"Through the Erasmus+ project ""Reading is fun"" we carried out educational activities which helped us to improve pupils' literacy skills and increase their motivation to read books as a fun way to spend their free time. This project was our response to the identified educational needs of our pupils during regular school evaluation, national exams results, internal analysis like SWOT and PEST.Each of the involved schools in this project identified common points with the other partners in terms of educational needs and social and financial background in which they are situated. All together we were 4 partner schools. The Italian school which was a partner in the initial submitted application decided to withdraw before the beginning of the project life time for the reason that they had too many approved projects. The Romanian, Bulgarian and Polish schools are situated in rural areas with less opportunities for pupils' future adult life.All of the partner schools teach to different minority groups (roma-Romania, Bulgaria, Russian -Latvia, different minorities-Poland). The activities of our project were integrated into regular school courses and extracurricular activities, thus offering more attractive school courses and increasing our pupils' interest towards reading books. We fulfilled our project main objectives by providing participant teachers a staff training event in the field of developing literacy skills as it is one of the major needs identified by all partners prior to project start. We did it in a friendly, intercultural working environment by using modern teaching methods and ICT tools during the staff training event in Romania. - 14 pupils from each school participated to short term pupils exchanges (7 in Bulgaria, may 2017 and 7 in Latvia may 2018).- 12 teachers from each school were involved in transnational project meetings. - 5 teachers from each school (except Romanian school which hosted the event) participated to a teacher training event on developing literacy skills through interdisciplinary activities.We achieved our project objectives by implementing activities such as documentation and research for identifying famous characters of national childhood literature, fairy tales and legends, we organized carnivals for literature characters and we played teatre plays inspired by fairy tales and legends heroes. All together, the activities we planned stimulated our pupils' interest towards reading, making them discover the pleasure of reading books, thus improving their school results.Together with our main project objective, pupils and teachers also developed cultural, foreign language, ICT and arts skills.Other stakeholders like parents, local community people and local partners were also beneficiaries of our project by participation to dissemination events or by being actively involved in organizing pupils exchanges (parents). As a result of the project implementation, our schools diversified their curricular offer, providing interdisciplinary and attractive courses and activities which encouraged pupils to follow school courses, thus, reducing school absences and early school leaving rate.Project final products such as the curriculum programme ""Reading is fun!"", the ""European childhood literature characters"" and the ""European fairy tales"" brochures, the Theatre play DVD were meant to help teachers from our schools and other interested schools in our project theme to enhance pupils' literacy skills through interdisciplinary and attractive courses. Thus, we offered sustainability to our project by perpetuating the use of its results after the end of the project life time."

STEM education is an integrated, interdisciplinary approach to learning that provides hands-on and relevant learning experiences for students. STEM teaching and learninggoes beyond the mere transfer of knowledge. It engages students and equips them with critical thinking, problem-solving, creative and collaborative skills, and ultimatelyestablishes connections between the school, workplace and community. STEM also helps students understand and apply math and science content, the foundations forsuccess in college and careers. In this context, we created a new strategic partnership among the partners of the project entitled ''Maths Around Us'' that we have conductedearlier(between-2015-2018) with participants from Spain, Poland, Turkey, Italy, Bulgaria and also Hungary for the purpose of integrating the knowledge, skills and competenciesacquired in that project into different disciplines such as Maths, Science, Engineering and Technology with Stem applications. Thanks to this project, we helped pupils aged10-14 increase their capacity on Maths, Science, Engineering and Technology content, acquire scientific skills and use them with interdisciplinary collaboration in daily life sincethe STEM+A education model supports multiple intelligences theory and the thought of ''Learn not for school but for life''.Besides, it included experiential learning and learningthrough play, it ensured permanent learning, effective time management and helped students make the abstract concrete, increased their attitude and achievement, realizedthat Maths and Science disciplines are connected to each other and Science is a part of everyday life.The principal objectives of the project were summarised in the following items;1-Motivating students to become individuals interested in Science and Mathematics, develop new products, solutions and basic skills in Technology and Engineering2-Improving ICT,3- Developing speech and language skills of participants.4 -Being aware of cultural differences and similarities.To be able to achieve these objectives, firstly, we applied STEM attitude scales to measure students' readiness level and awareness of scientific skills with a form. We arrangedthe results as a project starting booklet