Our first newsletter that describes our overall project in the "Family, Community and School. The troika of my values" , ERASMUS+ project

1. 1
NEWSLETTER 1 NOVEMBER– DECEMBER 2014
Project Number:
2014-1-PT01-KA201-001041
Contents
Project Summary
Project Aims
What’s Next?
Quotes about “Values”
Expected Results
Expected Impact
Do You Know That

2. 2
The Spanish philosopher Ortega Y Gasset once said
that “I am I and my circumstances” (Meditaciones del
Quijote, 1914). Every individual action depends on
one’s character, shaped by the circumstances of one’s
own life. Since we were born we have been influenced
by people surrounding us. The family is the first pillar
of our existence. From the very first moment, even
when we are in our mother’s womb, we start to ac-
quire the values transmitted by the mother and by the
father… even if they are not aware of that! However,
the family is not an island. It’s very interesting to note
that sometimes brothers that were educated with the
same rules often show a very different attitude. This
allows us to say that the community we belong to also
plays an important role in the formation of values. The
relationship between neighbours, the festivities, the
community projects, volunteering projects and many
other examples show us the importance of the com-
munity. The last axe of this troika is the school, where
very different values are crossed, depending on the
context of the family and the community. The school
is a big mixture of cultures, ideals and different per-
ceptions of reality.
In all the schools involved in this project, we can no-
tice that some important values are missing in the stu-
dents’ lives. In teachers’ meetings we usually discuss
the problem, as it is a very important issue in the
learning process. We can observe that many students
are very intolerant at different levels. It is also accept-
ed that there is an excessive individualism, even ego-
centrism. One of the reasons can be the quest for im-
mediate pleasure and self-satisfaction very common
in the current hedonistic society. This way of thinking
forgets the other as an individual, leading to discipli-
nary problems and bullying situations.
At this stage, some of our students often think that it
is normal not to answer correctly to their teacher or
other staff members. For them, there is no difference
talking to a friend or to an older person.
“Do as I say, not as I do”
In many occasions, the family, the community and
even the school forget that our actions teach more
than our words. The hidden curriculum is extremely
important in the formation of values. We want par-
ents, community and school to be aware of this fact.
We want the community to be aware of the problem
and to actively take part in the solution. In the differ-
ent stages of this project, we will have the participa-
tion of our stakeholders, specially the parents’ associ-
ations and the local authorities of each school. They
will have an important role in the international
meetings, in the surveys and in the analysis of the re-
sults. They will also play a very important role in the
dissemination, by working the results with other par-
ents (parents’ association) and establishing a commu-
nity plan to help future kids to acquire important val-
ues for the community.

3. 3
Encourage school members
(students, teachers, administration) to
volunteer
in charity and community work , festivities
and cultural events.
Encouraging students to explore
their own, their school’s and their
communities’ values;
OBJECTIVES

4. 4
The expected results of this project will be:
 create the Logo of the project;
 produce 6 newsletters;
 create a Cross-survey to apply to students and parents;
 SPSS workshop and seminar about investigation in school environment; SPSS analysis of the survey
results on the influences of family, community and school in the formation of teenagers’ values;
 carry out joint research, surveys, studies and analyses;
 produce Videos about the community values in every partner country;
 carry out Interviews in school;
 carry out workshops on Video-editing and Future Classroom scenarios;
 use the Eduvista toolkit framework;
 write an Academic Paper on family, community and school values to be published in a scientific
magazine;
 write intermediate and final evaluation reports;
 create the Erasmus Corner in each partner school;
 produce Multicultural Lesson plans on social and civic values;
 develop dissemination activities;
 produce surveys, comparative analysis and questionnaires;
 create and use internet tools: website, Facebook page, blog, eTwinning platform and YouTube to
disseminate the results and outcomes of the project;
 implement innovative practices at organisational, regional, national and European levels;
 Share and integrate good practices and methods into daily activities;
 improved foreign language and ICT skills;
 produce Open Educational Resources such as the Multicultural Lesson Plans guide on social and civ-
ic values;
 improved cultural awareness;
 increased cultural dialogue;
 enhanced European identity through the understanding of cultural diversity;
 improved knowledge of the cultural heritage of the partnership countries;
 students to show pride and respect in their local, regional and national traditions and culture as well
as others’ through an intercultural approach;
 improved students’ basic skills;
 enhanced European Citizenship.

5. 5
 on participants and participating organisations, during and after the project lifetime:
 increased awareness of the importance of family, community and school values for all the people
involved;
 increased students, teachers and parents’ awareness of the meaning of values and the power of values
education to transform learning and life;
 increased development of values, skills and attitudes necessary for democratic citizenship in the context
of multiculturalism and globalization;
 increased interaction between families, communities and schools;
 increased knowledge, skills, and attitudes to enhance students’ responsibility, tolerance and respect;
 increased engagement of schools in promoting, fostering and transmitting values to help build the
students’ character;
 greater understanding and responsiveness to social, linguistic and cultural diversity;
 improved quality of teaching in line with European standards;
 innovative ideas for the development of creative thinking of students in civic education;
 increased students’ ability to participate actively in society, in line with the provisions of the Lisbon Treaty;
 more active citizenship of young people;
 enhanced international dimension of education and training through transnational cooperation;
 enhanced teachers’ professional skills through the international cooperation and sharing of best practices;
 increased ability to address the needs of students with special needs;
 increased competence in foreign languages;
 increased level of digital competences (ICT).
 increased awareness of the importance of sharing family, community and school values by the local
communities
 increased involvement of the local authorities in fostering cooperation between families, communities
and schools to enhance students’ successful outcomes;
 increased awareness of the need of developing policies to reinforce effective strategies to foster family,
community and school involvement.

