BULLETIN 4 – October 2023
SEPS + EPIE 
SEPS about Sustainability for European Primary Schools – SEPS is a child friendly project about sustainability for European primary schools and EPIE is an European project for Primary schools about Inclusive Education.
Good day dear colleagues, parents and pupils from all our partner schools.
Message for all our partner school pupils, parents and teachers.
Dear students and colleagues from the schools who are interested and who already participate in our project on inclusion and sustainability.
Our website.
Our website now also contains some video clips of activities at our partner schools. Unfortunately, it took a while before this could be technically realized. With the help of Tomash and Eva, some more clips can now be presented. It’s worth checking them out. Send the video recording to to Diana Brouwer and Anton Verwey.
Examples of lessons.
During our last meeting in Houten and Meet with coordinators and directors, we agreed that every school would send some examples of the lessons about sustainability for our website. We hope to have examples from all groups of all ages. That can also be about presentations of a few pupils or a demonstration. Worksheets for pupils can also be given. Pictures or illustrations are more than welcome! The meaning of this part of our cooperation is that teachers support their colleagues from partner schools by sharing ideas. Please send pictures and papers separate for the site. Do not forget to give your name etc. so that a colleague can ask questions or even better make you a compliment. We also made the appointment to have the net meeting in the Netherlands during the pupils exchange in Houten next year. Schedule for Jobshadowing and Pupils exchanges.
During the last consultation, agreements were made for pupil’s exchanges and job shadowing for teachers.
It was a big puzzle to coordinate all the data. Some details for the mobility’s are:
The pupils write a message about themselves to the host parents. They will stay in pairs. They also keep in touch with the host parents afterwards to thank them etc. In the host school, they will give a presentation about themselves, their school, but especially about sustainability in their own country. At the host school, they will mainly attend classes and be in the group with their “buddy”. Teachers contact the host school to determine how many children they can bring. The costs are borne by the visiting school. Host schools will assist with transport to the school after arrival. The supervisors are offered help in finding a hotel. According to previous agreements, all teachers will stay in the same hotel in order to network and strengthen relationships. This has worked very well before, for example in Spain, Germany, Portugal and Malta. The visiting pupils make one or two excursions in school with the “buddys”.
After the exchange, the pupils write a short report with a few photos about their visit abroad. Their teachers send the text and the pictures separately to Diana Brouwer and Anton Verwey.
About Job shadowing.
The aim of job shadowing is for teachers to work with a colleague from the partner school to get to know the host school and in the education system. The objective for the visits is also inclusion. The visiting teacher makes a learning agreement in advance and sends it to the host school. The intention is to have contact with each other in advance about that agreement. Afterwards, the participating teachers complete a survey about their visit.
Visiting teachers also receive assistance with their travel and accommodation, as well, as during their visit to the host school. These teachers are expected later also to help in welcoming foreign colleagues.
First meeting in Houten at de Plantage in the Netherlands.
In the last week of September, there was a meeting at the school in Houten in the Netherlands with school principals, some teachers and coordinators. Partners who could not attend participated in the meetings via Meet.
In addition to the introductory aspect, the principles of our collaboration were discussed. Our group is not a consortium because we come from different countries, but a real group of schools that want to work together and make agreements for this. We want to support each other and offer practical help.
The main point for the participants was to draw up an annual schedule for job shadowing and student exchange. This was rather difficult because the vacations are not at the same time, and schools have tests at different moments. We also hat to pay attention to national festivities etc. However, we succeeded in making agreements.
For job shadowing, it was agreed that each participant would draw up a learning agreement, as well as a report for the website. After the mobility, each teacher completes a survey. It was also agreed that a “Buddy”, a colleague, would accompany the visitors.
Schools consult with the host school at an early stage about the number of participants and the content of the program, including the number of host families to be arranged and the hotel for the staff members.
Children participating in the exchange prepare a presentation about themselves, their school and sustainability; they also attend lessons on sustainability at the host school and are with their “buddy” in classes at the school to be visited. Some excursions may be organized. If possible, the children will have video contact with their fellow students at the school in their own country during their visit. Afterwards, the children write a short report with a few photos about their exchange.
The website was also examined and it was agreed that each school would provide sample lessons on sustainability and that the teachers would post descriptions of the lessons on the website.
There were also two teachers from Vienna present, they were interested in our collaboration and also wanted to make agreements about Etwinning. We welcomed two employees of the Dutch national agency during the first part of the meeting.
During the visit, there was sufficient contact after the work sessions to get to know each other informally.
A possible next visit would be held in the week of May 13, 2024.
The sunflower project was a great success.
The kernels were sent by the Dutch school de Plantage in Houten to all partner schools. The Dutch pupils brought the seeds themselves to Steinheid, because the seeds had been irradiated by the Post with X-ray last year.
Things also went well at the Austrian school in Karres, this time the flowers were not mowed by the municipal garden service! Beautiful flowers were also provided in the Portuguese school garden in Braga. The many photos give a good impression. It seems like an initiative to continue.
Here are some pictures of our sustainability sunflower project; there have been huge sunflowers all over Europe. Pupils had lessons about seeds and growing sunflowers…This giant was in the Portuguese school in Braga in their school garden. During the pupils exchange last year pupils from Germany, Portugal and the Netherlands worked together in that nice well in the well-kept school garden.
This year the sunflowers in the small Austrian village of Karres were not mowed by the public gardens department! That is why these beautiful specimens were at the Volksschule in Karres.
Also in Steinheid were the sunflowers growing. It was nice to see how these big flowers were more than 2 meters high.
Pupils were very proud of the results. This time the Dutch pupils brought the seeds themselves because last time the post x-rayed them unfortunately.
Also in Steinheid were the sunflowers growing. It was nice to see how these big flowers were more than 2 meters high.
Pupils were very proud of the results. This time the Dutch pupils brought the seeds themselves because last time the post x-rayed them unfortunately.
In the Dutch school was one of the pupils with happy very big sunflower, she shows it with a big smile as everyone can see
Best wishes from Diana Brouwer (director), Gunter Wild (Head of school in Steinheid) and Anton Verwey (coordinator).
As usual, stay safe and keep in touch,
Anton Verwey.
Questions or remarks do not hesitate and contact Anton Verwey.
+31613698777 Whats App, call or mail afc.verwey@planet.nl