OTHERWISE SCHOOL
Since March 2012, when we let our students know about the program for the week entitled ”Otherwise Scholl”, they have show interest in the suggested activities and they even came up with new and daring initiatives.
”Otherwise school” represented the opportunity of reinvention of the partners involved in education, a moment when all the factors get into contat: students, teachers, parents and partners in educational projects. Students had the opportunity to develop new skills, byestablishing conections between theory and practice, by re-descovering values, experiments and reflection. ”Otherwise school” offered the students the chance to take part in activities tailored directly to their needs and interests, in non-formal activities.
The week entitled ”Otherwise School” turned out to be a new experience both for me, us a teacher and for my students.
Although I used to have the experience of extracurricular projects, a week of activities besides classes, with specific projects and events for geography was a challenge and a novetly.
The activities that we performed together with the students from ”Traian Technical College” in Bucharest have been very diverse.
Session of scientific communications ”The Earth Day” included project presentations, students synthesizing extracurricular activities through which they themselves brought an homage to our planet Earth, documentaries presenting natural and anthropogenic disasters, exhibitions on environmental issues and objects made of recycled materials. To complete the activities dedicated to the Earth Day we also paid a visit to the Environmental Protection Agency, Ilfov county, where due to the courtesy of Mrs. Dorojan Gabriela and Mr. Ciuia Gabriel, we found out the practical side of the discipline of geography, realizing how important is for both our life and the generations to come, the preservation of a clean environment. The students of the 9th B grade of this college came up with the initiative to perform ecological activities both in the schoolyard and in Tei Parck in the second district of our capital. We welcomed their idea and we all brought our contribution to the improvement of the quality of the environment we live in.
Out of the surveys taken among our students we concluded that school and studying must be a priority over the teenagers temtations, that non-formal education is not an aspect to be neglected, that school can be a pleasure not an obligation.
”Otherwise School” is an exercise which can turn into a tradition. It is an opportunity that everybody had expected that had only been talked about so far giving us an example such as ”that′s abroad”. Now we have it too. Let′s feel its potential and give it the importance that it deserves.
THE IMPORTANCE OF FORESTS IN HUMAN SOCIETY
Forested area is very important for humans. Men must be educated in order to become aware of the importance of forests in society. Since October, our highschool has been involved in the international project "Forests: education for sustainable and responsible management of the worlds forests."
Twenty students are directly involved in this project; they will participate in the next two years in a series of activities such as: exchanges of experience at a national level (the participating schools are from Bucharest, Sinaia, Moreni and Târgu Mureş), acacia planting activities in Topoloveni, participation of students and teachers in interactive exhibitions on "Forests" organized in Bucharest, Piteşti and Sinaia, international exchanges, an international competition.
During the first lesson of this project we were presented the objectives and aim of the project; we also discussed about forests, environment, pollution, climate changes and the effects of human activities on nature. Together with Lindmila and Eugene (Alma-Ro Association representatives and Terra Millenium III) we searched for answers to questions like "What are forests problems?", "What is the importance of forests for mankind?", "Why do global warming and the greenhouse effect occur?" At the end of the debates we understood what sustainable development means (the development of the contemporary society without threatening the development of future generations).
We can exploit forests but this must be rationally done. We should bear in mind that the forest environment plays an important role in absorbing carbon dioxide (through the process of photosynthesis the forest releases oxygen) and thus in climate change mitigation.
They are increasingly present in our lives: large areas of the Earth are affected by persistent droughts, while others suffer from floods, intensifying storms have serious consequences on human society (deaths, the distruction of human settlements and agricultural land).
Remember that nature is always real, serious and severe. She is always right and the mistakes and wanderings are human.
ENVIRONMENT TEAM OF VOLUNTEERS
The Technical College ``Traian``, located in Bucharest, is involved in the international project ``Forests: education for sustainable and responsible management of the world’s forests``. The project is an initiative of several European environmental NGOs which combine their efforts in trying to disseminate information and create a responsible and sustainable consumer behavior towards the world′s forests. The initiative complements global efforts to pull the alarm on the link between climate change and massive deforestation.
The project coordinator is Cooperazione per lo Sviluppo Paese dei emerging (COSPE) from Italy, and the partners in this project are: Community Impegno Servizio Volontariato (CISV) - Italy, Gruppo di Volontariato Civil (GVC) - Italy, ALMA-RO - Romania, Terra Millennium Foundation - Romania, Rhododendron Association - Romania, Alliance of Polish Green Network Association - Poland, ACSUR LAS SEGOVIAS - Spain and KOPIN - Malta.
The coordinators of these activities in Romania are ALMA-RO - Romania, Terra Millenium III Foundation. Terra Millenium III Foundation aims to conduct environmental programs for raising public awarenees on climate change and promotes sustainable development programs at national, regional and global levels, while ALMA-RO Association goals are related to promoting sustainable development and increasing public involvement in the development, implementation and monitoring of public policies.
As a target group and direct participants in the educational activities of the project that we simply call ``Forests``, we have enrolled twenty students participating in planting activity in Topoloveni, Arges. It lies in two relief units Piedmont Getic and The Romanian Plain. The city developed on the site of ancient villages and the area′s first document dates from 1421 and was made during the reign of Radu Prasnaglava, son of Mircea the Elder. After five and a half centuries, more precisely in 1968 since Topoloveni was declared a city. Then the settlement followed agricultural and tourism dimension for local development.
When we arrived, the Forestry staff led us to the place prepared for planting, where each of us planted at least one tree. A small step, but if in the future they will take into account the fact that for human society, the forest, is very important, it will reach susteinable exploitation of forests.
