Evaluation and Future

DVD films of the Christmas celebrations, pupils and parents were enthusiastic about it.
Multilingual book with reports about wars in the world, fighting for freedom, poems and stories about peace and freedom – a joint project production
Posters, drawings and art paintings (collages) about freedom
Christmas decorations
E-mail, letters and Christmas cards
Diary of Boris, a travelling bear– a joint project
CD – multimedia display about all project activities
Wallpaper made by pupils in The Netherlands to say goodbye to the pupils to whom they were connected during the last year in the French partner school.
Exhibitions – Crossing Borders Day
Models of buildings and places from all four countries
Photo albums and posters about street games
Crossing Borders Chronicle
Website www.crossingborder2004-2007.nl

Final products were sent to all partner schools by post or given to each other during project meetings. They were shown to pupils during lessons, displayed at schools in “Crossing Borders” corners, during exhibitions for teachers, pupils, their parents (‘Crossing Borders Day’). There was information about the project in some of the local newspapers, local television and websites of all four countries.

1. How effective was the collaboration between the participating institutions?: Collaboration between the schools was very effective. Each school had a very enthusiastic coordinator. Teachers knew in which activities they were involved. The partners kept in touch by email and post packages. The language was English. Not every school starts English lessons at the same age, so not every pupil is able to write or talk in English at the same level. There was also a time problem, especially in December. For example, The Dutch school also has to celebrate the feast of ‘Sinterklaas’ at the beginning of the month. Teachers who did not visit partner schools did not feel as involved in the project. So the staff mobility activities were very important and motivating. The good contacts between teachers and the good atmosphere in the whole project gave a positive feature to the project.
2. Has the partnership undertaken any joint evaluation of project activities and progress made?: We evaluated all activities during project meetings. Most of the issues are already written on this site. We were satisfied about the contacts made between classes with pupils of the same age. During the last project meeting in Poland we summarized our 3-year project cooperation and we came to conclusion our teachers and pupils did a great job. We decided to stay in contact and try to realize some small projects beyond Socrates program.

August, 2007

Future:

Poland and The Netherlands planned a small project for the year 2007/08. Pupils of the age about 12 will stay in email contact and will send each other (self-made?) photographs of their own area. In the school they will realize paintings of this photos and send them to each other. In both schools the paintings will be shown in an exhibition.

The most important aims of the project were:
Try to overcome prejudices and discrimination, create tolerance and make a world in which people take the responsibility for each other, for their own area and environment. The need to continue teaching this constantly becomes clear daily. Also in the countries of our project: the problems between Roman-Catholics and Protestants in Northern Ireland, the violence against and among foreigners in France and The Netherlands, the attitude of the Polish government with regard to homo’s and the signs of intolerance all over the world…
Our final message: Be watchfull!

With kind greeting,

Barbara Mleczko - Raciborz, Poland
Claude Boulay - Mondoubleau, France
Alison Morris - Belfast, United Kingdom
Piet Tuinstra - Ter Apel, The Netherlands

Evaluation and Future

August, 2007

Future:

The most important aims of the project were:

Our final message: Be watchfull!

With kind greeting,

Coordinator

CROSSING BORDERS WITH BORIS