Physical education and ICT to increase wellbeing and social inclusionThis was the main question of the event organized within the Physical-IT-y project (2020-1-RO01-KA229-080206) between September 19-22, 2022, at the "Ion Ghica" Economic College in Târgoviște, Romania. The last event of the project, which took place in the last two years and whose main goal was to improve the social inclusion of vulnerable students from partner schools, those who are at risk of dropping out of school. Although "wellbeing" is a relatively recent concept in the Romanian educational space (in particular, in response to the effects of the pandemic and the consequences it generated on an emotional level for many of our students and colleagues) we let ourselves be intimidated and tried to offer the most relevant examples/best practices in this field, some that would please our partners. The meeting, attended by students and teachers from the five partner countries (Germany, Finland, Turkey, Italy and Portugal), started with a tour of the school and the presentation of the main data about our city and region. After the school tour, each team presented The best health apps in my country (health, fitness, beauty and nutrition), giving us valuable information/tools that, well used, can contribute to improving the quality of life for each of us. The second part of the day was dedicated to the Animaker digital workshop, a video application that the students learned to use, thus preparing for the unique experience of the last day – an interview with a local sports personality. Last but not least, SPORT was part of the program - the activities designed by Mr. professor Eduard Prisăcaru being both demanding but also funny, because sport must make us feel good. The second day of the meeting was dedicated to the trip to Bucharest. Among the objectives visited, the Village Museum is relevant for what sustainability means, for how people in the past managed to build a close and beneficial relationship with nature. What were the most appreciated buildings, you can see in the padlet designed for this task. On the other hand, the Therme Health Complex capitalizes on the complex interaction of nature, technology and culture to realize one of the most advanced wellness resorts in Europe. The company's vision is that "wellbeing should be accessible to all" and is supported by the complex organization, which contributes to mental and physical health but also provides a vital part of the social infrastructure. Through memorable experiences, guests are introduced to new activities and lifestyle choices that they can incorporate into their everyday lives. Combining the traditions of global thermal baths with a biodiverse indoor ecosystem, the Therme Complex offers an experience that enhances the mind, body and soul. On the third day, we physically mobilized to reach the Valea Cetății Cave near Râjnov. The pleasure of climbing was complemented by the company of the partners and the surrounding forest landscape. And, because we couldn't let our guests leave Romania without "meeting Dracula", we also included in our itinerary some representative sights for the story of the bloodthirsty Carpathian prince, Bran Castle and the Royal Court in Târgoviște. Fortunately, all the participants returned happy, a sign that the tests to which the prince subjected them were passed with flying colours. And because physical well-being has no meaning without cultural well-being, without the satisfaction that culture adds to nature, we couldn't miss visiting some iconic sights in Romania, such as the Romanian Athenaeum or the Peleș Castle. And if we are still talking about an equation of happiness, then healthy food and good will play an important role here. The farewell party was the opportunity to weld the friendships made during the week, to share through song and dance the best of each country has in its own culture. A dance of friendship and joy that world leaders should be inspired by. Thanks to our partners for all the beautiful moments they added to the Physical-IT-y journal during the two years of implementation.
Physical-IT-y – a project for the mind and soul – which, although it ends at the end of this month, will become not just a beautiful memory, but a lifestyle we promise to embrace. Carmen Rădulescu, project coordinator
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As they say "everything good and beautiful comes to an end"... Our international meeting in Castro Verde, Portugal has also ended. Sport is the key word also in the last day of our mobility, necessary to achieve the set goals. The first part of the day was dedicated to new attractive and accessible sports activities for our students, such as volleyball and football. The control of the matches was held by the team from Romania, managing to win 2 out of 3 matches. We spent the second part of the day in a relaxing atmosphere, during which our hosts also handed us certificates of participation.
The adventure continues... day 3 of the Erasmus+ Physical-IT-y project (Physical education and ICT to increase wellbeing and social inclusion 2020-1-RO01-KA229-080206). We start the day at the Municipal Forum in Castro Verde. The topic of interest for the first part of the day was represented by the theme: "Presentation of a sports reportage as a result of meeting one of the local sports personalities". Therefore, the students from the 6 partner countries (RO, TR, DL, PT, IT and FI) presented the sports reports made with one of the representative personalities for his country. At the end of the 6 presentations, both the students and the accompanying teaching staff added more information about what the sport represents in general and about the representative sports personalities. Thus, after the names of the athletes were filtered taking into account certain factors such as popularity, games won and influence on social media networks, the final ranking was drawn up. For Romania, the podium was occupied by Gheorghe Hagi, Simona Halep and Nadia Comaneci. The climbing workshop is the second activity much awaited by our students. For a few hours we found ourselves in the song "We are the champions"🏆 because we managed to brilliantly tick off the demands of our coaches. After this activity and after a well-deserved lunch at the school canteen "ESCOLA EB 2,3 Dr. Antonio Francisco Colaço" we continue the adventure with a short visit to the wine factory and olive oil press "Herdade da Figueirinha", located in the heart of Alentejo with 300 hectares of vineyards and olive groves, with high quality soils and excellent sun exposure for wine and olive oil production. After an interesting wine tasting, the day ended in a relaxing atmosphere with Portuguese notes and environment and other interactive activities for our students.
