Re-Establishing Borders:  European and International Orientation

Europe and Me?  Or Europe and the Ministers?  Is the Euro really for all of us? 

The answers to the above questions currently fill our newspapers and line our bookshelves.  Europe might then appear to be further away from us than the media would have us believe.  Yet we are unconsciously being confronted with Europe every day.  With thanks to the European Union, we can freely consume in many countries with the Euro, many products have become cheaper in our supermarkets, and we can book our weekend trips within Europe for a cheaper price via the internet.  Europe is closer than we think.  And this makes it imperative to start to learn more about this Europe in which we live.  The school subject EIO is making this possible.

A quickly changing society, plus the fluid borders of the European Union, will be presenting more challenges and demands on our pupils as they finish their school career and get ready to go into this new world.  These global challenges will include their ability to maneuver through fast internet connections, increasing international contacts, and their flexibility within the global work force.

Acquisition of this information, and the completion of a high school diploma does not appear to sufficiently prepare our young people for the future.  Besides the useful skills they are required to master: modern foreign languages, computer and other practical skills, they are now being expected to become independent citizens who can find their way in Europe and in the world beyond.  Our school will focus on this goal in our EIO classes.

It is essential that our pupils at the Meergronden learn how to interpret all of the information that is streaming past them: within the exchange programs, visits to other countries, the Bilingual program, but also internet and television magazines, and all of the media information they are confronted with daily.  The subject EIO is a separate class for the first and second year pupils in the Havo/vwo unit, and includes objective and subjective facts about international business, politics, administration, culture and international policy. 

EIO addresses the following course goals:

 A.     European Awareness

There is an increasing importance being placed on our European identity.  Internationalization emphasizes the idea that we are Dutch and European.

 B.     Cultural Awareness

Internationalization makes it possible to acquire knowledge from other cultures.  Accepting their cultural contributions helps us to understand, appreciate and respect them better and in turn our own culture.

 C.     Promotion of Communicative Skills

Internationalization allows the pupils the possibility to use their foreign language skills in an active and functional way.

 D.      Use of Informative and Communicative Technology

Internationalization activities stimulate the desire to keep up to date with modern communicative technologies: including internet.

 E.      Promotion of Social Skills

Pupils have the chance to learn from the international experience of an exchange program.  Internationalization helps to prepare the pupils to socially conform to and work within this new environment. 

 F.      Promotion of Study Skills

Pupils are currently challenged to expand their learning skills.  Not only are they asked to acquire and reproduce information, but they are also asked to learn in new and different ways.  Internationalization integrates many different learning styles within their different subjects.

 G.     Developments in Subject Matter EIO

Internationalization is gaining more importance in all subject areas.  It is broadening the possibility to deepen the international character across the curriculum.

 H.     Future Skills

Internationalization prepares pupils for a globally focused job market.