''Our Romanian Role Models'' - one of the activities of the local project ''Proud to Be Romanian'' dedicated to Romania's National Day 2025

In November 2025, two classes of students - 10A and 12B - engaged in a thoughtful educational activity under the umbrella of “Our Romanian Role Models” initiative, as part of the local project entitled “Proud to Be Romanian/ Mândru că sunt român.” This combined effort sought to encourage teenagers to explore, celebrate and promote the Romanian cultural and national values, by identifying and presenting cultural models that define and enrich our Romanian identity.

During the collaborative work, each participant undertook a process of research, reflection and creative presentation. The students were invited to choose Romanian cultural figures that inspire them: historical personalities, artists, writers, scientists, sportspeople etc. Through this exploration, they connected personally with their national roots and developed an appreciation for the cultural legacy of our country.

The project built on the wider goals of the “Proud to Be Romanian” project, a local educational initiative that aims at deepening the young generation’s sense of belonging, pride, and identity with Romania through history, literature, sports, art, science, and cultural awareness. By engaging the high-school students in “Our Romanian Role Models” activity, they could reflect critically, choose role models consciously, and present them thoughtfully. Through this process they not only learned about important Romanian people or cultural elements, but also practised research, public speaking, collaboration and creative expression.

At the same time, the project encouraged intergenerational memory and cultural continuity: by choosing role models from different eras and fields, the students connected the past with the present, recognizing various contributions that shaped Romania. This kind of approach echoes broader educational efforts that use heritage projects and cultural education to strengthen national identity among youth.

Moreover, the activity fostered respect for diversity inside Romania: by considering figures from different areas - arts, science, history etc., the students could appreciate that our Romanian identity is rich, multifaceted and inclusive. By doing so, “Our Romanian Role Models” helped counter stereotypes and broaden the young people’s view of what it means to be Romanian.

At the end of the project activity, the students' work was shared, each contribution joining the broader collective effort within the “Proud to Be Romanian” initiative, which aims at keeping alive among the young people of today a sense of pride, awareness and respect toward Romanian heritage. 

In sum, the collective Digipad https://digipad.app/p/1449889/19c5b8ae989fd8 “Our Romanian Role Models” transformed a school activity into a living bridge between today's youth and our cultural heritage. Through reflection, creativity and shared preferences, the students could find inspiration and motivation while discovering - and rediscovering - what makes Romania great: its people, its values, its history and its vibrant cultural spirit.

European Quality Labels for three eTwinning projects implemented during the 2024-2025 school year: "Digital Explorers and Promoters of Cultural Heritage", "Bookfest 2025" and "All Together for a Global Celebration"

 

"Autumn Emotion" – the first interdisciplinary lesson organized following the Erasmus job-shadowing mission in Poland

On 25 November 2025, the interdisciplinary activity Autumn Emotion took place at Liceul Teoretic "Radu Vlădescu", in Pătârlagele town, Buzău county. Coordinated by two teachers, Mrs. Claudia Emilia Frînculeasă and Mrs. Adelaida Loredana Iorga, members of the Modern Languages and Language and Communication Methodological Committees, the activity integrated inclusive methods and innovative educational resources promoted through the Erasmus Project 2025-1-RO01-KA121-SCH-000321135, funded by the European Union under the 2023–2027 Accreditation.

The teaching experience capitalized on the competences acquired during the job-shadowing mobility carried out between 27–31 October 2025 at XIII Liceum Ogólnokształcące im. Bohaterów Westerplatte in Kraków, Poland, where effective models of integrating technology, collaboration and critical thinking into teaching were observed.

As a competence-based interdisciplinary approach, the lesson relied on the National Curriculum for teaching EFL and targeted:

• identifying the main ideas in a literary text;
• expressing opinions and comparing them to personal perspectives;
• translating Nichita Stănescu’s poem Emoție de toamnă from Romanian into English;
• connecting the literary message to one's own experiences and authentic emotions.

The students, whose linguistic levels are B1, B1+ and B2, worked individually and collaboratively to transform the reading of the poem into a personal, creative and deeply reflective experience.

1. Lead-In: Emotion as a starting point

The lesson began with an activity designed to activate prior knowledge, in which students completed prompts such as “When autumn comes, I often feel…” or “An ingredient of a strong love is…”. This technique created a natural bridge between personal experience and the emotional universe of the poem.

