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Organising a School-based »Pierre de Coubertin Award«

One Approach of Meeting the IOC’s Demand of Teaching Olympic Values in Schools
Ines Nikolaus

International Pierre de Coubertin Committee (CIPC), Board Member, Responsible for the World Network of Coubertin Schools, Lausanne, Switzerland/Erfurt, Germany

English, French and Russian teacher at the Pierre-de-Coubertin-Gymnasium Erfurt (Germany), a High School specialised in sports 

 

 Erfurt/Lausanne 2016 
The School complex of the Pierre de Coubertin Sports School Erfurt
Photo: O. Kleinecke, Pierre-de-Coubertin-Gymnasium Erfurt
ABSTRACT

 

The following case study discusses a number of activities necessary for the organisation of a school-based Pierre de Coubertin Award. Based on Pierre de Coubertin’s concept of a harmonious education of the whole human body, the author illustrates how to include all learning areas of an Olympic education and how the excitement for the Olympic Games can be shared within the entire school community during the event. By means of eight bilingual modules, besides the teaching of Olympic and Paralympic Values, high standards in teaching English as a foreign language and the development of various skills and competencies are the aim of this approach. The examples given are based on a multi-year study on the CIPC’s long-term project of an International Network of Coubertin Schools as well as on the author’s own teaching experiences at a Coubertin Sports School for more than 25 years.

Keywords: Olympism, Olympic education, Olympic values, joy of effort, striving for excellence, mutual respect, respect for self and others, balance between body, mind and will

 

1
INTRODUCTION 

The IOC officially declared the year 2013 as Pierre de Coubertin Year, honouring Pierre de Coubertin’s works as founder of the modern Olympic Movement, as a pedagogue, who was convinced of the importance of sport in the development of youth, and as an enthusiastic promoter of the Olympic values. It was Pierre de Coubertin (1863-1937), whose 150th anniversary of birth we celebrated in 2013, and who demanded in 1934: “Olympisme à l’école. Il faut l’encourager !” (“Olympism at school; it must be encouraged!”)[1]. 

Thus one of the most important objectives of the Olympic Charter reads as follows: 

“The goal of the Olympic Movement is to contribute to building a peaceful and a better world by educating youth through sport practised in accordance with Olympism and its values”.[2] 

But how are the Olympic idea and the Olympic values, set up by Coubertin more than a century ago, implemented into every day school life? 

One answer to meet this challenge may be the organisation of a school-based Pierre de Coubertin Award, presented and discussed in the following case study. 

2
THEORETICAL BACKGROUND: OLYMPISM AND OLYMPIC EDUCATION 

The terms “Olympism” and “Olympic education” are defined on the basis of the educational works of Pierre de Coubertin (1863–1937), and the value definitions derived from these.[3] It would lead too far to give a complete chronological presentation of the pioneering models of Olympic education here. The views of the main representatives, apart from a few minor deviations, coincide in the central ideas (LENK 1964[4], ANDRECS 1973[5], GRUPE 1988[6], MÜLLER 1991[7], GEßMANN 1992[8], SCHANTZ 1996[9], BINDER 2000[10], NAUL 2002[11]). 

The theoretical basis in the present contribution as well as in the author’s multi-year studies on Olympic education forms a more elaborated definiton by GRUPE/MÜLLER (1988 and completed by point 7 in 2003[7]), based on the following seven individual values of Olympic education: 

1. “self-awareness through sport; 

2. holistic, harmonious education; 

3. the idea of human perfection through sports performance; 

4. conscious commitment to and respect for ethical principles in the practice of sport/respect for and tolerance of others, e.g. in the ideal of fair play; 

5. social encounters and understanding in sport; 

6. the concept of peace and international understanding; 

7. promotion of emancipatory developments in and through sport (e.g. involvement of athletes, emancipation of women, protection of nature, etc.)”.[12] 

If we translate the teaching of Olympic values into didactical terms, NAUL’S didactic matrix for integrated Olympic education (2007) may be helpful in clarifying the different areas of learning, disposals, actions and orientations. 

