Erasmus+ TEPS Project
Techniques for European Primary Schools within a design and technology.
Erasmus Plus trip to Prague, HorniPocernice, Czech Republic, Monday 9th to Friday 13th October 2017
Attendees:
Anton Verwey, Project co- ordinator from OBS Het Palet, Opheusden, Netherlands, ElsHoetmer-Sapuleté, Karin Vanderplas,Netherlands.
Eva Hola,Project co-ordinatorfrom SkolaRatiborická , HorniPocernice, Czech Republic.
HanaKindlova, Principal of SkolaRatiborická
Nil Askin, Turkey
Gloria TraspasMartín, Spain
Laura VilarSpain
Alice O’Donnell, Sinéad Slater, NiamhBreathnach, St Cronans B.N.S Bray, Co. Wicklow
Sunday 8th October 2017
The Irish group arrived in Prague on Sunday. We spent a wonderful afternoon strolling around the beautiful city of Prague. We viewed the famous Astronomical Clock on the Old Town Square and we were impressed by the stunning and unique architecture of this historic city. Later we enjoyed a fascinating exhibition of famous artworks by AlfonsMucha, Salvador Dali and Andy Warhol. We concluded our cultural experience with a classical concert- held in the exquisite Charles Bridge Palace. The palace where Milos Forman in 1983 filmed parts of his Oscar winning film ‘Amadeus’ and where Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart actually performed. We listened to works by Mozart, Vivaldi and Smetana in the beautiful Piano Nusile Dance Hall, complete with chandeliers and 18th century frescoes adorning the ceilings.
Monday 9th October 2017
Our group visited the Czech school,SkolaRatiborická in HorniPocernice on Monday morning. We were warmly greetedby our hosts Eva Hola, Czech co-ordinator and by HanaKindlovaPrincipal of the school.
A meeting followed during which we discussed work covered on the project to date and we discussed the guidelines for making the technical boxes.
Anton Verwey outlined a simple experiment ‘How to make a Catapult’. The teachers followed the instructions and completed the experiment. Anton also demonstrated the ‘Ozobot’ a small and smart line robot, which is in use in Ratiborická.
After our meeting, the visiting teachers proceeded to the classrooms where we introduced ourselves to the pupils in English. Each country gave a presentation to the pupils about their country. Alice O’ Donnell gave an excellent power point presentation to a class of twenty one, nine to eleven year olds show casing Ireland, our town of Bray and our school St Cronan’s. There followed a question and answer session, the pupils were surprised to learn that we had no girls in our school and that we wore uniforms!
Following a delicious lunch in the school canteen, we returned to classes and gave more presentations. Younger pupils performed a lovely Czech song about the seasons and they enjoyed asking questions about school life in Ireland.
We visited the language room, where the pupils learn English through use of ICT. In the afternoon we travelled to the centre of Prague. We strolled along the historic and stunning14th century Charles Bridge. We visited the Charles Bridge museum where we saw many interesting exhibits. Afterwards, we were treated to a guided cruise along the river Vltava on one of the Vodoud boats.
A wonderful and action packed day ensued with a lovely dinner together with the teachers from SkolaRatiboricka in the hotel Chvalská.
Tuesday October 10th 2017
On Tuesday 10th October, we visited the faculty of Mathematics and physics in Charles University, Prague. Professor VojtechZák spoke to us about IBSE, Inquiry Based Science Education. He outlined a variety of simple physics experiments for ‘home, school and life’. During this workshop we engaged in a number of experiments activities, such as ‘rebellious paper’, ‘making a cork-compass’and various other experiments involving electricity, optics and forces. This was an informative and thoroughly enjoyable session. We gained new knowledge and fresh ideas to bring home to our Irish pupils.
Later in the afternoon, we embarked on a guided tour of Prague Castle and its surroundings, followed by dinner with visiting teachers and our Czech hosts.
Wednesday 11th October 2017
We met in SkolaRatiborická at 9 am. The pupils from the school gave us a guided tour around the premises. They were open and friendly and they relished the opportunity to practise their English! We were impressed by the display of Artwork in the school, the emphasis placed upon the recycling objects, the diverse use of colour, medium and design. Again, we gained new ideas to bring home to Ireland.
Following our tour, we re-entered the classrooms and watched the pupils work with their science boxes. We particularly liked’ making a comet’, building a lookout tower’ and ‘making a magnifying glass’. We look forward to introducing these boxes to our Irish pupils. Afterwards we were treated to a ‘small handwork surprise’, where we decorated and assembled delightful traditional Czech gingerbread houses.
Upon finishing lunch, we returned to the classroom and each visiting school outlined experiments from their technical boxes. From the Netherlands Anton Verwey showed and engaged the pupils in his ‘Roman Catapults’ ElsHoetmer-Sapuletej and Karin Vanderplas presented ‘How to make your own pen’ experiment. Nils Askin from Turkey outlined her ‘Turning Colours’ experiment. The Spanish teachers demonstrated their ‘Artificial Lung’ experiment.
NiamhBreathnach demonstrated the ‘Dancing Raisins’ experiment followed by the ‘Lava Lamp’ experiment. The pupils made their own lava lamp and enjoyed watching the lava fireworks! Afterwards NiamhBreathnach explained the ‘Cup telephone’ and Sinéad Slater and Alice O’Donnell re enacted the first ‘phone call’ between Alexander Graham Bell and his assistant Mr Watson! The pupils experimented with their own cup telephones and enjoyed having English conversations with their classmates.
After a busy and insightful day, visiting teachers were allowed free time to further experience the delights of Prague
Thursday October 12th 2017
On Thursday morning we visited a small parallel school in the neighbourhood. We toured the school and we met the pupils and the teachers. Then followed a science lesson, in which the pupils worked with their science boxes and the visiting teachers spoke and engaged with them. Anton Verwey demonstrated his ‘Roman Catapult’ and he spoke with the pupils about the TEPS project and the benefits of experiencing science in a fun and interactive way. NiamhBreathnach demonstrated ‘How to make a paper aeroplane’ from one of the Irish boxes and all the pupils had great fun attempting to make their planes and fly them across the classroom!
After lunch nearby, we journeyed to the town of Liberec we were visited ‘Iqlandia’ an interactive science museum. We received a guided tour of the museum and we enjoyed the amazing and fascinating exhibits.
Friday October 13th 2017
The final evaluation meeting was held in SkolaRatiborická. We concluded that our week in Czech Republic was an informative and successful one.
On behalf of the Irish teachers Alice O’Donnell, Sinéad Slater and NiamhBreathnach, we would sincerely like to thank our Czech hosts, HanaKindlova and all the teachers from SkolaRatiborická, who gave so generously of their time and expertise. They made us feel so welcome in their school. We would especially like to thank Eva Hola for organising our programme of activities and for being so gracious and kind.
Thank you also to Anton Verwey, the project co-ordinator, for being such an informative and pleasant colleague, and for making our trip such a memorable one.
Our trip to the Czech Republic proved to be a thoroughly enjoyable and interesting experience, we returned home to Ireland laden with new ideas, insights and impressions; both technical and artistic. It was a pleasure to spend time sharing ideas, and experiences with our Czech, Dutch, Turkish, Spanish counterparts and we look forward to welcoming them once more in St Cronan’s in January 2018.
NiamhBreathnach, Sinéad Slater, Alice O’Donnell, teachers from St Cronan’s B.N.S Ireland.