LITHUANIA
About Ukmergės Užupio basic school
Our school has 420 pupils aged 6-17. There are two classes of pre-primary pupils, 8 classes of primary pupils, 8 classes of basic education pupils and 2 classes of productive education pupils. Productive learning includes basic education from grade 9 to grade 10. It offers the opportunity to learn in a different way than we are used to. Three days the students study basic subjects at school and two days they go to workplaces outside the school.
The aim of Productive Learning is to help students with learning difficulties who are not succeeding, who have lost motivation to learn, or who simply want to learn in a different way, to access to basic education. This objective is achieved by helping the pupil to set personal learning goals and to choose his/her future learning and vocational pathway, by understanding and evaluating his/her own desires, needs and the influence of his/her socio-cultural environment. The objective of productive learning is also achieved by involving a wide range of labour market actors in the student's educational process and by transferring part of the learning process to practical learning sites.
The school operates on a classroom system, with each teacher having his/her own classroom, 2 science laboratories (1 for physics and 1 for biology-chemistry), 1 library, 1 vocational education classroom, 4 English language classrooms, 1 music classroom, 1 art classroom, 2 technology design classrooms, 1 gym, 1 fitness classroom, 1 multi-purpose assembly hall, a teachers' room, 3 computer rooms.
The school has 2 extended day groups.
The school has 38 teachers: 1 teacher, 25 methodological teachers, 12 senior teachers. There are also 7 teaching assistants and 16 technical staff.
There is 1 special educator and 1 social worker.
In 2018 Ukmergės Uzupio Basic School is one of the best 30 schools which gives the best education in Lithuania.
The Užupis School community in the project
"Treasures. Storytellers across Europe"
Branesti, Romania 01-05-2022-05-07-2022-05-07
Four 7th grade pupils and two teachers - English teacher Inga Ilčiukienė and Art teacher Audronė Vainauskienė - from 01-05-2022-05-07-2022-05-07 participated in the Erasmus+ international project "Storytellers across Europe treasures". It took place in Branesti, Romania.
On the first day, there was a meeting with the mayor of Ilfov county, local representatives, teachers and students. The Romanian pupils presented the school. The pupils took part in a series of lessons chosen from a list of proposed activities. All participants presented their country, city and school and enjoyed traditional dishes. Then they created a play based on their national myths/ballads/legends. The characters in the play were the Fairy, Sprigitis, Apollo, Sunflower, Athena and others. A rehearsal was held and the play was shown to the audience.
Each country presented its own myth/legend, folk dance or traditional song.
The legends were also presented by creating 3D models.
Visiting Dracula's castle, they learned about the legend of Dracula. The pupils took notes and photographs of how other cultures have influenced Romanian culture.
The educational and cultural visits stimulated the children's curiosity and their desire to explore and create. Through various activities, the children discovered links with other cultures.
Istanbul, Turkey 16-10-2022-22-10-2022
On 16-22 October, a team from the Užupis Primary School in Ukmergė: head teacher Regina Razmienė, project coordinator Virgilija Markevičienė, English teacher Rusnė Valeikienė and technology teacher Jurgita Šalaviejienė went to Istanbul. The mobility meeting of the Erasmus+K229 project "Storytellers across Europe - Treasures" took place in Istambul Erkek Lisesi. The meeting was attended by us, the Lithuanian team, the Greek, Latvian, Italian, Romanian and Turkish teams. The theme of the mobility was "World of Magic". The mobility was for teachers only. Learning to teach. Teach to learn.
New knowledge, an experience that has no price, like a colourful jigsaw puzzle - from teamwork, sharing, brainstorming, different cultures and different languages.
Getting to know Istanbul. Megapolis. Istanbul. Topkapi Palace - A walk through the Sultans' residence, one of the world's greatest museums, is like a fairy tale. A short cruise on the Bosphorus. The border between Asia and Europe. Galata Tower.
Schools in Istanbul. From the history and architecture of the buildings to the internal rules and distinctive order, it's amazing.
Although one has to remember how many peoples' histories and events have been intertwined over the centuries in this city of many millions.
Impressions and experiences abound. We hope to apply it successfully in our work.