It has been expanded by the author of the present study to include a fifth area of learning – artistic creativity – to cover the entire spectrum of Olympic education within the Network of Coubertin Schools.[13] 

The expanded didactic matrix for integrated Olympic education (NIKOLAUS 2013, 366, based on NAUL 2007, 108 and NAUL 2008, 126)

These five spheres of learning for an Olympic education, which run alongside one another in the didactic matrix, are therefore of equal significance. They are dependent from one another and they each work collectively in completing the other.[14] 

Therefore, Olympic Education is to be understood as a complex process, which can only be successful in its interplay of reciprocally conditional and through these mutually complementary five learning areas. The intended education of values for the promotion of personality development or even the impartment of a Philosophy of Life can therefore not be the sole duty of the school or club sport. Instead, it must be epitomized through a collective pedagogical concern. This can only be realised by close and continuous cooperation between Olympic educators within the athletic, scientific, and artistic areas.[15]

3
ORGANISING A SCHOOL-BASED “PIERRE DE COUBERTIN AWARD” AT COUBERTIN SPORTS SCHOOL ERFURT (GERMANY) 

3.1 The Idea 

Coubertin Sports School Erfurt is one of the six founding schools of the International Network of Coubertin Schools, whose history goes back to 1996. On occasion of their Congress “Coubertin and Olympism – Questions for the Future”, in Le Havre (France) 1997, the International Pierre de Coubertin Committee (CIPC) organised an International Youth Forum of Coubertin Schools for the first time. 

This Youth Forum, similar to the ‘youth-camps’ during the Olympic Games, was held not far from Mirville Castle, the family seat of the Coubertin family. It united 120 students coming from four countries, who competed in ‘Coubertin’s spirit’ for the ‘Carnet Coubertin’, a special prize created by the CIPC that consisted of a pin and a certificate. 

The Congress described, in their final declaration, the successful running of the first Youth Forum of this kind as a “unique experience”. Due to such success and in order to continue promoting the ‘Carnet Coubertin’ worldwide, an international meeting of Coubertin Schools has been organised every two years by the CIPC, with the support of the IOC and the corresponding NOCs. 

Subsequently, a functional Network of Coubertin Schools has developed. This instituiton attaches great importance to Coubertin’s values of educating in a holistic, harmonious setting in various school subjects as well as gaining an Olympic education. 

In August 2015 the 10th International Pierre de Coubertin Youth Forum was celebrated in Piešt’any (Slovakia). Currently 30 schools from five continents are working closely together in the CIPC’s Network of Coubertin Schools, which is continually growing. 

During the Youth Forums the core of the Olympic education programmes are the competitions for the Coubertin Award. These competitions require long and thorough preparation from all participants. 

At the 2nd Youth Forum, the prize was changed to the Coubertin medal. 

The overall Coubertin Award covers five different disciplines representing the five Olympic rings.[16] These five Olympic rings also pay tribute to Coubertin’s concept of a harmonious development of the entire human being, an education of the body, mind and will[17]: 

1. Social Performance 

2. Olympic Knowledge Test 

3. Sporting Performance 

4. Cultural Performance 

5. Discussion on Olympic Values. 

If the participant satisfactorily fulfils all the above categories of the Coubertin Award, he or she will be awarded the Coubertin medal in addition to a certificate, at the closing ceremony of the Youth Forum.[18] 

Since there is always a great demand to take part in a Youth Forum internationally, only seven students from each school may take part. 

In order to select talented students, capable of succesfully completing all the five categories of the Pierre de Coubertin Award during the Youth Forum in a fair competition, the idea was born to organise a school-based Pierre de Coubertin Award at the Coubertin Sports School Erfurt. This also offered the possibility to share this unique experience with a broader number of students at our school and to include this experienced CIPC model for an Olympic education to celebrate an outstanding Olympic event within our school community. 

Currently about 450 pupils aged 10-19 study at the Pierre de Coubertin Sports School Erfurt. This is one of three sports schools in the federal state of Thuringia in central Germany. All students practise one of the 11 Olympic sports, offered at our high school as performance sport. PE lessons and training are well integrated into the timetable in order to provide the best conditions to combine academic learning and performance sport for the children and youths.[19] 

Elder students take part in competitions on the national and even international level. During its 60 years of existence the school has produced 21 Olympic gold medallists and dozens of Olympic medal winners. 

This means that sport plays an important role at our school and takes up most of the students’ time. 

Where should Olympic values be taught if not to young athletes at a high school specialised in sports? 

3.2 The Purpose 

In 1993 our school was named after the founder of the modern Olympic Games, Pierre de Coubertin. Since then about 30 projects on Olympic education have been organised. All of them included different subjects. One of the largest ones was the creation of the pupils’ exhibition “Pierre de Coubertin – Life and Work of a Humanist”, which is now available in 17 languages and shown on all continents.[20] 

Furthermore, within the three-year Comenius School Development Project “Coubertin Academy”, a group of teachers and students from four Coubertin Schools created a handbook in order to better implement the Olympic idea in the classroom.[21] 

A more recent project is the creation of an enormous Coubertin Puzzle (2mx3m) which was started on occasion of Pierre de Coubertin’s 150th anniversary of birth in 2013. This project not only intends to blend sports with culture and education, but also to honour outstanding role models among our young athletes (like in a Walk of Fame). It is being continued over the next years and thus it shall become a sustainable project. 