TAKE CARE OF THE ROMANIAN FORESTS!
LA SQUADRA DEI VOLONTARI DELL′AMBIENTE
Il Liceo Tecnico ”Traian” è coinvolto nel progetto internazionale ”Boschi: educazione per il management sostenibile e risponsabile dei boschi del mondo”. Il progetto è una iniziativa a livello europeo di vari ONG di protezione dell′ambiente che ragruppono il loro sforzo per diffondere informazioni e creare, tra citadini consumatori, un comportamento risponsabile e sostenibile nei confronti dei boschi del mondo. L′iniziativa vuole complettare gli sforzi al livello mondiale di attirare l′attenzione verso il collegamento tra l combiamenti climatici e la deforestazione massiva.
Il coordinator del progetto è Cooperazione per lo Sviluppo dei Paesi Emergenti (COSPE) dall′Italia.
I coordinatori delle attività in Romania sono L′associazione ALMA-RO e la Fondazione Terra Milenio III. Quest′ultima ha lo scopo di organizare programmi ecologici in vista della prendita di coscienza della popolazione sugli effetti dei cambiamenti climatici e di promuovere lo sviluppo durabile a livello nazionale, regionale e globale. Gli obiettivi dell′associazzione ALMA-RO sono legate alla promozione dello sviluppo durabile e crescita del grado di coinvolgimento della popolazione alla elaborazione, l′implimentazione e il monitoraggio delle politiche.
Comme gruppo bersaglio e participant diretti delle attività educative del progetto, che noi chiamiamo semplicemente ”Boschi”, noi, I 20 alunni iscritti abbiamo partecipato alle attività di plantazione degli alberi di acacia a Topoloveni, provincial di Arges. Questo è una città che si è svilluppata sul posto di una città medievale e la prima atestazione documentata data dell′anno 1412, contemporaneo a Radu prasnaglava, il figlio di Mircea il Vecchio. Dal 1968, quando Topoloveni è stato dichiarato città, l′insediamento ha seguito una linea di sviluppo dell′agricoltura e del turismo locale. Una volta arrivati alla destinazione, il personale del Corpo Forestale ci ha accompagnati al luogo pronto per la plantazione, dove ciascuno di noi ha piantato almeno un albero. Un piccolo passo, ma se nel futuro si terrà conto dell′importanza dei boschi per la società umana, si arriverà all′abbatimento ragionevole dei boschi.
PREDETEVI CURA DEI BOSCHI DELLA ROMANIA!
IL PARCO DEL CIRCO
Il Parco del Circo Statale si trova il corso Lago Tiglio e la strada Stefan cel Mare. Questo è il parco che attraverso tutti i giorni per andare al liceo, che mi ha incantato lo sguardo e calmato l′anima, in ogni stagione, per tre anni, da quando ho iniziato frequentare il Collegio Tecnico Traiano.
Il parco è stato allestito nel 1961, su una superficie di 26 ettari, secondo il progetto dell′architetto Valentin Donose. Nel mezzo del parco, si trova ”Il lago con i sorgenti naturali” vicino al quale crescono fiori di loto egizio. Negli ultimi anni, è stato realizzato un sistema di irrigazione per mantenere la flora del parco e sono stati piantati più di 20000 alberi e arbusti. La vegetazione è stata distribuita liberamente per creare un ambiente aerato e tra diversi viali e prati si possono ammirare delle prospettive particolari create dall′abbinamento tra le piante e gli animali, il lago e l′edificio del Circo che sembra un guardiano orgoglioso. Anche i viali sono stati modernizzati, è stato rifatto l′impianto elettrico e sono state portate qui delle specie di uccelli (presenti nella maggior parte dei parchi di Bucarest) che convivono con i tre tipi di rettili e anfibi del lago. Il Parco del Circo è un luogo apprezzato dagli abitanti della zona che possiedono animali (e possono venire con loro in uno spazio allestito apposta) e dai genitori che passeggiano con i figli sui numerosi viali del parco attentamente curati o frequentano le giostre. Il terreno del pallacanestro e lo spazio con attrezzi sportivi completano i nostri mementi di relax
Dal edificio del Circo fino allo specchio dell′acqua si sono creati dei prati larghi che scendono lentamente in pendio e che rivelano alla vista i limiti del parco. Una delle attrazioni notevoli sono le sculture nei tronchi degli alberi secchi realizzate con molto talento, originalità e immaginazione dall′artista plastico C. Teodorescu.
LINDEN PARK
Linden Park is a park in Sector 2 of Bucharest, located in the southeast of Linden Lake (on the Colentina river). The construction of Linden Park began in 1948, being desingned a space of 9 ha on the land of Tonola brick factory holes. The space was once populated with lime, so the whole area and lake were named ”Tei” (Liden).
The biggest attraction of the area was train rides, consisting of locomotive and two wagons, which was considered a marvel of world tachnology. The train was functional between 1951-1970. Today trams travel on the railways, that connects two neighborhoods: Linden and Pipera.
Thanks to an agreement with Azerbaijan, the park was radically transformed, today featuring bright multicolor artesian fountains, water jets that play on musical arrangements. More playgrounds for children, seating and walk are attractions for all ages. The bust of the national leader of Azerbaijani people was placed in the Linden Park and the main alley of the park is called Heydar Aliyev Avenue. This was arranged in the memory of Azerbaijan′s late president, who died in 2003.
Students of the Technical College ”Traian”, through the program ”Spring Schools”, have proven, their protective qualities of the environment by performing cleaning activities every spring.