The main objective of the project “West East Sharing Musical Identities Learning Europe” is to raise students’ awareness and understanding of music, songs, instruments, acting as well as their social, teamwork and communicative skills, to increase creativity. People tend to push others away because of their different opinions, or looks, or age, or background. But when we get to know each other better we realize that we are not that different, we are all the same. Here is where music plays a significant role – it is a transnational language everybody speaks, a great way to bond – by singing and playing together. Students across Europe from West to East listen to and like the same kind of music and this can be the first step to better understanding, learning more about different cultures, religions, way of life and overcoming prejudice, and also provide the perfect way for children to socialize. We are six countries in total as participants- Italy, Portugal, Greece, Turkey, Romania and Poland. Expected results during the project: a blog, a Facebook like page, and E-twinning of the project; ppt presentations or video about the sound of our environment; a research on the Second World War and the music that signed that period; a survey on ”Disability is not an obstacle to perform music”, international music exhibition; a project museum; a project E-book to collect photos and articles. Before, during and after the visits we will perform the following activities: a mascot contest, an anthem contest, performing songs in the national, regional or local languages; folk dances, theatre plays, WE SMILE parade. Above all music is a tool to make connections with other school subject in a cross curricular approach. During the project seminars, trainings and workshops about cross curricular, pedagogical and inclusive methods will be organized. To make sure the goals set by the project (innovation and exchange of good practices) there will be constant interaction between schools, implementing methods such as workshops, simulations, games, interviews, role-playing, discussions, as well as learning through songs and learning through target culture. Students, teachers, parents and other members of the local community will be involved in the W.E S.M.I.L.E. project. The desired impact will be at local, regional, national and European level. This impact will be implemented through final products, intellectual outputs, experience and will be accessible for pupils, teachers, trainers, parents, educators and all interested parties. Most students will take a direct part in the mobilities but as expected results we can predict their bigger motivation and interest to learning English, greater interest in other European countries and their cultures, development of social and civic competences, better realization for the global problems and expecting themselves to be European citizens. Teachers will improve their organizational skills and command of English as they will perform various tasks and participate in meetings, seminars, discussions. "WE SMILE'' will promote better understanding between the different nationalities and layers of society and will rally the communities using the power of music and dances. It will improve partnership between different institutions.
Music has been the base engine of this project that had its beginning in October 2017 in Formia, Italy, and its conclusion in May 2019, in the same place. With this project, it was intended to create greater awareness of the importance of music, as a unifying element between countries, cultures and forms of socialization. Across Europe, many students listened to and enjoyed the same kind of music, and this can be the first step towards a better understanding and learning of different cultures, religions and ways of living.The project aimed to develop students’ musical intelligence, increase experience, “think outside the box” and find alternative solutions to learn and share knowledge through music. It also had the objective of introducing new techniques,making known good practices and developments in music, as well as reliving the old themes and musical instruments from different countries. Nowadays, music is a transnational language we can use to communicate without stereotypes or barriers. It was with great enthusiasm that "I.C. Alighieri", “Agrupamento de Escolas Artur Gonçalves”, "Gradinita cu program prelungit", "Iayse Temizel Ortaokulu", "Music School of Tripolis", "Zespol Szkol Publicznych nr 5" embraced this project, which included factors of great importance such as the involvement and enthusiastic participation of students and their families, the possibility of getting in touch with other European schools, the contact with different educational systems, the possibility of comparing and adopting. Each or two transnational project meetings,organized with total success by the host schools, reinforced the development of a distinct interpersonal relationship and cooperation, in order to build a common approach to all the issues elaborated and included in the plan, as well as to respond to all the difficulties encountered during the implementation of the project. The cooperation was based on a partnership between all the schools involved. Teachers and students communicated using portals, forums, instant messaging, video conferencing, etc. All partners presented their skills and competences throughout the project. Some partners shared their experience of working on projects and others shared new ideas and vision. All the activities were carefully prepared for the students and by the students of the participating schools and had as objective to make known the culture, arts/music and specific characteristics of each country. All the work was carried out in order to develop teaching and learning techniques, especially the use of ICT, critical and creative thinking, cooperative behaviour, teamwork, communicative activities, creativity and intercultural integration. Some aspects stand out: - to introduce basic knowledge of musical instruments, melodies, dance of different countries - our students had the opportunity to improve their learning skills with new innovative programs - to become socialized by dancing, singing and playing with others - to promote team work and cooperation in musical activities - to increase creativity while performing - to increase motivation for language learning- English Parents, especially those whose children have entered into mobility, have actively collaborated with the school,encouraging their learners to come into contact with different educational systems and cultures. Students who participated in the meetings reported their experience as transformative at various levels. Therefore, they highlighted the contact with realities completely different from their own, as well as the experience of welcoming and being welcomed, and experiencing the departure from their territory of comfort. The team meeting activities, the formal and informal discussions about the project details, and the questionnaires for students and parents were very important as motivational tools for the group. The quality of the students' work and their willingness to collaborate in the proposed tasks were evaluated, in the expectation of involving as many students as possible in the project activities.The impact and dissemination of our project on the school community (students, teachers and parents) was great and unique.The students who had the possibility of directly or indirectly coming into contact with the project were undoubtedly more enriched. At various points in the project, we evaluated the schedule, quality, cost, satisfaction and performance of participants in order to understand the usefulness of the work developed. Having always in mind this: Have the objectives been clearly defined? Who participated? And in which activities? Surveys were carried out to ascertain the opinion of all participants on the course of the project, the degree of achievement of the objectives, the satisfaction obtained with the participation and the results observed. The results of the evaluation were presented and discussed with all partners and taken into account at all times of project life.