Whereas the above-listed projects focused only on a small group of students or on one school year, the introduction of a school-based Pierre de Coubertin Award should become an event for the entire school community. 

On occasion of the London 2012 Olympic Games, the first Coubertin Award was organised at our school. Since then, two more followed: in 2014 on occasion of the Olympic Winter Games in Sochi and in 2016, to build up excitement during the time leading up to the Rio Games. 

 

3.3 Pedagogical Aims 

Bearing the name of a famous pedagogue, a man of sport and a humanist, is not only considered as a mere label but also as an obligation and even an honour for our school. 

The organisation of a biannual school-based Pierre de Coubertin Award therefore aims to: 

  • Enhance young athletes’ learning across the curriculum through sport, culture and education. 
  • Support the students in gaining knowledge about Pierre de Coubertin, his life and works. 
  • Motivate the students to acquire knowledge about the Ancient and Modern Olympic Games, their history, sports, symbols, rituals and ceremonies. 
  • Support the promotion of Olympic and Paralympic values. 
  • Enhance the improvement in foreign languages by offering bilingual modules. 
  • Develop competencies according to the Thuringian curriculum: competence in subject matters, competence in methods, social competences (team spirit) and self-confidence. 
  • Build excitement for the Olympic Games and support former students and Thuringian athletes who participate in the Olympics. 
  • Prepare the students for possible participation in the next Youth Forum of Coubertin Schools and select the best talents in a fair competition. 
  • Provide an opportunity for committed young people to be rewarded and recognized for their hard work. 
3.4 Participants and Duration 

The target group of the school-based Pierre de Coubertin Award at the Coubertin Sports School Erfurt are students of year 9 (ages 14-15) and year 10 (ages 15-16). This age group corresponds to that of the next Youth Forum, which most of the participants hope to take part in. The participants form 8 teams. 

Students of year 11 (ages 16-17) actively take part as volunteers to guarantee an exact preparation and a smooth running of all the competitions of the Award. They function as team leaders, referees, judges, reporters or technical staff. 

In order to share the excitement of the Olympic Games, for the younger students of years 5-8 (ages 10-14), an Olympic Day is organised (see Appendix). 

Furthermore, all students of the school community (including the graduating class 12) take part in the Opening and Closing Ceremonies. 

The Coubertin Award is organised over a period of two project days. Thus it becomes a rather compact learning unit. Since all students are athletes on a competitive level, it is not possible to interfere into the training units too much, especially during competition season. That means that the students have to complete their daily training after the workshops of the Award.[22] 

During this huge event nearly all teachers of the school and also a number of coaches are involved in different workshops. 

3.5 Realisation 

a) The Preparations 

As mentioned above, the Coubertin Award constitutes a very compact learning unit with manifold activities. In order to guarantee a consolidation of the necessary facts and figures on Coubertin and the Olympic Movement for the knowledge test, we decided to work on two texts (“Pierre de Coubertin – The Man” and “Pierre de Coubertin and the Olympism”) 23 prior to the Award during the regular English lessons. 

The workshops and competitions of the Award are prepared by a team of workshop leaders (teachers) well before the event. Within three meetings, the preparations are coordinated, and places, times and necessary materials agreed on. 

In addition, three meetings are held to inform the participants: one for the ahtletes of year 9, another for year 10 and a third one for the volunteers (see Appendix, page 22). 

In the following, the 2nd school-based Pierre de Coubertin Award at Coubertin Sports School Erfurt on 12th/13th February 2014 on occasion of the Sochi Winter Olympic Games will be described. Further examples of the remaining two Awards can be found in the Appendix. 

 

b) The Opening Ceremony 

Teachers and students tried to create an Olympic atmosphere from the very beginning. This is what the students like and what many of them dream of experiencing as athletes themselves one day. So we wanted to include as many elements of the Ceremony held at the beginning of each Olympic Games. 

The entire school community gathered together in the gym. In addition, parents’ representatives, coaches, guests from the Thuringian Ministry of Education, the Regional Sports Association and the President of the International Pierre de Coubertin Committee had been invited. 

The Opening Ceremony

Photo: Press Centre Coubertin School Erfurt

The following order of events was chosen: 

  • Olympic Song 
  • Welcome by two speakers from the Student Council
    Parade of the student representatives of each of the 11 Olympic sports holding a sign with the respective pictogram
    Short introduction of each sport and their most successful athletes at our school
  • Presentation of the Olympic Rings by athletes of year 8 and 9 (Music: “The Final Coutdown”) 
  • Music: “Road to Success”[24] produced and presented by our school band 
  • Opening speech by the Head of School to declare the Olympic Day and the competitions for the Coubertin Award as “open”
  • Music: Parade of the four most successful athletes of the school[25] carrying the Olympic flag[26] 
  • Raising of the Olympic flag while playing the Olympic anthem 
  • Message by the CIPC President, Prof. Dr. Norbert Müller 
  • Oath taken by of the participants of the Olympic Day and the Coubertin Award 
  • Bringing in the Olympic torch to light the Olympic flame[27] 
  • Music. 

