eTwinning Visibility Newsletter no. 4 eTwinning Visibility Newsletter no. 4 | Page 48

Visibility of eTwinning Projects Group July 2014 Newsletter -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------History classes. Life and Opinions of an eTwinning Ambassador by Alessandra Pallavicini I think that being an eTwinning Ambassador means lots of different things. First of all, you are a volunteer, at least in Italy. Volunteers are usually deeply motivated, above all when they have to work hard. When you volunteer, it means you deeply believe in what you do and that is what makes you do it at your best. Our eTwinning journey was also recorded step by step in a paper with which I entered a Serbian national teachers’ competition called “Creative School 2014” because I wanted to share my experience and great impressions about it, and hopefully inspire other teachers to take part in the following school year as the official papers were signed last month, stating that Serbian schools will be able to participate in eTwinning from September 2014. Although our participation was “unofficial”, I must say I feel proud for being the eTwinning pioneer, and I cannot describe in words the enthusiasm and motivation with which my students learned in the classes where we blended History, English language and ICT. One thing is certain, both my students and I will remember this experience for life. Secondly, you have to spread the joy of eTwinning. One of the tasks is right that: to make eTwinning known because it is worth it and because of the opportunities it offers. You really want to share yor enthusiasm and belief with colleagues. Thirdly, you become part of a big community whose members you can meet from time to time in conferences and meetings that are organized by the different agencies. I became an eTwinning Ambassador in 2009. Since then I have tried to make more and more colleagues aware of the biggest community of teachers in Europe. In these years I have understood that the only thing you can effectively do is giving your example while working with people around you, in your school. And so, at last, this year in my school a new eTwinning project has been created and for the first time NOT by me but by a colleague! ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Being an eTwinning Ambassador also means travelling. Not so much, but enough to have the chance of meeting your colleagues from other parts of the country or of Europe. 48