and share them with all stakeholders by mail and in the local press.At the end of the project, new approaches were collected into a booklet once again. Each partner was responsible for different disciplines of STEM+A:-Science/Hungary,-Technology/Poland,-Engineering/Bulgaria,-Maths/Spain, Art/Italy and-For all/Turkey.We shared a sample lesson plan and created the activities in relation to our own discipline area.At the end of the project meetings, an evaluation meeting was made and the risk factors that occurred and may occur during the implementation were discussed.In project meetings, students from different countries worked in the same international working groups so that they could develop their language skills, share different culturesand make European friends. We published all completed activities and pictures on the Facebook page, website, and e-twinning on a regular basis and also with stakeholders,local press, our site, and the results platform.The students aged 10-14 receiving education in our schools and the teachers working at the departments of Maths, Science, Design and Technology, Information Technology,English and Art attended to the project activities. Besides, We received support from local administrations, industry associations, and Science and Technology Centers.Once every six months, various competitions related to the content were organized among the partner schools. The products and projects designed were displayed in theexhibitions at schools and more students were encouraged to take part in each project competition.We used test results (pre and post-tests applied in the beginning and at the end of each project stage) to evaluate that to what extent the project objectives have been met.During project activities, students got a chance to acquire and apply the knowledge, experience that they have gained in Science and Technology and used them to solve theproblems in their daily lives. Students learned about when, where, and how they used the obtained knowledge and acquire comprehension skills. They became more interestedin school subjects and participated actively in lesson activities.They grew up in accordance with their interest, desire, capacity and they improved their decision-making and a range of other skills that help them choose a suitable career.Within STEM education, more students with different learning styles and intelligence types were involved in the project.

The main objective of our project entitled “Maths Around Us” is to improve through Maths the students key competences according to the strategic framework ET 2020 to rise PISA results in all the countries and building their European identity through cultural heritage. This project is for students between 12-16 years old who are eager to take part in a science adventure in international company. The project is structured in six stages and for each stage one school will be responsible but all will be involved in similar activities at their own schools and the same activities during the mutual school visits to respond to the 3 priorities mentioned in the project: high quality skills and competences, building a sense of European citizenship and social inclusion.The key theme linking all six partners is Mathematics regarded as the Queen of science. The project is going to match Maths, using English language and ICT. The main objective is to improve the students' math competence by solving tasks in a Project Based learning approach, a less academic environment developing critical thinking, creativity and innovation and by perceiving Math issues in our students’ surrounding world, by encouraging them to try their best to participate actively, by finding similarities and differences between different environments of the six participating schools. Maths results and internationalization of all the involved schools are expected to improve as a result of the project. English, the language of the project, makes students more aware of the importance of learning foreign languages and develops their language competence. Students are going to find out and learn about history, monuments, unique nature or games which are associated with the project countries because maths is around us in every aspect of our life. So students will work on the project for two years working on the project step by step. Some of them will be guests and will take part in activities prepared by the host schools and then after coming back home will share their experiences with their peers and some of the students will work on activities at their own school. Teachers from six different countries in Europe will have the opportunity to exchange opinions and experiences, to observe different methods of teaching for two years and trying new strategies. By taking part in these activities pupils will develop their social and cooperative skills communicating and coping with the tasks in international teams, fostering autonomous learning and critical thinking. Working via internet in a safe environment, provided by eTwinning, developing their digital competence in a STEAM approach (science, technology, engineering, art, mathematics).The project allows some students coming from disadvanteageous families with economic problems who cannot afford to go abroad to be able to take part in European mobilities enabling them to develop active citizenship skills and knowledge of Europe in equal opportunities. It is obvious that getting the grant will impact and benefit clearly the partners in terms of internationalization of the schools in their own communities as an added value for them and in terms of high quality skills and competences of the whole learning and teaching community giving the participants equal opportunities. Finally, if awarded with the grant, our project can be published in Erasmus platform and might help potential Erasmus applicants.

