Transnational Meeting in Greece - 16

Meeting in Greece: All singing, all dancing

The 5th and final transnational meeting took place in 10th Primary School of Elefsina from Monday 16th May until Friday 20th May, 2022. Delegate teachers from CEP Antonio de Ulloa, Spain, (5), Whitehouse Common , UK,(3), Bahattin Ozyazici Ilkokulu, Turkey, (4) Wildbach Volksschule Deutschlandsberg, Austria (4), visited the Greek school. The aim of this meeting was to celebrate the intangible cultural heritage of the counties related to music and dances, share their good practices and exchange elements of their culture.
During this week there were both morning and afternoon cultural activities. The morning activities took place in the school premises and they involved the students, the local and guest teachers. The afternoon activities involved visits to places of cultural and historical interest. Specifically:

Sunday 15th May, 2022

The Greek Erasmus+ teachers welcomed the guest groups in Elefsina and showed them around the hotel and the area. The guest groups were given a dossier with the Erasmus+ week schedule and their name badges.

Monday 16th May, 2022

Morning Activities

On Monday morning the guest groups were welcomed to school by all the school students and the teachers in the school playground. During the outdoor welcoming event the guest teachers were given greeting cards prepared by the 2nd grade students and they watched all the school students dance “syrtaki”. In the end, all the guest teachers started to dance along with the Greek teachers.

The video for the welcoming event

Next, the guest teachers were taken into the concert hall where an indoor welcoming event with songs and narrations took place. Finally, the guests were treated with local delicacies and they were given gifts by the school and the students.

In the welcoming event there were representatives of local authorities of West Governance, the Municipality of Elefsina and of the Institution of Elefsina the Capital of culture 2023, the Primary Education.

Finally, the guest teachers visited the school classes and met the teachers and the students of the school. The classes had prepared surprise presents for them!

Afternoon Activities

In the afternoon, the teachers visited the New Acropolis Museum and they were given a guided tour by a museum attendant. Then they walked along the streets of Monastiraki, Psyrri, and Plaka. Finally, they had dinner there. It was a very entertaining first day!

For more photos on Day 1, click here

Tuesday 17th May, 2022

Morning Activities

On Tuesday morning the groups shared their good practices.

The English group presented a draft of the “Good practices DVD/ cloud” which is one of the final project outcomes.

The Spanish group presented a draft of the second issue of our collaborative e-newsletter.

The Austrian group presented their good practices related to the project as well as their project journals and they gave a gift-journal to each group.

Finally, the Turkish group presented the collaborative project e-recipe book which was the outcome of the project meeting in Turkey.

Next, the guest teachers visited classes and carried out music workshops with the local students.

UK interacted with SΤ2

Turkey interacted with Β1

Spain interacted with C2

Austria interacted with SΤ1

On completion of the workshops, the teacher groups were taken to the concert hall, and the Greek teachers shared their good practices. The 6th grade students retold the local myth of the abduction of Persephone in the form of picture theatre (Kamishibai) which was prepared by them.

Then the local custom of flower pots was staged by the 5th grade students and dances and songs were sung by them.

The morning activities also involved a video meeting between the students of the Greek and English school. During this meeting, the British students talked about their favourite musical instruments, the Greek students presented some ancient Greek musical instruments and they played an online game. They all did great! They are quick learners!

Link to the presentation on musical instruments

Link to the online games

Afternoon activities

In the afternoon the teachers enjoyed a guided to the Acropolis hill. They had the chance to learn about this important Greek landmark and enjoy the view of Attica basin from the top. After taking plenty of pictures, the guests visited Syntagma Square and walked along the famous Ermou street. Finally, they had the chance to visit Thisio and walk along the streets in Plaka and Psyrri. The day ended with dinner in the central square of Elefsina. All in all, it was an exciting day!!!

For more photos on Day 2, click here

Wednesday 18th May, 2022

On Wednesday morning the 6th grade students presented the ancient Greek musical instruments and the ancient Greek myths related to them. The guest teachers listened to the information and enjoyed the beautiful melodies of the instruments. They also had the chance to play a game with the students. It was real fun!

Next, the groups carried out dance workshops with the Greek students. It was an amazing experience for the Greek students who were very intrigued and motivated to dance to the different rhythms. The Greek teachers who were present in these workshops indulged in some multicultural dancing as well!

UK interacted with Β1

Turkey interacted with SΤ1

Spain interacted with SΤ2

Austria interacted with C2

After the dance workshops, the 5th grade students participated in a video meeting with the Turkish students. The Turkish students talked about the musical instruments of their country, while the Greek students presented the origins of the current musical instruments. Then, they played an online game based on the presentation. The activities were very entertaining for all! Congratulations to all!

Afternoon Activities

In the afternoon, the teachers got involved in a guided tour to the archaeological site of Elefsina. They had the chance to learn all about the ancient history and the myths related to the city.

Next, they met with the head of the institutions of Elefsina the Capital of Culture 2023 where they were informed about the aims and the scope of this institution.

Next, they visited “Iris” and the old Oil Factory and the guests leant all about the key role of these buildings into the industrial history of the city.

Finally, the teachers visited Kineta for dinner where they had the chance to discuss the sea history of the country and the role of sea and sea culture into people’s lives and economy. The day was very enjoyable!

For more photos on Day 3, click here

Thursday 19th May, 2022

Morning Activities

This day included a presentation of the Greek Educational system and a talk on the importance of cultural heritage: the industrial history of Elefsina (from past to present: The transition) by a guest speaker, Mr Panagiotoulias. The teachers had the chance to ask questions and interact with the speakers.

Next, the guest teachers interacted with the students in traditional game workshops either indoors or outdoors. The school teachers also got involved in the games. It was very educational and entertaining for all!

UK interacted with C2

Turkey interacted with SΤ2

Spain interacted with SΤ1

Austria interacted with Β1

Afternoon Activities

The afternoon activities included a guided tour to Stavros Niarchos Foundation (SNF) in Kallithea where the visitors admired the National Library and Concert Hall accommodated there, as well as the beautiful canals with sea water and the gardens surrounding it. They took plenty of pictures from the top.

Finally, they walked along the marina of Flisvos and enjoyed a dinner there and the beautiful sunset.

For more photos on Day 4, click here

Friday 20th May, 2022

Morning Activities

In the morning, the 6th grade students presented the culture game which they had prepared for the schools. The culture game included words which are Greek in origin and are used in partner languages. The kids played the game with each other and with the guest teachers and a delightful moment of interaction. Then, the visitors were given a board game as a present to play with their students back to school.

The guest teachers carried out workshops with the Greek students which focused on traditional stories, customs and art of their country.

UK interacted with SΤ1

Turkey interacted with C2

Spain interacted with B1

Austria interacted with SΤ2

When the workshops were over, the teachers discussed the future plans of the project and the final activities until project completion and they gave feedback on the meeting by filling out the meeting evaluation questionnaires.

Next, the history of the Olympic games was staged by the 6th grade students and a final farewell dance was carried out in the school playground where songs form various Greek places were heard. The meeting with a message for World Peace which was sent out by all participants.