the Rainbow Village project

Interview d’Isabelle Bonnassies, pilote du projet « The Rainbow Village » lauréat du « Meilleur Projet eTwinning 2013 », par Marie-Line Lagneau

2013-06-16T15:31:00.003+03:00

Follow the link to read Isabelle's interview!:)
http://www.aplv-languesmodernes.org/spip.php?article5047

Why am I proud to be a Rainbow Villager?

2013-03-20T21:49:00.001+02:00

Learning a foreign language can be a terribly tedious job. It's been scientifically proven that, when it comes to this endeavour, we reach our maximum potential around the age of three; which is disconcerting, really, because we're obviously not three years old anymore. Add ten or eleven more to that and you are sentenced to a lifetime of frustration because your brain refuses to help you in this matter. Those tiny little wheels in our brains are furiously spinning towards all sorts of different goals- we already have enough on our plate, what with all the math homework and incredibly long compositions we have to write for other subjects.

As such, the best way to make a student want to get involved in the process of exploring the depths of English or French is to make your class- your subject- fun. I'm not saying you should skip the hours that are supposed to be devoted to exercises just because we're already pretty much tired of those- they are helpful; vital, really- but every now and then, a bit of actual, verbal interraction with others is wonderful and it develops our communication skills faster. Be creative! Be innovative! My teacher is and that's probably one of the main reasons I love English so much now. We get involved in all kinds of projects- this one is the second Etwinning project that I worked for- and it is a very rewarding experience. I know you get ideas like "I can make friends" or "I learn new things about different cultures" all the time, so I'll flip the page for you and reveal a new one: Rainbow Village first raised awareness about the effects of pollution: as you already know, the villagers discovered this land after the Earth had been destroyed. We are rational enough to realize that no magical ladder will emerge from underneath the water and save us when the Apocalypse hits.

And then, by giving us the opportunity to build our own universe from scratch, not only did it help us apply 21st century skills to learning (which, at least in my country, doesn't happen all that often), but it made us figure out how to be the ideal citizens.For example, we had candidates for Mayor of the Rainbow Village. What did that teach us? That there is a lot of work behind a campaign, that having the right to vote- a fundamental right in democracy- is a huge responsability and privilege alike. That we should get involved in the political life when the time comes and express our wishes and needs. It is our duty! Progress is no easy task. It takes time and skills and Rainbow Village made us see that. Ruling a country or city is no easy task either. We figured that out too. We understood the stupidity of us wanting our leaders to have solutions for every single problem right here and right now! You cannot have that! Patience is a great quality. Problems can be solved efficiently only when they are taken care of one at a time.

So, as far as I am concerned, Rainbow Village is not only about having fun and making friends; it's not even about learning English, even though I began my composition? speech? with that idea; it is about preparing us for what's out there. It's about preparing us for the full-time job we are going to have in the future: the job of the responsible citizen. That's what makes it great, that's what makes the efforts well worth it!

Alina Cristea

Galati, Romania

The Favourite Activities of the Rainbow Villagers!

2012-07-07T22:01:00.000+03:00

Towards the end of the project, the Rainbow Villagers were asked to vote for their favourite activity of the project. A poll was designed using 'Google Forms' and the rainbow villagers had to think hard and give just a single answer to the question "Which was the activity you enjoyed the most in the Rainbow Village project?" Today, we announce the results of this poll.

According to the Rainbow Villagers, the activity they enjoyed the most was 'Making the model of the Rainbow Village'! 'Making the flag and the emblem of the Rainbow village' was the second most pleasant activity and 'creating new characters (identities and avatars) comes third! A lot of Rainbow Villagers seemed to enjoy taking part in competitions as well as making the handmade scrapbook that travelled from country to country. 5 per cent of the Rainbow Villagers said that they enjoyed making tourist guides for the Rainbow village and writing and singing the anthem of the Rainbow Village. Another 4% answered that they liked making voki quizzes and a 3% answered that they had fun drawing the maps of the Rainbow Village and planning the Election Campaign. All of the other activities follow, being voted by 1% of the Rainbow Villagers each:)

The Council of the Elders: Stasia

2012-07-03T01:05:00.000+03:00

Hello everyone,
My name is Stanisława Czerezdrecka. I live in Opole, the city on the south of Poland. I was born and raised in small city Głubczyce. I am short with straight, black hair and brown eyes. I am married with two sons Michał 8 and Tomasz 2 years old. I have been teaching English for 8 years in gimnazjum. It is a small school with about 250 pupils. It is set in the countryside Dąbrowa. I love my job and also my students. I really enjoy travelling and learning about new cultures. In my spare time I enjoy activities such as cycling, swimming and going for long walks in the countryside.

