Project Meetings
Lippstadt, Germany, 2025
Münster: Friedenssaal
“Europe starts here!” – What a symbolic picture in front of the Friedenssaal in Münster! The key parties willing to end the Thirty Years’ War in 1648 were Spain, Sweden, Germany and the Netherlands. Today, students and teachers from the four countries are representing European cooperation and friendship as part of the Erasmus family.
The Friendessaal in Münster is where many of the negotiations took place and where the Peace of Westfalia finally ended the Thirty Years’ War in 1648.
Today it symbolizes diplomacy and compromise among different nations and this is what our Erasmus project CONNECT is all about: to connect students, teachers and school communities from different countries to encourage mutual understanding.
Münster: Art Workshop
Art – just like music – is a universal language that everybody can understand and which connects people. Even more so if our group of students take part in a collaborative art workshop, where they created large-scale paintings together. Working in teams, they learned how to coordinate their ideas on big canvas.
A the beginning of the workshop we were introduced to the monumental expressionist wall painting calles “Paradies”, collaboratively created by August Macke and Franz Marc in 1912. Everybody detected different details in the painting and this finally served as an excellent model for the students’ work.
Individual elements can come together to create something new, bringing people together by encouraging creativity, communication and teamwork.
Soest: Christmas market
Of course, christmas markets are an important part of the Christmas season in Germany. At the Soest Christmas market visitors can enjoy decorated stalls, local crafts and seasonal treats.
What if the teachers came this year with a sled and broght lots of presents to Uden, Lippstadt, Almunge and El Escorial?
A great highlight was ice stock shooting, a winter sport similar to curling. It was a perfect way to have fun together, enjoy the holiday spirit and share great experiences with the whole team.
El Escorial, Spain, 2026 (Job Shadowing)
Welcome to IES El Escorial!
The delegations had a most interesting time during their job sharing visit at IES El Escorial!
From 13th to 16th April, teachers from our school took part in an Erasmus+ job shadowing programme at our new Partner school in El Escorial, Spain. The week combined cultural experiences with professional development and offered many opportunities for international exchange.
Our programme began on Monday, 13th April, when all participating teams arrived and met for a traditional Spanish dinner. It was the perfect opportunity to get to know one another, reconnect with colleagues from our partner schools, and start the week in a welcoming and relaxed atmosphere.
On Tuesday, we were warmly welcomed by the school board Team and then by the Mayor’s team at the Town Hall of El Escorial. After the official reception, we enjoyed a guided tour of the picturesque town before visiting the world-famous Monastery of San Lorenzo de El Escorial, a UNESCO World Heritage Site and one of Spain’s most impressive historical monuments.
Wednesday was dedicated to discovering Spain’s vibrant capital. Together, we explored Madrid, visiting some of its most iconic landmarks while learning more about the country’s history, culture, and way of life.
The focus shifted to education on Thursday. During an Erasmus conference, we worked together on the planning of our next joint project and exchanged ideas with colleagues from our partner schools. Afterwards, each teacher had the opportunity to observe lessons in their own subject area, gaining valuable insights into teaching methods and classroom practice in Spain. Informal discussions in the staff room further enriched the experience, allowing us to compare educational systems, share best practices, and build lasting professional connections.
A central insight we gained was that school management in Spain requires a great deal of flexibility, as teachers often have to change schools at very short notice, resulting in a constantly changing teaching staff. However, thanks to dedicated team meetings across various committees, our Spanish colleagues work together very effectively and creatively. We were able to experience this impressively both at the school and during the evening programme.
The job shadowing week was an inspiring experience that strengthened our European partnership, broadened our educational perspectives, and provided many new ideas that we look forward to bringing back to our own classrooms.