"The project title – „Maths around us” (MAU). Maths – “the Queen of science” was the most important subject of activities and cooperation between five schools. The project lasted three years. In each school there was a group of 50 students between 13-15 who worked at the project. They were supported by the majority of school and local society.The main aim of„Maths around us” project was to develop a wide range of maths, social, language and ICT skills through involving students in creative activities, noticing maths and its aspects in the surrounding world. All activities and communication was conducted in English. Our students understood that using foreign language fluently opens them the door to the world. Cooperation of teachers gave them the unique possibility of exchanging opinions, experience and work method observation. Our aim was also encouraging local society to help and to apply for Erasmus+ grands by other school from the region.Five schools from: Poland,Turkey, Italy, Spain and Bulgary were involved in the project.Gimnazjum Publiczne im. Mikołaja Kopernika in Ziębice in the last project year was transformed into Szkoła Podstawowa nr 2 in Ziębice im. Henryka Sienkiewicza – school coordinator (300 students, 40 teachers). School has cooperated with schools from Ebreisdorf in Austria and Brighton in Colorado State, USA and with AIESEC organisation from Wrocław for many years. School uses Formative Assessment during lessons. First time in Erasmus+ programme. School from Turkey: Ataturk Ortaokulu from Izmit – Kocaeli near Istambul (1100 students, 68 teachers). School got the state support from Educational Ministry of Turkish Republic and its priority is to increase educational quality by taking part in international Comenius earlier and now Erasmus projects. School from Italy: Instituto Comprensivo „San Giovanni Bosco- F. De Carolis” from San Marco in Lamis (900 students, 80 tachers). Since 2007 school has taken part in PON (National Operational Programmes) financed by European funds. The aim of this programme is supporting and developing the basic skills in students and teachers. School has experience in Erasmus+ projects. School from Spain: Centro Educativo z Vva De La Canada (1000 students, 90 teachers) for the first time in Erasmus+ project. School is working at many science miniprojects, concentrated on teaching by means of games. School from Bulgria: OU „Vasil Levski” from Lovech (650 students and 45 teachers). Students have achieved successes in sports and maths. School cooperated with Ecomission 21 – Bulgarian NGO and with EDC volunteers for two years. Students and teachers were involved into etwinning projects. Erasmus+ was their first project.Project was divided into five stages: : ""Maths in kitchen"", ""Maths in vehicles"", ""Maths in buildings"", ""Maths in nature"" and ""Maths in games"". Each school was responsible for one project stage creating the activities plan, organising work, taking care of the schedule and working at the final evaluation. During each stage students were involved in different maths matters and working results were presented online by means of different ICT tools. All activities were prepared in English. Each participant had the access to all materials on the Internet. Students worked in groups or pairs very rarely individual. One of the repeated activity was online communication when students found out information from each other and solved maths tasks. Students were also involved in local events promoting their project like celebrations, kermises, competitions when they presented their work to local society.Working at the project „refreshed” schools. Students achieved knowledge which is not included in school curriculums. Solving maths tasks from different life fields they saw that maths is everywhere. Maths tasks were designed in order to enrich students' knowledge about history, geography, tradition or even cusine charecteristic for the project countries. They broke the language barriers and developed social skills. During the project we created five etwinning projects, project blog, collages, photo exhibitions, competitions, songs, many movies, presentations, interviews, project logo, documents: “Bank of good lessons”, “Online lessons”, film handbook “How to use Formative assessments during maths lessons”, calendar, comics, leaflets, bookmarks, photobooks. Students, teachers and local society are convinced that due to taking part in the project they gained unique life value all the more for three out of five countries Erasmus+ project was conducted for the first time."

"The project ""education @ economy @ handinhand"" focused on vocational preparation. The vocational preparation of the individual partner institutions was evaluated, taking into account the respective school systems of the individual countries. Best practice examples of the individual countries were presented and partly tested in practice with the students. Since successful vocational preparation also includes networking with external partners, such as professionals, career counsellors or other regional partners, the presentation and involvement of these partners was another focus.Especially this networking with partners from the economy, which are included in the career preparation timetable, as well as appropriate teaching modules, ensure an ideal preparation of our students for professional life and facilitate the transition from school to work for all parties.Again and again children with a migration background were brought into the discussion focus. Especially as the participating Austrian and German teachers work in German language classes or as integration teachers.In the individual phases of the project, the various school systems were presented and discussed, students and companies interviewed for vocational preparation, meetings with company representatives, representatives of the job centre and other regional partners, such as the HerzoCoaches carried out, so that at the end of the project each country its career orientation has again become more in the focus and evaluated.Best-practice examples such as digital storytelling, school experiential education to promote social skills or alternative forms of internship presentation were evaluated and presented in brief reed events to colleagues at the schools.The project shows its strength above all in its long-term impact. The new, stronger networking between schools and industry is introducing new ideas and changes, which also affect other levels of school life."