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2. Collaborative translation of the poem

In teams of 4–6 students, the participants used online dictionaries to translate Nichita Stănescu’s poem Emoție de toamnă into English.

This activity stimulated negotiation of meaning, exploration of metaphors, and identification of key symbols. After completing the translations, a whole-class discussion followed to refine the text and observe interpretative differences.

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3. Identifying main ideas

Using a Wordwall resource, students matched each stanza with its central ideas: vulnerability, fear of separation, alienation, silence, and poetic transformation. This activity contributed to the development of analytical and literary comprehension skills.

https://wordwall.net/resource/96464399

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4. Personalisation: Literature as a mirror of emotion

Through the digital resource How do readers become co-authors in Poetry?

https://learningapps.org/view41642454

published on LearningApps, the students reflected on the poet-reader partnership - an interactive relationship in which the poet creates an artistic message, while the reader reconstructs, interprets, and gives meaning to it based on personal experiences, emotions, and knowledge.

Thus, the students understood that poetry is a process of literary communication in which meaning is not fixed but emerges from the encounter between text and reader.

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5. Differentiated assessment

Two digital resources were used-one for B1 level:

https://learningapps.org/view41653150

and one for B2 level:

https://learningapps.org/view41627867 

to check, in real time, the students’ understanding of the poem, its metaphors, and its vocabulary. The activities allowed the two teachers to provide quick and level-appropriate feedback.

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6. Feedback & Homework

The lesson ended with self-evaluation and teacher feedback:

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1b4OuwxWwIqcj3my_HdoSVdeU-HvbVD0E/edit

The students then received two tasks:

• listening again to the song Emoție de toamnă performed by Nicu Alifantis:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1pizEnsP6AI

• writing a 75–100-word reflection starting from the quotation: “The purpose of art is to stop time.”

The Autumn Emotion lesson successfully combined Romanian literature, personal expression in English, and the digital competences acquired through Erasmus+.

The students of the 11U Humanities class were encouraged to and managed:

• to express their emotions authentically;
• to understand poetic symbols in an accessible way;
• to collaborate in translation and interpretation tasks;
• to use technology for meaningful learning;
• to reflect on their own relationship with art and love.

Such a lesson demonstrates that interdisciplinary education supported by European programmes transforms the classroom into a dynamic space for critical thinking, creativity, and personal development.

Based on the feedback received from the methodological committee members, it can be stated that this interdisciplinary lesson directly contributed to multiplying the experiences and good practices gained by the teachers from Liceul Teoretic "Radu Vlădescu", Pătârlagele, during the Erasmus job-shadowing mobility. It transformed the observation missions into a concrete, practical, and replicable pedagogical approach within the entire school community.

The activities focused on collaboration, personal reflection, the use of interactive digital resources, and differentiated assessment reflect the modern methods observed in the partner school in Kraków. Their integration into this lesson demonstrates the teachers’ ability to adapt and apply European practices in a local context. Through this type of activity, the mobility experience becomes accessible to colleagues, students, and the entire educational community, generating a multiplying effect that promotes innovation, inclusion, and quality in teaching.

The European Commission support for the production of this publication does not constitute an endorsement of the contents which reflects the views only of the author, and the National Agency and Commission cannot be held responsible for any use which may be made of the information contained therein.

The International Online Conference "True Global Projects which Inspire Hope" - GEW 2025

On November 24, 2025, we had the privilege of participating in the international conference True Global Education Projects Which Inspire Hope, a remarkable event organized online by the Montenegrin Bureau for Education Services of the Ministry of Education, Science and Innovation. Dedicated to Global Education Week 2025, the conference brought together passionate educators, project leaders, and students from across Europe, more specifically from Montenegro, Romania, Turkey and Estonia, all united under a shared mission - Shaping a Just, Peaceful and Sustainable Future.

It was within this inspiring framework that we proudly promoted our high school, Liceul Teretic "Radu Vlădescu", as a high-quality, student-centered provider of education, a place where supportive and inclusive environments empower young people to grow into active, responsible global citizens. We had the chance to demonstrate how we strive to turn hope into action every day, reminding the international audience that meaningful education is not only taught, but lived.