Although the ceremony only took 20 minutes in total, the students and guests enjoyed it very much and considered it a dignified and successful opening of the competitions and activities. 

Since the gym was used for the sports competitions, the Olympic flag and the Olympic Flame were then moved to the entrance hall. 

In 2012 during our first Pierre de Coubertin Award and Olympic Day on occasion of the London 2012 Games a Torch Relay Race by all athletes of our school was organised instead of the presentation of the Olympic rings.[28] 

The Olympic fire in the entrance hall

Photo: Press Centre Coubertin School Erfurt

c) Workshops and Competitions 

Whereas the activities of the Olympic Day for the younger classes were mainly based on the fascination for the Olympic Games, having fun while being physically active or artistically creative, for the participants of the Coubertin Award, a more serious learning programme was developed in order to extend the students’ knowledge on Pierre de Coubertin and his works and on different aspects of the Olympic Movement. 

Here the competitive character of the disciplines played a much greater role as the intention was to find the best girls and boys of each year in order to nominate them for the next school team to participate in the 10th Youth Forum of Coubertin Schools in Piešt’any (Slovakia) in 2015. 

Similar to the Coubertin Award during the Pierre de Coubertin Youth Forums the following competitions were included: 

1. Social Performance 

Since the time for the Award was limited to only two project days, participants had to display some form of community service before the Award began. Caring for the elderly or handicapped citizens, working as a sports instructor or trainer for younger school children, active participation in the school’s project choir or school band and other forms of volunteer work were also acceptable. The social performances had to be confirmed by an official of the sports club, association or a teacher/project leader in the form of a signed document.[29] 

2. Olympic Knowledge Test 

All students had to complete a written test about the Olympic movement, including questions about the ancient and modern Olympic Games, host cities of the Summer and Winter Olympic Games as well as about the life and works of Coubertin on an individual basis. Furthermore, questions about the content of the bilingual modules on healthy nutrition and music (Olympic anthem from Los Angeles 1932) were asked.
In 2014 the test contained multiple choice questions and matching exercises from all bilingual modules offered. Only about five open questions were to be answered with a word group or a short sentence.
Out of a total of 29 questions for the students of year 9, only a few questions dealt with the ancient Olympic Games. Instead, eight questions were asked about a healthy nutrition. 

In contrast to year 9, the knowledge test for year 10 contained about one third of the 29 questions with a focus on the ancient Olympic Games.[30] 

3. Sporting Performance 

The sport tests were completely carried out in the spirit of Coubertin. Setting new records was not the ultimate goal, but rather to focus on striving towards one’s best personal achievement. Participants were encouraged to follow Coubertin’s ideas surrounding fairness and eurhythmy: 

“What counts in life is not the victory, but the struggle; the essential thing is not to conquer, but to fight well. To spread these precepts is to help create a more valiant, stronger humanity, one that is also more scrupulous and more generous.”[31] 

It was not just about winning[32], but rather about the willingness to take part in events, try one’s hardest, and put in the physical effort into delivering a fair fight that shows one’s true power. This also meant fulfilling and reaching the required standards. 

During the second school-based Pierre de Coubertin Award the sports competitions included the following disciplines: 

  • “Ice” Hockey (Slalom)
  • “Ice” Hockey (goal-shooting contest)
  • Curling 
  • Ski jumping and 
  • Short Track. 
“Ice” Hockey (goal-shooting contest)

Photo: Press Centre Coubertin School Erfurt

Due to the limited time of 120 minutes and rainy weather, all five sporting events were organised in the gym in a “dry” variation. Also none of the athletes had practised these events before. Thus all athletes coming from different sport disciplines were provided equal chances. 

 

4. Cultural Performance 

In 2014 all participants of the Award took part in a 60-minute music workshop, where they learned about Olympic anthems, their functions and traditions. As a cultural contribution for the Closing Ceremony, they rehearsed the Olympic anthem of Los Angeles 1932.[33] 

During the Music Workshop

5. Discussion on Olympic Values. 

Great emphasis was placed on the original ideals of the Olympic Movement established by Coubertin and the discussion of imminent dangers to those values nowadays (e.g. doping, increasing politicisation and commercialisation). 

Equally the Olympic values excellence, friendship, respect as well as the Paralympic values courage, equality, determination and inspiration were taught.[34] 

 

Except the sports competitions, all workshops were organised as bilingual modules to prepare the adolescents for the high standards during the youth forums and to enable them to communicate with young athletes from different countries. 

