Adding Value to Traditional Education: Participating in a Real Life German Learning Environment

Anghel Camelia Luminiţa

Liceul Tehnologic Meserii şi Servicii Buzău

Nowadays students have access to information through technology and the web,

informal learning playing an important role in their own acquisition of knowledge; as a result,

traditional teaching is becoming less effective at engaging students and motivating them to

study. I agree with the idea that every student should be given the opportunity to experience

lessons beyond the classroom walls in order to develop personal capabilities and effective

thinking skills.

An example of learning in a real life environment is ‘Let’s Connect to the European

Culture and Gastronomy’ project LLP-LdV/IVT/2010/RO/190 that consisted in the

collaboration between the F+U Gemeinnützige Bildungseinrichtung für Fortbildung und

Umschulung Sachsen, briefly called F+U Saxony, Chemnitz, Germany and Liceul

Tehnologic Meserii şi Servicii Buzău, Romania, in which a group of 15 students from our

school were trained in a mobility of 2 weeks, in Einsiedel - Chemnitz, Germany.

The objectives of the Europass Mobility experience were:

the access to quality education to improve students' practical skills in the field of

qualification ‘Technician in gastronomy’ by learning and practicing the cooking of

national dishes and international cuisine;

facilitating the transition from school to a future job through training and strengthening

of fast and flexible adapting skills to the demands of the national and European labour

market;

getting the students familiar with a way of life in a EU country having as a main goal

the education for European citizenship and intercultural awareness;

improving the linguistic competences in the field of the English and German languages.

Apart from being trained for their future job in a real life environment, our students

were exposed to the German culture and civilization visiting the most important sights in

Chemnitz, Dresden and Leipzig. They also visited an asparagus farm, a little cheese factory

and a mushroom farm during the mobility.

One of the most interesting visits was the one at the little cheese factory Rößler-Hof

Rolf Seyffert GbR in Burkhardtsdorf where our students participating in making organic

cheese. First, they were explained all about raising dairy cows while visiting the farm. Then,

they were involved in making cheese while one of the farmers helped them understand the

stages of preparing cheese.

It all starts with the cows...

The milk is brought to the right temperature. Coagulant is added.

 

The milk forms a custard-like mass.

 

The whey is drained off, leaving a tightly formed curd.

The cheese is pressed into a round shape to complete the curd formation.

 

The cheese is moved to a room that is

carefully controlled for required humidity

and temperature for long periods of time.

 

Experiencing life and lessons beyond the classroom walls should be a regular part of

students’ growing up. These experiences enlarge the horizons of young people, opening their

eyes to the wonders of areas such as the natural world, culture and everyday life.