I didn’t realise at this point just how beneficial it would be in helping them to develop their confidence, self-reliance and awareness of their own culture and behaviour. I can only say that it has been pleasure in seeing them develop and learn outside of the classroom and I know this will help them to become well-rounded young adults.
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As a teacher, I feel very privileged to have been a part of the F.I.F.A. Comenius Project. I am extremely proud of the pupils who have participated from all of the countries involved. For the pupils from the U.K., this experience was outside of their comfort zone and it was a pleasure to see them overcome this and grow in confidence because of this project. For many, it was the first time they were away from their family and even the first time on a plane. I really enjoyed being able to be a part of this experience with them as it was life changing. I can see that participating in this has given them self-reliance and also has built friendships across the cultures, which are still continuing and developing months later.
A highlight of the project for me was hearing the reflections of the pupils. The self-realisation of one particular pupil who said she felt that the British culture had encouraged her to be ‘unintentionally rude’ as she noticed the British pupils were much more reserved than our European counterparts and stood back when part of a group. This was a very truthful observation which troubled her.
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She tried to work out whether it was down to politeness and that they didn’t want to come across as rude or if it was a lack of confidence. She purposely then made more of an effort to get involved and be the first to initiate conversation with both pupils and staff from all countries. She decided to adopt a more European perspective and changed her attitude as she didn’t like how the lack of confidence/politeness might have been interpreted by others.
Visiting Romania was a very pleasant surprise. Their education system is so highly valued in society, much more so than some places in the U.K. and the pupils and staff were extremely proud of their school. This is something I feel that we need to develop in the U.K. as pupils don’t have that pride of their culture or themselves.
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I think that projects such as this one are vital in exploring the different cultures in Europe. We can learn so many lessons from visiting different countries and I gained a lot from speaking to teachers from other nations. They had some great ideas and I was impressed with the depth in which English is taught. The relationship that European teachers have with their pupils differs hugely from the U.K. as it seemed more relaxed and less formal.
I know that my pupils who were fortunate enough to be part of this project will never forget it and it has changed their outlook. They have grown in confidence and I know that they would participate again if they could! It is something they never would have got to experience without the funding provided.
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