In this way, the new requirement of the Thuringian curriculum to organise at least 25 hours for each year 9 and 10 per year as bilingual modules, could also be met. Indeed, the topic “Olympic Games” provides manifold possibilities for inclusion into different subjects. Thus, during the Coubertin Award half of the required hours could be implemented as bilingual modules. 

A lecture on the life and works of Pierre de Coubertin
Photo: Press Centre Coubertin School Erfurt
Eager discussions on Olympic and Paralympic values

Photo: Press Centre Coubertin School Erfurt

Overview of the workshops and bilingual modules organised in 2014: 

Workshops for year 9: 

  • Lecture: “Pierre de Coubertin – Life and Work of a Humanist” (bilingual module 1; History/Sports theory/English) 
  • Film: “Pierre de Coubertin yesterday and today” (bilingual module 2; History/Sports Theory/English; 30 minutes + 15 minutes discussion)35 
  • Music workshop (bilingual module 3; Music/English) 
  • Sports competitions 
  • Discussions on Olympic/Paralympic values (bilingual module 4; Ethics/English) 
  • Workshop on healthy nutrition “Sport and food” (bilingual module 5; Biology/English), 
  • Guided self-study (bilingual modules 6 and 7, Sports theory/History/English) 
  • Knowledge Test (bilingual module 8; History/Biology/Ethics/English/Music; Multiple Choice)[36] 

 

Workshops for year 10: 

  • Lecture: “Pierre de Coubertin – Life and Work of a Humanist” (bilingual module 1; History/Sports theory/English) 
  • Film: “Pierre de Coubertin yesterday and today” (bilingual module 2; History/Sports theory/ English; 30 minutes + 15 minutes discussion) 
  • Music workshop (bilingual module 3; Music/English) 
  • Sports competitions 
  • Discussions on Olympic values (bilingual module 4; Ethics/English) 
  • Workshop on the ancient Olympic Games (bilingual module 5; History/English) 
  • Guided self-study (bilingual modules 6 and 7, Sports theory/History/English) 
  • Knowledge Test (bilingual module 8; Sports theory/History/Ethics/English/Music; Multiple Choice). 

 

Guided self-study in the computer studies room 

Since it is very difficult to learn such a great amount of facts and figures about Coubertin and the Olympic Movement by heart within only two days, we decided to offer the participants of the Coubertin Award some more opportunities to secure their Olympic knowledge and to apply what they had learnt in a number of extra activities during self-study time. 

This time was meant to be used for individual review in order to prepare for the knowledge test. 

The students were provided a few Olympic websites by the supervising teacher, who also gave technical support when necessary. 

In 2014 the students worked with our above-mentioned pupils’ exhibition “Pierre de Coubertin – Life and Work of a Humanist” on an online quiz. After having realised that 60 minutes was too much time for this exercise, in 2016 we included an additional worksheet on Olympic mascots (see Appendix, pages 25-26 and 32). 

 

Guided self-study in the class room 

With the same purpose self-study time was offered during a second module in the classroom. Here the participants had to create a timeline on the life and work of Coubertin and to complete a worksheet on Olympic host cities (see Appendix, page 31). 

These materials were offered for reference: 

  • several poster sets, including the 14 posters of the English and German version of our students’ exhibition in A3-format 
  • a short biography on Coubertin in German 
  • a handout on Coubertin and his works by the CIPC 
  • IOC brochures on symbols of the Olympic movement 
  • English-German and German-English dictionaries. 

In both self-study courses the students had the chance to check their solutions at the end by themselves. 

During this module we also focused on pupil-centred learning. Although the supervising teacher only had monitoring tasks, he/she was always present if questions arose. 

d) The Timetable 

Wednesday, February 12th, 2014 

7.30-8.05 Opening Ceremony for the Olympic Day and the Pierre de Coubertin Award (see Olympic Day 2014 in the Appendix, page 35) 

8.15 -9.00 Start of the competitions for the PdC Award 

– Lecture: „Pierre de Coubertin – Life and Work of a Humanist“ 

9.25-10.10 Film: „Pierre de Coubertin yesterday and today“ (30 min + 15 min discussion) in English language[37] 

10.15-12.15 = 1st round of competitions 

Thursday, February 13th, 2014 

7.30-9.30 = 3rd round of competitions 

Change of the guided self-study groups after 60 min 

12.05-12.35 Knowledge Test 

12.45-13.00 The Closing Ceremony with the presentation of the Olympic anthem 

 

e) The Closing Ceremony 

Similar to the Opening Ceremony, we wanted to include typical elements of a Closing Ceremony held at the Olympic Games. 