We look forward to the next activities! The second day of the Physical-IT-y project was dedicated to sports activities held in the chic Portuguese city of Faro, in the Algarve region. The beginning of the activities was represented by learning the techniques of rowing and rowing. The sunny beach, the sea breeze and the groups of students and teachers were the ideal setting to practice other sports such as water or beach volleyball, football and handball. After a hearty picnic on the beach we continued our activities with other interactive games to discover sports skills.
The day ends with an international dinner, opportunity to socialize and exchange cultural experiences. Between May 8-13, the 5th student exchange within the Erasmus+ Physical-IT-y project (Physical education and ICT to increase wellbeing and social inclusion 2020-1-RO01-) takes place in Castro Verde, Portugal KA229-080206). The team representing Romania is made up of 11th grade students: Țopa Robert (XI A), Savu Andrei (XI D), Ștefan Ionuț (XI H) and Bogățeanu Ionuț (XI I). The first day of the intercultural experience begins with the presentation session on the theme: "What a healthy life means in your country". After discovering what a healthy life means for each country, the team building and socialization activities through sports followed.
Walking through the city of Castro Verde and visiting the town hall was the unique opportunity to discover the local culture, history and civilization. My name is Răcaru Melisa Georgiana and I am a student in the 11th grade at the "Ion Ghica" Economic College in Târgoviște, specializing in tourism technician. In March, I had the opportunity to benefit from an experience exchange in Bad Kreuznach, Germany, through the Erasmus+ - Physical-IT-y project. At the end of March, the weather in Bad Kreuznach is warm and welcoming, and the town, located near Frankfurt and located on the banks of the Nahe River, is full of green spaces and buildings that seem to have come out of a story. I chose this project because I wanted to know myself, improve myself and take advantage of the opportunity to know how education is done in a system in another country. Although I expected it to be difficult, I realized that I cannot miss such an opportunity and that my future development may depend on it. Because I'm studying German in school, I didn't encounter any difficulties in terms of communication, the difficulties were more in adjusting to a new style of food and to the transport system (because we had to change several means of transport to get reach the destination). But these things did not demoralize me, on the contrary, they helped me learn more about myself and become more adaptable.
The fact that I had to speak in front of a large audience was also a challenge, but like anything that "if it doesn't kill you, it makes you stronger" it happened to me too. I learned to temper my emotions and be confident. I realized then that my problem was not singular but that everyone was facing the same fears. And this thing united us. In addition, I felt independent for the first time, and I realized that independence means responsibility at the same time. This helped me, on the one hand, to understand my parents better and to mature, but also to value every moment of my time in Germany as a life lesson. The orientation program (organized by Berufsbildende Schule Wirtschaft – the partner school) gave me the opportunity to learn more about German culture and the beautiful city of Bad Kreuznach, but the fact that I was together with students from other countries (Turkey, Italy, Portugal and Finland) turned this learning experience into a meeting with friends. The atmosphere was fabulous and made us understand more how similar we are. At the same time, however, the fact that we shared different points of view, in terms of culture, life and society, helped me see things from a different perspective. I can say that I am, in this respect, richer. It was the first time we had met such a large group of strangers, but that didn't stop us from becoming friends. In no time I felt everyone as part of my family. I wish I could express everything I experienced in this mobility, but at the same time, I realize that each experience is unique and no story can adequately express it. But I can invite you to experiment! Be prepared to lose yourself in teenage conversations for days and nights. Experiences where you find out that even though you never thought you'd ever eat spicy food, German food isn't bad at all, that the places you visit seem to have always existed in your mind and now you're just re-discovering them, that the people you talk to were always there, waiting for you, as if to befriend you. This is Erasmus+. He makes your dream of visiting this world come true right from your school days. Get ready for this opportunity that can change your life 360 degrees! Because once you've experienced Erasmus, your life will never be the same! You will be better, more curious, more responsible, more... fulfilled. Finally, I want to thank the coordinating teachers for being like family to me and for being with me on this journey of development. I also want to thank all the students I met in Germany for making this experience a memorable one. I had everything a student could ever want: travel, cheer and a group of fantastic friends. It was by far one of the most beautiful experiences of my life, one that I could talk about endlessly, but...I'm sure that the future is in a position to offer me other pleasant surprises. And if I'm still on the subject of wishes, I have one for the Erasmus Family: You will be forever in my heart! The day has arrived when we have to say goodbye to our hosts in Germany, but we are optimistic that "all good things are about to come". Discussions about performance sports began early in the morning with Mr. Jan Eike Horna, national jumping champion - trampoline, juniors. His story is an authentic and inspiring one, which presents the benefits that practicing this sport has on human health, without hiding the difficulties of practicing such a sport (developing the vestibular apparatus, increasing the level of dexterity and flexibility, resistance and coordination of movements. In addition, active jumping on the trampoline intensively develops those muscles that are absolutely not involved in ordinary life. As a result, we have a much better state of health after regular jumping on the trampoline. Moreover, this sport, regarded as an Olympic sport, involves discipline , concentration and a lot of dedication to achieve performance (which often translates into sacrifices of personal life). The moment was followed by a presentation of the Paralympic games (the equivalent of the Olympic Games for athletes with physical disabilities) by the students of the host school, about the performances and the challenges to which those involved must respond. We spend the second part of the day in the beautiful town of Rüdesheim am Rhein in the state of Hesse, Germany. The town is in a wine region in the Rheingau being located on the banks of the Rhine opposite Bingen am Rhein. The two towns are considered the gateway to the Middle Course of the Rhine. The Rüdesheim region has been declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site and is a tourist attraction in Germany. The day ends with a "farewell party" organized by our hosts, in the high school, and with the presentation of certificates of participation. withholding of participation certificates.
