes de Formación Profesional y Secundaria y un grupo de estudiantes con discapacidad visual acompañados por  sus profesores y educadores de SESSAD PRO DV Valentin Hauy (Association Valentin Hauy au Service des Aveugles et Malvoyants) ubicado en Chilly-Mazarin -localidad cercana a París- con el objetivo de sensibilizar a nuestros jóvenes sobre la complicada situación de las personas con visión parcial y, por lo tanto, significa un paso adelante hacia la integración y la normalización de las personas con discapacidad.

Quisiéramos agradecer la labor del concejal municipal de Cultura en el Ayuntamiento de Carlet, Sr. Bernat Nogués, quien ha facilitado e hizo posible este contacto.

SECOND STEP ON CULEMBORG

TRANSLATION

IES 9 D'OCTUBRE TOWARDS INTERNATIONALIZATION

During the week of 8th to 12th of  May, a group of students and teachers of the IES 9 D'OCTUBRE have participated in the activities organized by the KONINGIN WILHELMINA COLLEGE (KWC) at the Dutch town of Culemborg.

This stay constitutes the second milestone of the KA2-219  Strategic Partnership for Education project within the framework of the ERASMUS + programme, which includes these two schools and five others from Germany, Italy, the Czech Republic, Romania and Turkey.

The programme, named CARE OR SCARE: CHALLENGES OF MODERN TECHNOLOGIES, has focused on different applications of Technology around Water and Landscape.

Over five days, a total of 50 students from the seven nationalities have been able to share the results of the works and projects carried out in the classrooms of each school around the central theme of the meeting and have acquired new knowledge through lectures on the problem of Water in the Netherlands; They have noticed the crucial intervention of engineering in the visits to the Maeslantkering - a barrier against the cyclonic swell located at the entrance to the port of Rotterdam built between 1991 and 1997 as the final stage of the Delta Plan.

In addition, they have enjoyed the opportunity to learn about the uniqueness of Oosterscheldekering - an extensive dike with a length of 8 km that connects the Zealands of Schouwen-Duiveland and Noord-Beveland, which is a unique work, considered everywhere around the world as an extraordinary project in the field of protection against water.

Among the different and interesting educational activities carried out at the institution we'd like to highlight the task in groups of 4 students of different nationalities to build a dyke using the following materials: sand, gravel and soil and check their functionality. We have to say that our students did not show too many expertise but they achieved the experiment.

The programme organized by the KWC did also take care of  the cultural side  with a visit to Amsterdam and a boat trip along the canals of the Dutch capital.

The students, hosted in the families of the Dutch students, could experience the warm welcoming and careful attention given by their hosts, they have seen with their own eyes how they live and how they are and  had to adapt to the good customs of this country such as cycling every morning to go to  school. All in all, they have made friends from six countries, they have improved their level of English, and have lived adventures that will go with them along  their lifetime. You can not ask for more.

For all these reasons and for many others, from our institution, we believe in this kind of initiatives which are faithful to the principles of the Erasmus + programme, changing lives and opening minds. That is why we will continue on this journey of three years and along them we will offer new opportunities to our students, taking a step forward in the European and international dimension. Always on the track and facing new challenges!

Next  November the IES 9 OCTOBRE  will welcome and host during one week the students and teachers from these 6 partner countries. We are  already working in the organization of this stay and doing our best . You may come across   any young German, Dutch, Italian, Romanian, Czech, or Turkish youngster at any corner in our town   ... We'll see what the future holds in store!

TRANSLATION

Young people building a future together

While she’s looking with horror at a bag of dark clay, one student of the Erasmus+ project states: “I really don’t put my hands in that bag”. “Than I will do it” Rebecca says and without hasitation she puts her hand into the bag. In the Erasmus+ project ‘care of scare’ students of seven different countries work together to explore the (challenges of) the future.

Culemborg – Together with approximately forty students and teachers from seven schools out of Germany, the Czech Republic, Italy, Romania, Spain and Turkey, the KWC is involved in a project to get some awareness of the challenges of the future. It’s a project of three years and this week we are hosts of the theme ‘water’, Rutger Oldenbroek, teacher and organizer of the project, states.

Oppertunities

The enthusiastic Oldenbroek also raises the question: “Do we have to be afraid of the water or does water also provide us with oppertunities?” That’s what we are discussing about.

To make a dyke yourself

The importance of dykes has been made clear to the students. Today the students are challenged to make a dyke themselves. One which can withstand severe winds and high waves. The sun is shining, so it’s good weather to work (outside) together. To encourage cooperation between the different countries, mixed groups are being created. But to find your teammembers is a little bit more difficult.

‘Really hard’

“Who’s in group 7, who’s in group 8? Sir, I can’t find them”. For a moment it’s a little bit chaotic but after a while all groups work on a modelscale of a dyke. They know they’ll have to use sand, gravel/stones and clay. But in what order and how much, they have to find out themselves. “It’s really hard”, one member of a team cries out. In front of her is an empty box in which a dyke has to be build. She even panics when she watches her neighbouring group: “Oh look, they have a real dyke”

Very cool

Ida from Germany says it’s ‘very cool’ in Culemborg. The Dutch are very open-minded and friendly people. Staying at a fantastic host family, I like most this week. Chris Beltman, collegue of Oldenbroek, states that the surpluss of this week is students (from different countries) getting to know each other and to experience the way of living and education in a different country. “I’m especially glad that the Turks are involved in the project. Now everybody can see they eat and breathe, just like we do.”

Strong dyke

“Do you think it’ll be strong enough?” a girl asks one of her teammembers in English. He answers: “I think so”, but he rethinks his answer and than says: “I hope so”. But when water was poured into the box, the dyke collapsed imediately, unfortunately.