The project, Going ahead with Euro-Med” – Intercultural Training Seminar for Teachers involved in Student Exchanges, is lead by the City of Munich Department of Education, Teacher Development Centre. It aims at promoting intercultural awareness and competence for teachers who are actively involved in international youth exchange between schools in the Euro–Mediterranean region. Exchanges of this nature require a very special sensitivity as to the individual cultures, religious backgrounds and ways of interaction. They are a challenge both to teachers and students faced with different, often unknown ways of life and mostly very different family structures. Teachers who are involved in school exchanges are generally required to be familiar with various intercultural aspects. However, a busy schedule at school and the extra time needed to make sure the logistics of an exchange are working, often neglect the fact that very careful preparation and thought also needs to be given to all the aspects of intercultural communication and learning. A training seminar will be held, based on experience with teacher development seminars for Munich teachers on intercultural learning but now focusing on a very direct and immediate interaction between teachers from Germany, Jordan, Spain, Croatia, Israel. Knowledge about tools and methods to secure a successful youth exchange will be the main content of the seminar. Moreover, a seminar between educators of these countries will certainly create an atmosphere of mutual respect and tolerance, of new forms of cooperation and last not least a vision of a dialogue between cultures that needs to be promoted continuously in our educational institutions. The project will take place in Munich, Germany and will be implemented between 15/10/2012 and 15/07/2013.
The project, Going ahead with Euro-Med” – Intercultural Training Seminar for Teachers involved in Student Exchanges, is lead by the City of Munich Department of Education, Teacher Development Centre. It aims at promoting intercultural awareness and competence for teachers who are actively involved in international youth exchange between schools in the Euro–Mediterranean region. Exchanges of this nature require a very special sensitivity as to the individual cultures, religious backgrounds and ways of interaction. They are a challenge both to teachers and students faced with different, often unknown ways of life and mostly very different family structures. Teachers who are involved in school exchanges are generally required to be familiar with various intercultural aspects. However, a busy schedule at school and the extra time needed to make sure the logistics of an exchange are working, often neglect the fact that very careful preparation and thought also needs to be given to all the aspects of intercultural communication and learning. A training seminar will be held, based on experience with teacher development seminars for Munich teachers on intercultural learning but now focusing on a very direct and immediate interaction between teachers from Germany, Jordan, Spain, Croatia, Israel. Knowledge about tools and methods to secure a successful youth exchange will be the main content of the seminar. Moreover, a seminar between educators of these countries will certainly create an atmosphere of mutual respect and tolerance, of new forms of cooperation and last not least a vision of a dialogue between cultures that needs to be promoted continuously in our educational institutions. The project will take place in Munich, Germany and will be implemented between 15/10/2012 and 15/07/2013.