Our first session

 Despite the technical problems it was great to get the ball rolling and to establish contact with you in Hagen.

"Skype" session 1

On Friday - the European Day of Languages - we met online. We (the teachers) had planned a kind of speed dating activity for those interested taking part in the exchange but unfortunately technology was against this. But we found a solution and the students met in the chatroom. By the look on their faces I knew that they have enjoyed themselves and had a great time - there was this glint in their eyes ...

Finding students

At the beginning of the school year we put up a poster all around the school to look for students interested in an exchange with Spanish peers.

We are really excited as the students are going to meet each other via skype on Friday which is the European day of languages.

Taking part in the eTwinning experience

Here in Girona we are also very excited about our new project.

  

Our 1st year Batxillerat students are starting out their journey into further education. What better way is there to learn about the opportunities which lie ahead than to take part in a project where we connect with another country.

An exchange is an excellent opportunity to improve  fluency and a great opportunity for personal growth. Our experience has found that. And....... there is always the added bonus of finding a friend along the way.

This year’s  topic of Work-Life- Balance is very relevant  to all ages. A good understanding of it early in life can help manage our most valuable resources, such as time, and have a positive impact on our long term health.

So, the project has started and soon you will here about the activities which we will undertake  to complete it.

How it all started

I think it was last year that I met my colleague Susan McBride on eTwinning when we were looking for partner schools to do a skype session with. The session itself went well but the regional internet broke down in Girona and we thought that it we wouldn't chat after all but the students used their own mobile phones so we were saved and had a great time. This year we are planning our first exchange which we are really happy about as it is such a great experience for everybody taking part - students and teachers alike.

We have decided to do an eTwinning project about the topic "Work-Life-Balance". The focus of the project is to enhance students' communicative skills in English and to create an awareness of how they spend their time. The visits are scheduled for December 2014 (in Hagen) and April 2015 (in Girona).