The Council of the Elders: Isabelle

2012-07-02T17:34:00.001+03:00

Hello ,
My name is Isabelle. I am 52 years old. I am married with three children aged 12 to 15. I am small with brown hair and brown eyes. I spent most of my childhood in a middle sized town near Limoges, the town where china is made. I then lived in various French towns and also lived abroad in London and Ottawa. When I came back to Europe, I lived in Lille where part of my family came from. But I decided to move south as I was looking for a better climate !
I started teaching English some twenty-five years ago first to adults and students. I also worked as a translator in a company for several years but I missed the contact with students. I have been teaching English in high school for seven years so far. It is a small school with about 550 pupils. It is set in the countryside and from the classrooms we can see fields.
I don't really have hobbies as I don't have much free time. I love reading as it enables me to escape the humdrum of every day life and I enjoy travelling and visiting places.

A little surprise by the Greek group: The Illustrated Story of the Birth of the Rainbow Village!

2012-06-29T00:17:00.003+03:00

The Greek group of the Rainbow village had a really wonderful idea! Inspired by the leading story of the Rainbow Village project, as well as the work of the artist Nidhi Chanani , they created a storybook using 'storybird' entitled " The True Story of the Birth of the Rainbow Village". They dedicate this book to all their wonderful partners and they wish that they get to work together again in the near future!:)

on Storybird

The Council of the Elders: Evi

2012-06-28T23:17:00.003+03:00

Dear friends of the Rainbow Village,
My name is Evi Belogia and I am 31 years old. I am from Greece and I have been working as a teacher of English at Greek state schools for the last 8 years. I was born and raised in Larissa, a city in central Greece, but I have also lived in various places in Greece. Specifically, I have lived for 6 years in Thessaloniki , the second largest city in Greece, where I completed my studies in English language and literature and I’ve also attended a postgraduate course on ‘sciences of language and communication’. I have also lived for another six years on two picturesque Greek islands, Karpathos (for two years) and Skiathos (for four years) where I worked as a teacher of English. However, I must admit that none of the places I have lived in can be compared to the Rainbow Village, where I’m currently living and working. The magic scenery and the wonderful, kind-hearted people I have met here will be in my heart for ever.

As you might have figured out from the way I’m expressing myself, I am quite the romantic type, the kind that loves films with a happy ending, that enjoys listening to music or reading poetry while it’s raining outside, that gets excited to see a rainbow after a heavy rain, that adores ladybugs, fairytales and, of course, working with children – especially with those creative, imaginative, smart kids who are now living in the Rainbow Village with us!
For better or worse, I can also be described as a workaholic and a perfectionist, but I try to make the most of my free time by squeezing in as much as I can. The things I enjoy the most are reading novels, watching films, meeting friends, surfing the net and attending concerts.
I consider myself really lucky for being a resident of the Rainbow Village and having the chance to meet and work with so many wonderful, special people.
And if you ever feel like visiting us, you don’t have to use any means of transport or travel for hours to find us. Just close your eyes, let your imagination run free, and you will be here with us in a blink of an eye!

Lots of kisses,
Evi

A beautiful song and a goodbye message by our French partners!

2012-06-28T21:43:00.001+03:00

The Anthem of the Rainbow Village (France)

2012-06-28T21:42:00.000+03:00

The Council of the Elders: Artemiza

2012-06-27T17:33:00.001+03:00

Hello dear Rainbow Villagers.
My name is Artemiza Lovin and I am an English teacher in Romania. I love teaching and this is mainly because of my wonderful students who are always willing to get involved in all the projects I suggest to them. I’ve been teaching for 12 years now and I think both teachers and students should have fun while teaching/learning in class.
Family is very important to me. My husband and I love travelling and spending time with friends. We have a daughter, Raluca, who is 7 years old and loves dancing and drawing.
My wish for the future is that all Rainbow villagers would meet someday and live happily ever after.
So, see you soon and take care.

The Council of the Elders: Innap

2012-06-27T17:29:00.001+03:00

Hello everyone,
My name's İnnap Kaya. I'm from Samsun- a beautiful city on the northern coast of Turkey. I'm 37 and I'm a scorpio :) I'm short and slim with short, straight, black hair and hazel eyes. I'm an English teacher and I've been teaching for 13 years. I believe I was born to be a teacher. I can't do without a classroom atmosphere and doing something for my students.
In summers and on weekends, apart from spending time with my family (my husband and my five-year-old daughter), I usually read books on philosophy or psychology. I often listen to Mylene Farmer and Kitaro. Playing chess, sudoku and computer games are also my hobbies.

The Council of the Elders: Ivana

2012-06-27T15:12:00.001+03:00

Hello!
My name is Ivana, I’m from Italy. I’m 49 years old and I look quite like the avatar I created. I’m tall, I have got curly brown hair and blue eyes. I’m married and I have a son of 23 and a daughter of 12.
I live in Felonica: a very small country village in the North of Italy, 60 km east from Mantova and 30 km west from Ferrara. From my window I can see the river Po.
I’m a teacher in the secondary middle school of Sermide, another village not far from Felonica. I teach French language. I like my job.
In my free time I stay with my family. I like to read very much.