It was a more than beautiful experience, from which I understood that, when it comes to people and places, prejudices and stereotypes have no purpose, the German people proving to be hospitable, friendly and very warm to their guests. The second day - Physical-IT-y - begins with the presentation session on the theme - "What our school offers for a healthy body and a healthy mind", an opportunity to get to know the facilities offered by the schools participating in the program for physical development and mental of his students. Later we complemented the theory with practice – on an unusual sports field located outside the city, where the students learned the basics of boomerang throwing, a sport that requires both concentration and dynamism. The activity continued with the visit to the Museum for Nature Conservation located in the small town of Staudernheim, in the middle of nature, thus emphasizing the importance of a healthy lifestyle and connecting with nature. The third day in Germany finds us in the classroom of the host school, the Berufsbildende Schule Wirtschaft in Bad Kreuznach, where the presentations prepared by the students of each country take place, for the theme: "How our city/region attracts tourists interested in wellness /sport", opportunity to discover interesting things about the localities of origin of the participating schools. A brainstorming session challenges students to discuss their favorite activities during the holidays, discussions that strengthen the friendships already formed.
We spend the rest of the day in a pleasant and relaxing environment, at the famous SPA center in Bad Kreuznach – Crucenia Therme. March 28 is the first day of the student exchange taking place in Bad Kreuznach, Germany, within the Erasmus+ - Physical-IT-y project. The event, attended by students and teachers from the six partner countries (DL, RO, TR, FI, PT, IT), aims to exchange good practices in the field of inclusion, for which IT tools or activities in the field of physical education are used and sports. The representatives of Romania at this meeting, the four students and the two accompanying teachers, benefited from a warm welcome from the hosts. Thus, in addition to the presentation activities of the school or the host city, team building and socialization activities were also organized, sport being the key word for achieving the objectives. The city tour, on foot or by bike, offered the opportunity to get to know the culture and history of the place.
The day ended in a relaxed atmosphere, on notes and a German culinary menu, designed to smooth out rough edges and allow the creation of friendship bonds. We look forward to the activities in the coming days! The experience of the Physical-IT-y project was truly remarkable. Every moment I spent in Hämeenlinna, Finland, was an opportunity to broaden my horizons. Not only was I able to learn about Finnish culture, but I had the opportunity to experience it. Together with the representatives of the other partner countries, I and my colleagues completed an unforgettable trip. Physical-IT-y is a project whose main priority is to improve the social inclusion of vulnerable students, from partner schools, who are at risk of dropping out of school. Very often, vulnerable pupils are self-excluded because they lack confidence and motivation, lack knowledge and skills and do not feel like they belong to the school community. Therefore, student exchange activities have been designed so that students overcome their fears and vulnerabilities by sharing emotions and knowledge with peers from other countries. Which happened. The Finnish partners had prepared many activities that helped us get closer, settle in and learn new things from each other from day one. We were seated one representative from each country in the group, to encourage us to interact with each other. At first there was complete silence, and the atmosphere, I have to admit, was a little strange. We were all waiting for someone else to start the conversation. I plucked up the courage to start it myself, although my heart was pounding with emotion. Everything changed from that moment, I found out very quickly that we were all scared of the same thing: not to be judged for the way we speak English. But by talking openly about our fears, we managed to overcome them and become friends. The team activities that followed were very easy to complete. In the following days we had activities in nature. I went into a sauna for the first time and swam in an ice hole. We took the city for a walk in -20°C and laughed about the fact that our eyelashes and hair froze. We each proudly introduced our countries and learned new things about the others. We have acquired new knowledge and skills that we will carry with us in every new situation we will face in the future. The night before we left Finland, we said goodbye to our new friends. The time we spent together was not long, but the experiences we shared brought us closer than we could have imagined. The next day, we saw each other for the last time and with an amalgam of emotions, we started our way back home. The time spent together in the Physical-IT-y project will surely remain in the hearts of all participants. Thanks to the -20°C experience, I can confidently say that I have become a better version of myself. Teodora
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May 2022
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