Greetings from Italy - Kveðjur frá Ítalíu

Evaluation meeting for the Tales of Europe Comenius 1 project was in Cordenons, Italy on 2-5 May. Representatives of all partner schools came together to compare the results og ponder whether a project like this was worth doing. Everyone of the teachers said that the project had meant extra work, for some of us A LOT of extra work, but everyone felt that the project should go on. It is good both for the children and for the teachers. The whole report will later be published.

The five European countries, we often think, are similar, but during this evaluation meeting we realized that each country and each school had also many problems that they had to tackle, only the problems differed. Yet, most teachers agreed that without optimism and an effort from our part there would not be any progress. Ergo: Everyone wants to be optimistic and a project like this is a good medium for empowerment and strengthening our self-efficacy, teh teachers' as well as the pupils'.

Our hosts in the Circulo Didattico di Cordenons had prepaired everything well and we got a warm welcome everywhere. The pupils' performance was excellent, without a flaw. We all were both amazed and impressed by the perfectness of their song and mutual coordination between all parties. We also enjoyed their presentation of the Terra Magre, work that had been cross-curricular, engaging both song, instrument playing, history, folklore, drawing, writing, reading, elocution, digital-editing and English - besides being a good example of team work.

The Italians, both the staff (and their families!), the pupils and representatives of the Cordinons town council will receive our gratitude. All the staff members had worked very hard to make this meeting to be what it was, but without doubt the three of them, Sabina, Vivianne and Gladys had had the most responsibilities, with the blessings of Dott:ssa Elisa Ulivi, the school principal.

The photos show some of the work of pupils in Rodari in Cordenons.

With greetings from Kópavogur town, Digranesskóli

Marjatta the coordinator