Salut!
Je m’appelle Ivana et je suis italienne.
J’ai 49 ans et je ressemble à peu près à l’avatar que j’ai crée. Je suis grande et j’ai les cheveux châtains et bouclés, et les yeux bleus. Je suis mariée et j’ai deux enfants: un jeune homme de 23 ans et une petite fille de 12 ans.
J’habite à Felonica, un tout petit village de campagne dans le nord de l’Italie, 60 km à l’est de Mantova et 30 km à l’ouest de Ferrara. De ma fenêtre je peux voir le fleuve Po.
Je suis professeure au collège de Sermide, un autre village non loin de Felonica. J’enseigne français. J’aime mon travail.
Dans mon temps libre je m’occupe de ma famille. J’adore lire.

More prizes for the Rainbow Villagers: The Best Recipe in the Rainbow Recipe Book!

2012-06-26T14:40:00.003+03:00

The 'Council of the 6 Elders' of the Rainbow Village wanted to reward the Rainbow Villagers for their hard work! Thus, they decided that they should give some more prizes to the inhabitants of the Rainbow Village. They organized a secret poll and they also voted for the best!

The prize for the best recipe in the Rainbow Recipe Book is awarded to France!

We would like to congratulate our French neighbours for their exceptional work!

French Paris-Brest

More prizes for the Rainbow Villagers: The best Tourist Guide of the Rainbow Village!

2012-06-26T14:24:00.001+03:00

The prize for the best tourist guide of the Rainbow Village was awarded to Turkey!

Congratulations to our Turkish neighbours for their exceptional work!

More prizes for the Rainbow Villagers: The best map of the Rainbow Village!

2012-06-26T14:13:00.000+03:00

The prize for the best map of the Rainbow Village was awarded to Greece!!

More prizes for the Rainbow Villagers: The best model of the Rainbow Village!

2012-06-26T14:02:00.002+03:00

The prize for the best model of the Rainbow Village was awarded to Greece!

We would like to congratulate our Greek neighbours for their exceptional work!

More prizes for the Rainbow Villagers: The best part in the handmade Scrapbook!

2012-06-26T13:50:00.000+03:00

We have two winners in the competitions for the best part in the handmade scrapbook of the Rainbow Villagers!

Italy and Greece!

Congratulations to both our Italian and Greek neighbours for their exceptional work!

Here is a sample of their work:

a sample page from Greece

a sample page from Italy

More prizes for the Rainbow Villagers: The Best Virtual Scrapbook

2012-06-26T13:34:00.003+03:00

The 'Council of the 6 Elders' of the Rainbow Village wanted to reward the Rainbow Villagers for their hard work! Thus, they decided that they should give some more prizes to the inhabitants of the Rainbow Village. They organized a secret poll and they also voted for the best!

The prize for the best virtual Scrapbook of the Rainbow Village was awarded to Poland!!

Our compliments to our Polish neighbours for their exceptional work!

Create a free slideshow design

The Anthem of the Rainbow Village by Poland!

2012-06-23T23:08:00.000+03:00

A pleasant surprise by our Romanian partners!

2012-06-23T19:57:00.003+03:00

Since we have had 2 beautiful years of e-twinning, our teacher thought a couple of days ago that it was time to celebrate. It was teacher’s idea, but we agreed immediately. We first thought it was just a meeting to discuss the next tasks for the project, but a big chocolate cake was waiting for us to sweeten the celebration. We were about 25 students from 5 different classes that were involved in etwinning projects; 14 Rainbow Villagers but also some older students in our school that had taken part in a very successful project the previous year, ‘Young Poets Society’.

So, we gathered together and changed opinions about the project that made us cooperate with students and teachers from other countries. I suddenly realized what this entire project meant to me. I made new friends, I learned a lot of things and now I can say that I used my imagination the way I wanted, helped by our teacher. And who says that you can’t have fun writing? I only hope this won’t be the last activity coordinated by her because that moment there will be nobody to help me use my creativity. Thank you teacher! I want you to know that you mean a lot to us.

written by

Teodora Patriche – inhabitant of the rainbow Village

Our Romanian partners talk about their experience in the Rainbow Village!

2012-06-23T19:51:00.000+03:00

A gift of friendship from our Polish partners!

2012-06-23T10:33:00.001+03:00

The meaning of the flag of the Rainbow Village by Anca!

2012-06-20T01:20:00.000+03:00

The anthem of the Rainbow Village by the Romanian group

2012-06-19T21:26:00.000+03:00

A ' thank you' speech by the Mayor of the Rainbow Village!

2012-06-19T09:13:00.001+03:00