Throughout the conference sessions and discussions, we highlighted the values that guide our daily work - the belief that every learner deserves to be heard, supported, and inspired. We presented our school not just as an institution, but as a community of opportunity, where curiosity is nurtured, responsibility is encouraged, and the future is shaped one idea at a time.

A central part of our contribution was the dissemination of the activities we developed for Global Education Week, the 2022, 2023, and 2024 editions, which encouraged our students to reflect on global challenges, sustainability, equity, and peace. We proudly shared digital materials, student reflections, and a collaborative poem, written as a unified voice of hope. This poem became a symbolic reminder that when students think, create, and connect, they become catalysts for change.

Our participation also allowed us to present insights and outcomes from our job shadowing mobility in Krakow, developed through the Erasmus project 2025-1-RO01-KA121-SCH-000321135. This international experience enriched our team of teachers allowing us to absorb new methodologies, exchange perspectives, and integrate successful digital practices into our own educational environment. We highlighted how Erasmus mobilities break barriers, broaden minds, and strengthen collaboration across borders.

Alongside our Erasmus accomplishments, our 11th grade student Stancu Beatrice Laura Maria, an enthusiastic eTwinner, introduced three ongoing educational initiatives that reflect our school’s commitment to international collaboration, pedagogical innovation, student empowerment, creative learning and sustainability:

✨ A Song for Our Souls in an English-Speaking World - an international partnership encouraging self-expression, language development, and cultural connection through music and performance.

✨ BookFest 2026 - a bilateral project and a celebration of literature, imagination, and multilingual exploration.

✨ EcoDigital Explorers for Sustainability - an eTwinning project encouraging environmentally conscious thinking, innovation, and global responsibility.

Each eTwinning project illustrates how we turn ideals into action, how we transform hope into tangible experiences that prepare students not only for exams, but for life.

Our participation in this international event strengthened our belief that education is a powerful tool for shaping a better tomorrow. The conference was a testament to what can be achieved when educators, students, and institutions join forces across borders, united by purpose and vision and, as a result, we are now more inspired, connected, and deeply motivated to continue our mission: to empower our students to shape a brighter, more equitable, and sustainable future. Hope, after all, thrives where action lives - and in our school, hope is alive every day.

"Outstanding Romanians", one of main activities of the local project "Proud to Be Romanian" - 24/11/2025

On 24 November 2025, the collaborative activity Outstanding Romanians, was carried out as part of the Proud to be Romanian project, an exemplary model of modern, interactive learning. Implemented together with the 11th grade students of Liceul Teoretic „Radu Vlădescu”, the activity encouraged research, teamwork and the use of digital tools to explore the legacy of great Romanian figures. The students worked together to create a Canva presentation highlighting writers, athletes, scientists, artists and other inspirational personalities who contributed significantly to the country’s cultural and scientific evolution.

The project began with discussions on national values and identity, prompting students to reflect on what makes Romania unique and who they believe best represents its historical and contemporary achievements. Each student then selected a representative Romanian figure and engaged in a research phase, gathering relevant information from diverse and credible sources. They synthesized the material, chose key details, and prepared the content for the collaborative presentation.

Using Canva, the students built their digital product collectively, experimenting with layout, design and multimedia integration. The platform allowed simultaneous editing, enabling them to collaborate in real time, make aesthetic decisions together and ensure coherence across the presentation. When the final version was complete, it was presented to the class, providing an opportunity for reflection, feedback and peer appreciation.

This activity offered a wide range of educational benefits. It strengthened research and information-processing skills, enhanced digital competences and promoted critical thinking by requiring the students to justify their choices and evaluate the importance of the personalities selected. Collaboration fostered communication, responsibility and the ability to work productively in a group. Perhaps most importantly, the project nurtured cultural awareness and pride, helping the Romanian students to connect emotionally with our national heritage and better understand the values that shape our identity.

The Outstanding Romanians activity demonstrates the power of methodology grounded in creativity, cooperation and technology. By learning together, the students did much more than gather historical facts: they strengthened their sense of belonging, built essential academic skills and gained confidence in expressing ideas through modern digital tools. This approach transforms learning into a meaningful experience, proving that education grows richer when students explore, create and share knowledge collectively.

