Evaluation
This is our Time 2008 was a big success again. Schools from all over the world discussed about poverty and development aid related to active citizenship. A lot of media had much interest in the participating schools: A Canadian television crew filmed during Time Day at Lord Elgin School in Canada, In Russia was a local television crew interested in the Time activities from Gymnazium #41 from Novouralsk and the winners from the Unite the Nations contest, Geodetska Tehnicka Skola, were interviewed by many magazines.
Many students stood up at midnight to held videoconferences at their school with students from the other side of the world. During these conferences pupils sang songs, told each other stories and shared ideas, participated a two months old baby from Canada (a future participator?), were the boys from Geodetska tehnicka skola (Croatia) in love with Russian girls, made Russian students a snowman for students from Turkey and for the first time in the project’s history there was held a triple-point videoconference between schools from Canada, Croatia and South Korea. But most important of all, the children learned a lot about active citizenship, how they can contribute to care for the planet and the human race and they learned that students from other cultures were essentially the same.
The students from Izmir Private Fatih College (Turkey) said afterwards that they wished ‘Time Day’ would next year be ‘Time Week’. But not only the students enjoyed themselves and learned so much about active citizenship, also some parents participated. For example, the parents at the primary school Horvati (Croatia) took care of cakes and drinks so the children would have enough energy.
During this year’s Time Project I read some wonderful thoughts from teachers from Romania to Indonesia and from Argentina to Holland. Some were too beautiful to keep for myself, so here are three of them:
‘We learned about traditions around the world and learned that while distance separated us, we were essentially all the same.’
Lord Elgin, Canada
‘The friendly atmosphere of the conferences gives children the feeling that we all are one family and must take care of our planet.’
Gymnasium 23, Russia
‘Students realised that even though they are all from different countries, they share many common interests and thoughts with all other children from other countries.’
Izmir Private Fatih College, Turkey
You can read more evaluations by clicking on the school names below. I hope everyone enjoyed the Time Project 2008 and hopefully till next year.
Sven Portz
Project coordinator ‘This is our Time’
Report Geodetska Tehnicka Skola, Croatia
Gymnazium Uherske Hradiste, Czech Republic
Report Primary School Horvati, Croatia
Report Provincial College, Russia
Report Izmir Private Fatih College, Turkey