LTT meeting in Värnamo, Sweden 9th – 13th April 2018
The second LTT meeting was held at Finnvedens Gymnasium in Värnamo. Students and teachers gathered to work and to present the tasks from Portugal. The coordinators also decided what has to be done at the September meeting in Greece. Everybody worked very efficient and we had a very good time together. Monday: After a good night sleep we all met at the school. Our guests were welcomed by our headmaster, then the teachers showed their lesson plans and the students visited the school. In the afternoon we had a lecture from the local employment bureau, which was very appreciated. We also had a short visit by the mayor of Värnamo. After the students left with their host for a beach party, the teacher visited a famous museum in Värnamo, Vandalorum. Tuesday: This morning we had a business contest. All participating countries presented a business idea and were judged by representatives from Värnamo’s local businesses. Portugal won with the presentation of GOTO – share and love. One of the tasks we decided in Portugal was to visit a library and attend a technical lecture, “learning by doing”, so we visited Gummifabriken in Värnamo. Gummifabriken is a brand new culture house, in which you can find a library, technical college, cinema, restaurants and lot more. The students programmed robots and had a lot of fun. After the students went home with their hosts it was time for the coordinators to do some work, and after a couple of hours we finished the day with Swedish smörgåstårta. Wednesday: Sweden and especially Småland is known for it´s glass. So if you visit Småland you have to see our oldest glasswork Kosta from 1742. We spent some hours watching the glassblower and we also had the opportunity to buy some glass. Next stop was at Linnaeus University in Växjö. The students were informed about how to study in Sweden and especially in Växjö. In Sweden all Europeans can study for free and most of the programs are in English. On the way home we also made a stop at Grand Samarkand. This shopping mall is a good example of entrepreneurship. In the evening we gave our guests the opportunity to taste another Swedish speciality, moose. We had a little dinner party with handmade Swedish moose meat balls, lingonberries and Swedish cheesecake. Thursday: After a couple of hours work in the school we went to a charity shop, called Erikshjälpen. It is a second hand shop, which is driven by volunteers and all the profit goes to children in need. In Sweden charity work is a very big movement. In the evening we had a WOW party, with a ghost walk around the lake, music quiz, good food and much laughter. Friday: Time for evaluation and also time to say goodbye. We have had a very good time together, with a lot of work and a lot of fun. Our students are very happy to join this project and many friendships have been made. For me it was a marvelous week with colleagues and students and I think that this kind of project will make Europe even a better place to live in.
Students from EU - countries learn about Sweden (article in Finnvedennu, 11.4.2018)
VÄRNAMO During this week students from Finland, Slovenia, Spain, Portugal, Greece and Sweden are gather at Finnvedens gymnasium.
By learning to know each other across the borders the knowledge about each other increases and the risk for future conflicts decreases. One way is to work on different school projects that are financed by Erasmus+, which is EU:s program for education, youth and physical training.
Take care of the students 25 000 euros is allocated for the project World of Works, where Finnvedens gymnasium is included as the only Swedish school together with schools from Slovenia, Spain, Portugal, Finland and Greece. The initial meeting, which only was for the teachers, took place in Slovenia. To Portugal earlier this year, the students were allowed to come along and now Sweden is the second stop during the two-year project. Different students are allowed to get along on the trips.
Yes, they have to take care of the students now that they have arrived to Värnamo, but we have absolutely fantastic students. Some of them have taken care of both two and three students from different countries, says Anne - Charlotte Hartig.
During the five days, the exchange students will experience the best of Värnamo and Småland. It is an comprehensive program that the organizers from Finnvedens Gymnasium have put together. It includes many different kind of visits.
During Monday evening they were pretty tired, says Anette Klasson, teacher who works with the project together with Anne - Charlotte Hartig.
Goes to glassworks Tuesday was a new day with even more program points, including a competition between the schools about which school that got the best business idea. The project is called World of Works, which means that you should focus on entrepreneurship and creativity, and therefore, at the Finnvedens Gymnasium, it was found that a competition in entrepreneurship could fit in.
Some things are included. We have to show a library, something technical and something that is typical for the area, says Anne - Charlotte who is the coordinator of the project at Finnvedens Gymnasium.
Something ”typical” means a visit at Kosta Boda glassworks, which is combined with a visit at Linnaeus University and finally visit the Grand Samarkand.
But it is not only for the shopping. Since it is about entrepreneurship, the will also see how the hypermarket works, explains Anne-Charlotte.
Reuse Before the foreign guests returns home by the end of the week, they will also catch up with a visit to Erikshjälpen.
It is also something typical Swedish with reuse and assistance, Anne-Charlotte explains.
But how did the competition go? Well, the jury’s choice fell for the Portuguese contribution, which involved how to bring together older people with young people.