The Official Logo of Our eTwinning Project "A Song for Our Souls in an English-Speaking World"

One of the most exciting moments in our eTwinning project A Song for Our Souls in an English-Speaking World has just come to an end: the voting for our official project logo. This collaborative event brought creativity, teamwork, and cultural exchange to the forefront as students from Romania, Turkey, and Poland submitted four imaginative logo proposals representing our project’s musical and linguistic spirit.

Four Proposals, Three Countries, One Winner

Each participating country contributed unique designs that reflected not only artistic vision, but also the shared values of the project - communication, creativity, unity, and the joy of learning English through music. After careful evaluation, 75 representatives from all partner schools cast their votes to select the logo that would officially represent our project across all materials and platforms.

The results are here:🎉 The winning logo is the Polish proposal!
Its modern design, vibrant colours, and positive imagery stood out and resonated with the majority of our participants. The logo beautifully blends musical elements with a global perspective, making it an ideal visual ambassador for our project.

Why Logo Voting Matters

Although it may seem like a small step in a larger project, the logo competition brought several meaningful benefits: it enhanced student engagement as the European students became active contributors, not just observers, and knowing that their vote mattered encouraged participation and made them feel invested in the project’s identity; it promoted creativity and design skills - the learners had the chance to express themselves visually, experiment with digital tools, and explore artistic ways to convey meaning; it strengthened international collaboration: by reviewing and appreciating each other’s work across borders, our students developed intercultural understanding and respect for different perspectives; it encouraged democratic participation - the voting process taught responsibility, fairness, and the value of collective decision-making, which are important skills in both education and citizenship; it built a stronger project identity - a shared logo unifies the partners from the three countries giving the project a stronger, more memorable symbol connected to its goals.

Our Symbol of Unity Through Music and Language

The winning Polish logo will now accompany all future project activities, presentations, videos, and collaborative work. It stands as a colourful reminder of what our project represents: learning together, celebrating diversity, and connecting through music in an English-speaking world.

Congratulations to all the students and teachers involved - every proposal was creative, meaningful, and reflective of your hard work!

The Pedagogical Meeting of the Teachers of English on the Buzău Valley 21/11/2025

On 21 November 2025, an enthusiastic group of teachers of English on the Buzău Valley gathered for a methodological meeting dedicated to sharing good practices and strengthening professional collaboration. The central event of the meeting was the demonstration lesson on Thanksgiving Day, delivered by Mr. Șerban Daniel, teacher of English at Școala Gimnazială Sat Brătilești located in Brăești commune, Buzău county.

Mr. Daniel Șerban’s lesson provided an excellent example of how traditional cultural content can be revitalized through modern pedagogical approaches. The lesson successfully integrated digital tools, varied teaching materials, and elements of artificial intelligence, creating a dynamic and inclusive learning environment. The pupils were encouraged to participate actively through interactive tasks, visual support, and guided reflection, an approach which allowed all learners, regardless of their ability level, to feel involved and capable of contributing meaningfully.

A key objective of the lesson was the cultivation of gratitude, a value at the core of the Thanksgiving theme. Through interactive resources, vocabulary exploration, and reflective exercises, the learners of English were guided to recognize and express appreciation for people and experiences in their lives. The topic was warmly welcomed as it facilitated the pupils’ personal development.

The participating teachers highly appreciated both the structure and the pedagogical creativity of the lesson. They noted the students’ genuine engagement, the teacher’s efficient classroom management, and the harmonious balance between cultural content and language practice. Everyone valued the fact that the pupils had the opportunity to experience a modern language lesson that combined meaningful learning with emotional development - an approach that can inspire future teaching practices across the Buzău Valley and beyond.

A second highlight of the meeting was the presentation delivered by Mrs. Mădălina Costache, a teacher of English at Şcoala Gimnazială "Vasile Voiculescu" Parscov and Școala Gimnazială "Ing Oprișan Iarca" Unguriu, who disseminated insights from a job-shadowing experience, Digital Education and Emotional Intelligence in School, undertaken at Colegio Nuestra Señora del Pilar in Málaga, Spain. Her report provided a comprehensive overview of the host institution’s best practices in integrating digital competencies with social-emotional learning, illustrating how technology-enhanced instruction can coexist with, and even reinforce, the students’ emotional well-being. Mrs. Costache emphasized innovative approaches to classroom management, the strategic use of digital platforms to support differentiated learning, and structured activities designed to help learners identify and regulate emotions. The participants greatly appreciated the clarity of her presentation and the practical relevance of the strategies shared, many of which can be adapted to local contexts to enhance both digital literacy and emotional intelligence in English language classrooms.

