Four students from our school traveled to France representing the Spanish delegation to attend the third conference of the European Comenius Project on the influence of new technologies in our society, their opportunities and risks, and the future that awaits us.
Last week, four students from 3rd and 4th year ESO (Compulsory Secondary Education) at Lope de Vega School traveled to Bourg-en-Bresse, France, as part of the Comenius program. They were accompanied by the school's principal, Ms. Aurea González, and teacher Mr. Mario Gómez. The 3rd-year students' main project focused on assessing the opportunities and risks of new technologies, while the 4th-year students explored the future of society, studying current trends and developments. There, they collaborated with students from Saint Pierre School in a meeting that brought together students from Spain, France, the Netherlands (Van der Capellen School), and Sweden (Rollinby Gymnasium School).
One of the girls who traveled, Leyre, from 3rd B, commented on the experience: “It has been a new and wonderful experience, as a European exchange doesn't happen every day. I've continued learning how to interact with people from other countries and cultures, and especially how to work in a group and practice my English. I would honestly love to participate in another similar project.”
Blanca, from 4th B, stated: “My Comenius experience in Bourg-en-Bresse was wonderful. It's true that I was a little apprehensive at first, as it was a completely new experience, people we didn't know at all, and we didn't know how they would treat us. But everything was fantastic, both with the people from the school and with those from other countries, as well as with the families we were assigned. It was a collection of moments and memories that I could relive forever, and I would have even stayed longer. When it came time to say goodbye, I was even sad, and I will never forget all the people I met there. I'm still in touch with many of them, and I would love to go back and see them again. I'm sure we would have just as many special moments as we did last week. I am so happy and grateful for everything.”
On the other hand, Maria, from 3rd B, commented: “The Comenius experience has been magnificent in my opinion for several reasons. One of them has been the practice and application of language skills, especially English. It has also helped us with public speaking and interpersonal skills. And one of the most important aspects: it has taught us how to work in a group, which is essential for any task. Therefore, the Comenius experience has provided us with invaluable lessons and a trip we will never forget.”
Finally, Magnolia, from 4th A, said: “I had a great time. It was a unique experience and I would love to repeat it. Academically, it was very instructive and opened many doors, having participated in a European project. I was able to collaborate with students from other countries and learn how they study in their respective schools. I immersed myself in French culture, which is very different from Spanish culture, especially in terms of schedules and food. It helped me practice my English and French. My oral expression improved, and I became less shy, since having to speak in front of people from different countries with different points of view helped me to defend my own in order to reach an agreement and work on the project. Besides seeing how the French work and the organization of their education system, I was able to appreciate the Swedish and Dutch systems. I saw many differences in the way students from different countries behaved, which helped me to distinguish between them. In short, I think it was fantastic and very good for learning to live in other communities and cultures,” she concluded.
Below we show you the video that the students of the Spanish Delegation presented in the auditorium of the Sant Pierre school during the international conference of the comenius project.
VIDEO PRESENTATION CONFERENCE FRANCE Comenius Project 2012-13 from LOPE DE VEGA SCHOOL on Vimeo.