6. 6
"United in diversity", the motto of the European Union, first came into
use in 2000.
It signifies how Europeans have come together, in the form of the EU, to
work for peace and prosperity, while at the same time being enriched by
the continent's many different cultures, traditions and languages.
The European flag is the symbol not only of the European Union but
also of Europe's unity and identity in a wider sense.
The European flag consists of 12 golden stars in a circle on a blue
background. The stars symbolise the ideals of unity, solidarity and
harmony among the peoples of Europe.
The number of stars has nothing to do with the number of member
countries, though the circle is a symbol of unity.
Austria (1995)
Belgium (1958)
Bulgaria (2007)
Croatia (2013)
Cyprus (2004)
Czech Republic (2004)
Denmark (1973)
Estonia (2004)
Finland (1995)
Netherlands (1958)
Germany (1958)
Greece (1981)
Hungary (2004)
Ireland (1973)
Italy (1958)
Latvia (2004)
Lithuania (2004)
Luxembourg (1958)
Malta (2004)
United Kingdom (1973)
Poland (2004)
Portugal (1986)
Romania (2007)
Slovakia (2004)
Slovenia (2004)
Spain (1986)
Sweden (1995)
France (1958)
 Albania
 Iceland
 Montenegro
 Serbia
 The former Yugoslav
Republic of Macedonia
 Turkey
Bosnia and Herzegovina
Kosovo

7. 7
The EU is recognisable by several symbols, the most well-known being
the circle of yellow stars on a blue background.
This site introduces other symbols such as the European anthem and
motto.
The 12 stars in a circle symbolise the ideals of unity, solidarity and
harmony among the peoples of Europe.
The melody used to symbolise the EU comes from the Ninth
Symphony composed in 1823 by Ludwig Van Beethoven.
The ideas behind the European Union were first put forward on 9 May
1950 by French foreign minister Robert Schuman. This is why 9 May
is celebrated as a key date for the EU.
"United in diversity" is the motto of the European Union.
It signifies how Europeans have come together, in the form of the
EU, to work for peace and prosperity, while at the same time being
enriched by the continent's many different cultures, traditions and
languages.

8. 8
The melody used to symbolize the EU comes from the Ninth
Symphony composed in 1823 by Ludwig Van Beethoven,
when he set music to the "Ode to Joy", Friedrich von Schiller's
lyrical verse from 1785.
The anthem symbolises not only the European Union but also
Europe in a wider sense. The poem "Ode to Joy" expresses
Schiller's idealistic vision of the human race becoming brothers - a
vision Beethoven shared.
In 1972, the Council of Europe adopted Beethoven's "Ode to Joy"
theme as its anthem. In 1985, it was adopted by EU leaders as the
official anthem of the European Union. There are no words to the
anthem; it consists of music only. In the universal language of
music, this anthem expresses the European ideals of
freedom, peace and solidarity.
The European anthem is not intended to replace the national
anthems of the EU countries but rather to celebrate the values they
share. The anthem is played at official ceremonies involving the
European Union and generally at all sorts of events with a European
character.
The anthem is performed by the European Union Youth Wind
Orchestra conducted by André Reichling. It was recorded in 1994 at
the Teatro da Trindade, Lisbon. Musical arrangement by Herbert von
Karajan.*
*All rights of the producer and owner of the work reproduced
reserved.

9. 9
Sometimes you will never know the
true value of a moment until it’s be-
come a memory.
“Try not to become a man of
success. Rather become a
man of value.”
― Albert Einstein
The aim of education is
the knowledge, not of
facts, but of values.
―William S. Burroughs
A man who dares to waste
one hour of time has not dis-
covered the value of life.”
― Charles Darwin, The Life &
Letters of Charles Darwin
“Your time is way too valuable
to be wasting on people that
can't accept who you are.”
― Turcois Ominek
“Don't waste your love on some-
body, who doesn't value it.”
― William Shakespeare, Romeo
and Juliet
Strive not to be a success, but
rather to be of value.
― Albert Einstein
Values are like finger-
prints. Nobody’s are the
same, but you leave “them
all over everything you do”
―Elvis Presley
It's not hard to make
decisions when you
know what your values
are.
“Your beliefs become your thoughts,
Your thoughts become your words,
Your words become your actions,
Your actions become your habits,
Your habits become your values,
Your values become your destiny.”
― Mahatma Gandhi

10. 10
1st Project meeting: Kartal Yüksel İlhan
Alanyalı Science High School, Istanbul,
Turkey, 16-20 February 2015
— Short-term Exchange of Pupils