Overview of the Netherlands-Estonia
school exchange project
The present project is an international cooperation and exchange
project between two schools in the EU: Scholengemeenschap Groenewald,
Kinskystraat 15, Stein, the Netherlands and Saaremaa Co-ed. Gymnasium,
Hariduse 13, Kuressaare Saare County, Estonia.
The objective of the project is to enhance understanding and
international cooperation between young people in the member states of
the EU. The project helps to introduce the schools of the old and new
member states to each other; pupils have a possibility to present the
community of their school, town, and country to other young people in
Europe. Students involved are 17-19 years old and study in the last
forms of the secondary school, preparing to enter university after
graduation.
First contacts between schools and coordinators started in the spring
of 2007, culminating with the visit of the Dutch coordinator to
Saaremaa Estonia in April 2007, during which the meeting with the Mayor
of Kuressaare Mrs U. Tiidus took place, further plans and activities
were discussed and settled.
The following project activities have been initiated: exchange of lists
of participants and their e-mail addresses to start correspondence and
communication between pupils.
Communication via Skype enables exchange of information between the
coordinators of both countries and has become an everyday routine.
Skype sessions during English lessons in both countries take place
every week, during the project day (January 24, 2008) Dutch and
Estonian students talked to each other and discussed issues important
to them, a session with both headmasters took place, etc.
Pupils of both have compiled PowerPoint presentations to introduce
their school, town, and country. Presentations are on the schools'
websites and accessible to everybody. Estonian pupils have also
presented their information to the Dutch coordinator. Dutch pupils are
going to make their presentations during their visit to Kuressaare on
February 19-26, 2008. February 21 is a Dutch-Estonian Friendship Day in
Saaremaa Co-ed Gymnasium and the reception of Kuressaare Mayor Mrs.
Urve Tiidus in Kuressaare Town Hall.
The present phase of the project comprises the actual trip of the Dutch
partners to Saaremaa and Estonia, which takes place in February 2008
(see the programme).
The next phase of the project is the visit of Estonian pupils to the
Netherlands in June 2008.