Again, the entire school community and all guests present gathered together in the gym. 

The following order of events was chosen: 

  • Music: The European Anthem (Beethoven’s “Ode to Joy”) 
  • Speech by the Head of School → pronounced the competitions of the school internal Pierre de Coubertin Award as closed 
  • Extinguishing of the Olympic flame 
  • Music: Presentation of the Olympic anthem (Los Angeles 1932) rehearsed during the bilingual Music-module by all participants of the Award, accompanied by a music teacher on the piano. 

With great applause for the participants, the 2nd school-based Pierre de Coubertin Award came to a moving end. 

 

f) The Award Ceremony 

Since the 2nd Coubertin Award finished two days before the winter holidays for schools in Thuringia, the Award Ceremony was included into the final meeting of the school community in the entrance hall on Friday February 15th, 2016. 

Within the framework of recognising the most successful athletes of our school during the first term, the best participants in the Award of years 9 and 10 were also honoured. The best three of each year were offered a certificate38 and a pin. Thus, they were also nominated for the school’s team for the next Youth Forum in Piešt’any 2015. 

 

g) Documentation and public relations work 

In order to share this Olympic event with the entire school community, documentation and public relations work played an important role from the very beginning. 

Each step of the preparations was documented on two large notice boards in the school’s entrance hall. Participants, younger and older students, teachers, educators of the boarding house, parents and guests often turned to these displays for information. 

During the Pierre de Coubertin Award and the Olympic Day, the reporter team (volunteers of year 11) enthusiastically tried to grasp the atmosphere, emotions and happenings from all workshops in and around the school. Aside from taking hundreds of photos, they interviewed participants, workshop leaders and guests. 

Three young women wrote an inspirational report, which was displayed on the notice boards and published in the local newspaper and on the school’s website a day later. It was sent to the German Pierre de Coubertin Committee and the German Olympic Academy “Willi Daume”. Upon translating the pieces into English, they sent the report to the International Pierre de Coubertin Committee and the IOC as well. 

With enthusiasm, two young men of the reporter team made a brilliant short documentary on the highlights of these two days, illustrating all competitions of the Pierre de Coubertin Award. This film received a lot of applause during several presentations in the school community, in front of the teachers’ assembly or on occasion of the school’s “Day of Open Doors”. 

It was also well-received by an international audience, for instance during the General Assembly of the CIPC, international workshops for teachers-in-service trainings or by participants from 90 countries of the 54th Session for Young Participants at the International Olympic Academy in Ancient Olympia, where it was presented by the author. 

The two young film-makers were awarded a special prize for their outstanding work by the CIPC in 2014. This film now also serves as promotion material for the school-based Pierre de Coubertin Award on behalf of the CIPC within the International Network of Coubertin Schools and beyond. 

3.6 Outcome 

After having organised three of these two-day projects of the school-based Pierre de Coubertin Award, the organisers consider them a real highlight for the entire school community. Meanwhile, this event has developed into a wonderful tradition as part of our Olympic education work at the Pierre de Coubertin Sports School Erfurt. 

Held every Olympic year, young athletes’ learning right across the curriculum through sport, culture and education could be visibly enhanced. Steadily being optimised from year to year, the teachers were able to offer a wide range of activities spread over all of the five spheres of learning for an Olympic education: sporting efforts, social conduct, moral behaviour, Olympic knowledge and musical and artistic creativity. 

 

Sporting efforts 

As previously mentioned, all of our students practice one Olympic sport on the competitive level. Therefore, compared to other schools, extra motivation for them to get physically active was not necessary, since sports already play an important − if not the most important role − in the young athletes’ lives and takes up the most time in their daily routine. The sports competitions were completed with great joy and fun by the youths. At the same time, the competitive character, i.e. the sporting efforts, did not get lost since most of the students strived for a nomination for the school’s Piešt’any team or at least wanted to measure up to peers and be among the best of their year/class. Since a number of sports were offered that none of the competitors had practised before, especially the Paralympic sports, they considered it even more of a challenge and strived for excellent performances. 

 

Olympic knowledge 

The organisation of the event into eight bilingual modules, including six subjects (sports theory, history, biology, music or arts, ethics and English language), supported the process of imparting knowledge about Pierre de Coubertin, his life and works as well as about the history, sports, symbols, rituals and ceremonies of the ancient and modern Olympic Games. Furthermore, it offered multiple opportunities for discussion on Olympic and Paralympic values as well as the dangers and hopes for the Olympic movement in the future. 

At the same time these bilingual modules proved to be a reliable method to improve the students’ foreign language skills, especially in English[39]. For instance, the workshop leaders were pleasantly surprised about how much the participants, especially the 9th formers, were able to express in the foreign language and about their willingness to communicate in English without any inhibitions. 