Together, the two contributions - the demonstration lesson and the job-shadowing dissemination - offered a rich and forward-looking perspective on English language education in the Buzău Valley area. They underscored the importance of innovation, collaboration, and continuous professional development, reaffirming the commitment of the teachers of English on the Buzău Valley to creating engaging, inclusive, and future-oriented learning experiences for their pupils.

Special thanks were also extended to Școala Gimnazială, sat Brătilești, the host institution, for its warm hospitality and support for our pedagogical meeting. The welcoming atmosphere, the openness to collaboration, and the commitment to educational standards greatly contributed to the success of the event. All the participants expressed their sincere appreciation and left the meeting inspired, enriched, and motivated to carry forward the valuable ideas and practices shared.

A Happy Thanksgiving Day 2025!

Six Original Open Educational Resources Created for the eTwinning Project “A Song for Our Souls in an English-Speaking World”

On 18 and 19 November 2025, the participants in the eTwinning project “A Song for Our Souls in an English-Speaking World” had a special opportunity to engage with six original digital resources created especially for them. These interactive materials offered students a rich, creative way to explore music, language, and emotional expression.

At the heart of the experience was the song “See You Again”, a powerful piece that speaks about friendship, memory, and coping with loss. The learners discovered the song through a variety of formats, including:

Why Listen to the Song See You Again - an introduction to the song’s themes and impact

See You Again - a guided exploration of the lyrics

See You Again - Voki - an animated character presenting key ideas

See You Again (Exercițiu multimedia) - multimedia activity to deepen understanding

Coping with Loss - Lessons from the song "See You Again" by Wiz Khalifa ft. Charlie Puth - reflections on resilience and healing

How do we cope with loss? (a resource for eTwinning) - a dedicated eTwinning resource encouraging discussion and empathy

These two days allowed the Romanian students not only to practise English in an engaging way, but also to reflect on meaningful life experiences, strengthening emotional awareness and connection within the group.

Through music, technology, and collaboration, the project continues to show how powerful learning can be when hearts and minds work together.

A Song for Our Souls ... a communication workshop for the eTwinning project "A Song for Our Souls in an English-Speaking World"

On 18 November 2025, as part of our ongoing eTwinning project “A Song for Our Souls in an English-Speaking World,” the students enrolled in the humanities class 11U at Liceul Teoretic "Radu Vlădescu" took part in a dynamic communication workshop centred around the powerful song “See You Again.” The workshop was designed not only to improve their linguistic competence, but also to support their emotional growth, empathy, and overall well-being through meaningful interaction and creative expression.

The session began with a collaborative translation task which encouraged learners to consider subtle shades of meaning and emotion, opening the door to deeper cultural and linguistic awareness, followed by a guided listening activity in which the students explored the song’s themes of friendship, loss, gratitude, and hope.

Next, the project participants engaged in group discussions focusing on the universal experience of separation and reunion. These conversations helped them practise expressing feelings in English while building interpersonal communication skills and respectful listening habits. Such exchanges contribute significantly to emotional growth, as students learn to recognise, articulate, and validate emotions - both their own and others’.

A lively role-play segment allowed the participants to step into imagined scenarios inspired by the song. Some groups acted out scenes of saying goodbye, while others performed reunions or supportive friendships. This creative task fostered cooperation, improvisation, and confidence in spontaneous speaking.

To personalise the experience, the students were invited to write short reflections or messages to someone important in their lives. These personalisation activities encouraged introspection and emotional processing, offering a healthy outlet for feelings connected to gratitude, memory, and personal development. Many students volunteered to share their messages aloud, creating a warm and supportive classroom atmosphere.

Throughout the workshop, it became clear that music - especially a deeply emotional song like “See You Again” - can be a powerful tool for well-being. By combining language learning with emotional exploration, the Romanian students not only strengthened their English skills, but also enhanced their self-awareness, resilience, and sense of connection to others.

This workshop has become a memorable highlight of our project, proving once again that music truly is made for our souls.