Ukmergė, Lithuania, March 20-03-2023-25-03-2023
Ukmergė Užupio Primary School is participating in the Erasmus+ KA229 project "Storytellers across Europe. Treasures". On 20 March, Ukmergė Užupis Primary School welcomed teachers from Latvia, Italy, Greece, Romania and Turkey. From the first minute of welcoming, the guests were impressed by the friendly, sincere and warm atmosphere. The welcoming dance "Kepurinė", the welcome with salt and bread, the pupils' concert, the walk around the school to get to know the community, the creative masks, the workshops, all impressed the guests so much that they called the school a real treasure trove of deep traditions. After lunch, the guests were invited to meet the Mayor of Ukmergė and representatives of the Ukmergė Education Department at the municipality. The treasure hunt then took place in Ukmergė.
On the second day of the project, cultural visits continued at Trakai Castle and the Palace of the Grand Dukes in Vilnius. Guests heard the famous legend of the foundation of Trakai Castle, learned about the history of Lithuania and, while walking around the Old Town of Vilnius, the legend of Vilnius.
On the third day, everyone searched for treasures in the Molėtai region. After a visit to the state-of-the-art Molėtai Museum of Ethnocosmology, the guests headed to the Fishermen's Museum in Mindunai, where they were transported to Lithuania's past.
After visiting the A. Truskauskas Hunting Museum, the guests were amazed by the collection of our most famous Lithuanian hunter.
The fourth day brought everyone together to spend time at the school creating, dancing and acting, and to learn about Lithuanian folk traditions of egg-printing and clay whistles. In the afternoon, guests had the opportunity to meet the Brothers of the Forest, who introduced them to the history of restored Lithuania.
On Friday, after gaining positive emotions by dancing and performing a joint performance of the project participants, and blowing up the balloons of dreams, everyone was invited to go to Anykšiai. They baked bread, tasted Lithuanian dishes and visited the Horse Museum.
The guests would certainly have stayed for many more days in our region, but mobility ended and they had to go home.
The theme of this project proved once again how many treasures we all have in our own country and how nice it is to share these treasures with others.
Daugavpils, Latvia 24-04-2023-28-04-2023
From 24 April 2023 to 28 April 2023, students and their teachers from Greece, Lithuania, Turkey, Italy, Romania and Lithuania visited the Daugavpils National City High School. Under the Erasmus+ Key Action 2 (KA2) Strategic School Partnerships project "STORYTELLERS ACROSS EUROPE" or "TREASURES", Latvia organised a short-term student exchange training. Lithuania was represented by the team of Ukmergė Užupis Primary School: English teacher Rusnė Valeikienė and IT teacher Virgilija Markevičienė, project coordinator, as well as students Ainė Žemaitytė and Ernestas Mickūnas from grade 7a and Ainė Žemaitytė and Ernestas Mickūnas from grade 6a. Gelmis Karpovas and class 6b. Saulė Jurkevičiūtė.
The aim of the project is to focus on inclusion, appreciation of cultural diversity, differences and the common values of European cultural heritage, creativity and digital skills through the use of technology, in cooperation with all the partner schools. The project is also part of the EU's "European Heritage Days" initiative.
The project activities have been given their own names in the different countries, focusing on the aim of the project. Latvian meeting: "Friends in Europe". During the week, pupils worked in small groups in various workshops where they created a new digital story about the project meeting in Story jumper, posters about the project's activities and achievements, visited museums, historical and important sites in the city, and used theatrical elements to create a video story themselves, sharing their own knowledge of their own country's tangible and intangible cultural heritage treasures.
Students' reflections. "I really enjoyed the project because I met people from other countries" (Ainė). "We liked the festive table where we could taste food from other countries" (Ernestas and Gelmis). "I enjoyed taking part in this project because I was able to use my English, singing and dancing skills and knowledge." (Sun)
"The Treasure Hunters not only got to know the pearls of Latgale, their stories and legends: Daugavpils, Cietoksne, the Agluona Basilica, the Bread Museum, the wooden sculpture park in Agluona, Certokes and Lake Stropi, but also the beauty and history of the Latvian capital, learned how stories are made in Latvian television studios, and received certificates of participation in the theatre during a tour of the Latvian National Opera and Ballet Theatre.
Tears of excitement, hugs and words of gratitude from the project participants are what increase the good impressions of Latvia, its people, traditions and life and give satisfaction to all those who took part in the "Storytellers in Europe" project activities at the Daugavpils National City Secondary School.