In the end, this was reflected in the results of the knowledge test and also during the oral English exams at the end of the year 10. 

In this way, it can be concluded that this compact learning unit over the course of two days and with a specific focus on one topic unquestionably paid off. 

Furthermore, the consequent use of the English language was perfect preparation for those students nominated for the school’s team at the coming Youth Forum in Piest’any, where a lingua franca is indispensable for communicating in an international community. But also for our best athletes already competing at the international level. 

Last but not least, competence-oriented, pupil-centered teaching was aimed at. The offered activities provided numerous possibilities for the development of various skills, above all competence in subjects matters and in methods, creativity, team spirit and self-confident conduct. 

In order to reach this goal, the following, quite familiar forms of learning for our students, were practised: 

  • oral presentation (in front of the team or the entire school community) 
  • discussions 
  • dilemmas 
  • listening exercises and videoclips 
  • work in pairs/small groups (Think-Pair-Share) 
  • Internet research 
  • independent study with dictionaires and reference books 
  • work with mindmaps, clusters, quizzes etc. 

 

Social conduct and moral behaviour 

Social conduct and moral behaviour are both difficult to measure and cannot be analysed separately from the other learning areas of Olympic education. 

The workshops offered in the framework of the Coubertin Award, provided various occasions for co-operative learning, playing fair and acting in solidarity in a different learning environment. Rules as well as Olympic and Paralympic values had to be respected during all competitions. 

Although no empirical investigastion was led, a couple of observations by the Olympic educators could be made: 

Regarding the teaching of RESPECT, the following aspects were considered important: 

 

Respect for self: 

  • In order to promote healthy nutrition as well as to inform about and prevent eating disorders, for the first time the bilingual module on “Sports and food” was integrated into the educational programme. During this workshop the young athletes were given the opportunity to decide on the best dietairy plan according to their individual sport and training programme. 
  • In addition, the topic respect for the own body during the discussions included aspects such as a good balance between training and active and passive relaxation, ways to avoid sports injuries as well as the risks of doping. 
  • In hindsight the students showed great interest in these topics and started lively discussions. The students’ feedback on this part of the Award shows, that they wished to have more time for a deeper treatment of the topics.[40] 

 

Respect for others 

  • To develop the participants’ social competencies, eight mixed teams ‒ named after Olympic mascots ‒ were created, in which students from different forms, practising different special sports, competed together. In this way, respect for athletes training different summer and winter sports was experienced, practised and lived. 
  • Observations showed that the team spirit within the form and the respect of class-mates training different kinds of sports could be strengthened. 
  • We do not have many ethnic groups at our school. Pupils representing minorities only make up a small percentage. Nevertheless, we are determined to teach RESPECT FOR OTHERS. Being one of the founding member schools of the International Network of Coubertin Schools, a multicultural and global education does play an important role at our institution.[41] 
  • In addition, another important objective was to sensitise children and youths to respect handicapped people by trying different Paralympic sports.[42] Participants repeatedly considered these competitions as highly valuable. 

Finally, the Social Performance parametre, an obligatory part of the Coubertin Award, offered a multitude of learning opportunities with regard to respect for younger, elderly or handicapped people, people of different cultures or religions within the local community and/or to obtain an awareness of respecting nature and its place in the urban environment. 

The Social Performance parametre produced similar results to those found in the preparation for the Youth Forums of Coubertin Schools: Young people are willing to support those in need of help: younger pupils in the boarding house or the community as well as elderly and handicapped people. Following the good example of the volunteers at the Olympic Games, they also contributed significantly to support the organisation of sports or cultural events in their sports club or community. 

 

Musical and artistic creativity 

The bilingual module in Music was considered an exciting and joyful experience by the participants. While acting as a good balance to the other workshops, it also presented itself as a great challenge. Never before had the 9th and 10th formers participated in a presentation of an Olympic anthem or given such a presentation together in such a large crowd of more than 140 students and in front of the entire school community! 

The participants performed extremely well! Although a few of the singers tried to hide in the crowd with only soft voices, the music teachers as well as the spectators considered the event as a highly successful presentation overall. 

 

All of the competitions, bilingual modules and activities of the school-based Pierre de Coubertin Award contributed to building up excitement for the Olympic Winter Games in Sochi and to supporting the athletes who would have the chance to start there, especially our former students. 

