TAFTE Project Online Meeting Thursday 13 October 2022

1. Update on the funds and money transfer:

Nathalie will send the partners a subcontract that specifies how we will share the costs during the meetings.

Each receiving partner will suggest a program with the costs to the other partners and the travelling partners will agree on the program and the costs before the meeting.

The Greek and Polish partners will send the French partner their school bank account number for the money transfer with the signed subcontract.

2. Update on the project advancement in each school:

Don’t forget to take notes about every step of the project that we’ll use for the compulsory reports.

France:

• • Teachers team: 8 teachers (English, Mathematics, Physics, Biology, Economics, Geography), we met twice last school year and twice this year and exchanged lots of emails and have a whatsapp group
  • Recruitment of students: we recruited 24 students from 12 different classes all in their first year of upper secondary school (8 boys and 16 girls, 8 students have a scholarship, 6 have immigrant backgrounds from Algeria, Turkey, Portugal, Spain, and 17 of them have never or rarely travelled abroad). We sent messages to all the students of the school and invited those who were interested to presentations of the project at 3 different times and finally went directly in the classes to present the project.
  • Workshop timetable and content: we had troubles with the timetable for the workshop because there was no common slot available for all students so our workshop will take place every Thursday from 12am to 1pm with a lunchbox. For the content, we have a draft of the planning for the first phase (October-December 2022) where we give them information which consists on working on articles, on videos about the general issues on environment and climate change and meetings with researchers and non-profit organisations that work about environment and climate change
  • Problems/good points:
    • the setting of the teachers team took some time because some of the teachers that were involved last year are not in the school anymore or gave up the project and we recruited new ones,
    • the setting of the timetable for the workshop was complicated because there no common slot for everyone,
    • the recruitment of the students took more time than we thought: the communication was difficult by digital means, the presentation of the project in the classes was the best option
    • teachers of different subjects worked in team on the same project almost for the first time and liked it!

Greece:

• • Teacher’s team: We created a shared document on Google Drive where teachers can learn about the program and sign if they wish to be part of the team. A copy of the application has been uploaded to the teachers’ site, partly translated.

In accordance with this document, the teachers’ team has been created, consisting of seven teachers representing the following subjects: Biology, Chemistry, Physics, Greek language (3), English

• • Recruitment of students: During the meeting with the parents, the project was announced and information was given on the planned activities. The students were also informed in their classes. Afterwards an email was sent to the parents with project information and a declaration for them to sign if they wish their child’s participation.
  • Workshop timetable and content: Finding a time slot during the school week was not easy because on the one hand the students have to commute to school and on the other hand they have many after school activities. We decided on meeting on the weekends and specifically on Sunday afternoon at school. We will meet twice a month. According to the project activities, some meetings will take place online using the distance learning platform, Webex. Teachers are planning the introductory material for each of the six sub-topics that will be given in the first meetings.

The first two meetings have already taken place. The first visit is being planned.

• • Problems/good points:

1. Our school has a total of 240 students and the invitation for the project was directed to the first two classes (160 students). 41 students expressed their desire to participate (25%), so the process of choosing the final 24 is demanding. At the moment we have accepted all of them and according to their progress and devotion to the project, we will announce the final team in about two months, while also keeping a backup  list in case a student leaves the project.

2. Finding a time to meet was difficult so we have other meetings on the weekend.

Poland:

• • Teacher’s team: 6 teachers (German, English, Chemistry, Information Technology, Biology). We have met 3 times so far. Besides that, Joanna has had a few meetings with the headmistress and the officials from the County Department of Projects and the one of Accountancy. We have also created a group on Whatsapp and Microsoft Teams. We have exchanged many e-mails and had a lot of phone calls. What is more, Joanna had 3 meetings with the school accountant.
  • Recruitment of students: We created the regulations concerning the Project and uploaded it on the school website. We wanted to find 2^nd grade students but as there were too few of them, we had to recruit 1^st grade students. We organised two audtitions during which students were supposed to bring CVs in English and give presentations of themselves in front of 4 teachers who assessed their language skills and their motivation to take part in the project. We chose 24 students – 6 boys and 18 girls. One boy is an immigrant from Ukraine and he has been living in Poland for 6 months. Most students come from rural areas and their families do not travel much as they do not see the point of it.
  • Workshop timetable and content: We faced some difficulties concerning the dates of workshops as the students finish their classes at different times ad most of them are commuters. After a few discussions we found an appropriate day which is Thursday from 1.50 pm to 2.40 pm. We plan two meetings a month. In case of bad weather conditions, some meetings can be organised online on Microsoft Teams. We have already planned 2 meetings with the representative of the group fighting pollution in Nowy Targ as well as with a forester who deals with the current issue of contamination of the local river. We are also planning to visit the local sewage plant soon.
  • Problems/good points:
• The recruitment took longer than we expected as we we lacked 6 students after the first announcement of the Project
• Cooperation of various teachers on the same project. They do not have any experience of participating in Erasmus project (except for Joanna) but they are truly motivated and willing to work hard. One Chemistry teacher, however, has some experience in the topic of protecting the environment                                                   

3. First teachers meeting in France:
   • Date: between the 7^th of November and the 20^th of November depending on the plane ticket prices
   • Content:
     • organisation of the project
     • communication tools
     • objectives

4. Communication between partner students:
   • Tools: we’ll ask the students if they have ideas and try to use a padlet or a google jam board
   • Organisation of the communications between students: how often and to whom do they have to send their communications? Can we organise turns to make sure they communicate with every student partner at least once?