Just only 36 days and we welcome the English and Belgian friends in our school. We are preparing the program and look forward to meeting you.

Evaluation contactmeeting BuBaO Sint-Gerardus March 2012

UK

Belgium
Czech Rep

1. What did you like the most

The opportunity to find out about the school and non- school system.

The school building, the use of space and all the student’s equipment.
The whole school topic – The Circus
The school and other services working together.
The hospitality and organisation of visit.
The staff and children.
The meeting started Wednesday evening with a cozy dinner. It was great to meet again. 
The good atmosphere between the visitors and our colleagues.
Colleagues are more and more convinced that this Comenius project gives great opportunities  to our school (children and teachers).
The activities that the visitors did with the children in our classes.
The visit to Ter Heide and the talking afterwards about inclusive education and the needs of children with severe handicaps and needs.

- very friendly teachers

- a big space for the movement of children in wheelchairs and a lot of different  mobile devices and special bikes

- good scheduler with interesting activities

- the school circus performance

- the activity for trying the role of disabled people

 

2. What can you use in your own school

How multi agencies work together to help all pupils access the curriculum and achieve their full potential.

Get local secondary school to make sensory boards for Lakeside.

Use of steps attached to chair legs, by a simple hole for legs.

Grids to be used as Communication aids – particularly for lunchtime.

For students of different ages to work together in a collaborative manner on a shared topic. 

Activities for staff training to increase understanding of difficulties faced by our pupils, including physical and communication difficulties. 

Morning routines.

Equipment ideas.

During this visit there was a lot of attention for intensive interaction and the use of sign language. This was because of the job-shadowing that Pauline did in our school. She visited and worked for two weeks in our school Both are working fields we still have to explore in the future in our school.

- To think more on the promotion of independence and self-care of children on the wheelchairs
- Adapted sports activity for all children

3. What did you learn about stories and communication?

Learning some basic Flemish, was very useful.
How the use of technology has transformed the way some people with disabilities can communicate e.g. use of Tellus and Mind express. 
How kindness and friendship can be communicated whatever your language or disability. 
To link stories into the children’s learning, in different areas of the school.  (Work shadowing – Pauline T)
Communication grids.
The use of stories in the class is very interesting for all children of different mental level. Children and adults are always very pleased with stories. They are bringing a special atmosphere and children are learning a lot of storytelling.
We will try to make a sensory story with  children to use in the classes for children with a lower mental level. Children will learn to think about witch objects  can be interesting to use in the story.

Beyond the borders of languages people are able to communicate whether it is the using of sign language, your own language or without words. Pupils are very attentive to communicate and have several ways to get into communication. It opens new worlds for them.

It was amazing how our children were driven to use some English or Czech words. They tried to interact with our guests. It is good for their self-confidence. They enjoyed to experience that they were understood by peoples that speak a foreign language.
There was a good interaction between the colleagues of Sint-Gerardus and our visitors.

 - It was interesting to meet children who helped to prepare those stories. We will try to make the other stories and we will share it with you.

- We saw Tellus computer and Mind Express program and the first photostory by children made.

    

          4.How could the visit be improved

Excellent Programme.

A little time for emailing photos or skyping to own schools.

Twin bedrooms!!

Time in classroom to see literacy lesson / story being taught.  (In social and learning classes.)

To speak to parents.

A little time between scheduled activities to reflect and gather thoughts.

We would like to be more with children in classes and to see teachers work with them. We would like to see aqua therapy for example...

But we loved everything. It was a visit full of amazing impressions.

   5. What would you like to learn more about from St.-Gerardus? 

To know more about the organisation.

To see lessons being taught for stories and communication. 

To observe practice from your school staff.

Assessment of students and record keeping.

Thank you for a really enjoyable and educational experience.

- next year we would like to talk more about curriculum in Belgium, CR and UK and to compare it. And to learn about possibility of other teachers education.