The three most committed participants were nominated for the school’s team to take part in the 10th International Pierre de Coubertin Youth Forum in Piešt’any (Slovakia) in summer 2015 and thus recognised by the whole school community for their hard work.[43] 

The success of this Olympic event was also reflected in the overall positive feedback by the participants: 

  • “I mostly enjoyed the Opening and Closing Ceremonies. When the Olympic flag was raised, I had goose bumples.” 
  • “The Olympic rings created by our students were fantastic!” 
  • “It was great that we worked in mixed teams and not only together with our class-mates.” 
  • “I liked the module on ‘Sport and Food’ where I learned a lot about healthy nutrition.” 
  • “We’ ve learned so much during the two days and I enjoyed that most of the activities were held in English.” 
  • “Well, I think more students should take part in the Award, not only the 9th and 10th forms!” 
  • “It was a nice change to regular lessons! I think at a Sports School it’s very important to talk about Olympic values.“ 
  • “What I liked most was the partner and team work and that we participated in many bilingual modules.” 
  • “I liked the timetable and that there was enough time for independent work. The sports competitions were fun!” 
  • “It was something different, something new compared to our stressful daily routine.” 
  • “I enjoyed the sports competitions, but it was a pity that I missed training.”[44] 

Also many volunteers considered the Award to be a valuable event they had enjoyed and where they had learnt a lot, too. Especially the reporter team (film-makers and journalists), having seen all the workshops, enjoyed their work very much, were pleased to be able to interview the guests and share the atmosphere with the participants and, via their film and reports, also with an national and international public. These five 11-formers were honoured as best volunteers during the Award Ceremony for their enthusiastic engagement. 

Finally, the Coubertin Award was an excellent opportunity for all involved Olympic educators, teachers, educators from the boarding house and coaches, to practise and strengthen the team spirit within the staff. Only the close and continuous cooperation between Olympic educators of all areas of learning (athletic, scientific and artistic) made the smooth running of the competitions and the outcome aimed at possible. 

In his closing speech, the head of school summarised the two days as follows: “I was full of enthusiasm about the peaceful, disciplined, and determined commitment of the young sportsmen of our school”.[45] 

Also the President of the International Pierre de Coubertin Committee, Prof. Dr. Norbert Müller, “was very impressed by the organisation of the contest and the high level on which the young sportsmen worked. He pointed out that the topic was covered in many different ways and thinks that the ideas by Coubertin were realised very well”.[46] 

“While the sportsmen were achieving peak performances in Sochi, our school proved that the ideas by Pierre de Coubertin are still up-to-date”.[47] 

3.7 Lessons Learnt 

The organisation of such an event for more than 200 students on a high academic level demands a lot of preparations, all done by the colleagues in extra lessons, i.e. volunteer work. Meanwhile, the workshop leaders of the bilingual modules, which are a compulsory part of the Thuringian curriculum, form a sort of organising committee in preparation for our school-based Pierre de Coubertin Award. 

Since parallel workshops for the 9th and 10th courses are needed, about 25 colleagues directly function as workshop leaders. Additionally, another 25 colleagues are responsible for supervison, organisational tasks or workshops for younger students during the Olympic Day in the School organised at the same time. 

Therefore, an early start of the planning process and the precise coordination of all actvities are indispensable to the realisation of the event. 

Last but not least, only the close cooperation between all Olympic educators, who distribute the weight of the work equally, and with the school administration, can contribute to the success of the planned event. 

Being a Sports School involves an extra challenge since the period of the Olympic Games always conflicts with the competition season, either for the athletes training for summer or winter sports. For some, e.g. the swimmers, it is always “high season”. Thus, admittedly, compromises had to be made. This means that some of the athletes could only complete part of the Award or were not able to participate at all because they were at a competition or an important training camp. 

For these reasons, some of the Award winners were not able to take part in the Youth Forums they had been nominated for. 

In the future, we, the Olympic educators, would like to improve on the number of students who complete a social performance. Having up to 15 training units a week and competitions/matches far away at the weekend, some of the most active young athletes did not find time to fulfil the tasks in this category. 

So we, the Olympic educators, have not only to inform all the participants even earlier and remind them regularly of this task but also to offer occasions where little contributions can be made also by our top athletes.[48] 

On a positive note that we would like to share, close cooperation with partners paid off. Among them are the German and International Pierre de Coubertin Committees, our Regional Sports Association, the German Olympic Academy “Willi Daume” and, last but not least, our club “Friends of the School”.[49] 

Like in the Olympic Games, a perfect organisation and a smooth running of the event would not be possible without enthusiastic volunteers, including the colleagues spending a lot of their free time on this event, who deem success as a concern of the heart. 

4
CONCLUSION 

Undoubtedly, school events focused on Olympic education, like the school-based Pierre de Coubertin Award presented, may make a considerable contribution to the education of the younger generation and the development of the personality. They can function as a “door opener” for intercultural and global learning and help to improve an understanding for other cultures.[50] 

For the effective implementation of different Olympic educational models, the author, based on her own 29 years of experience as a teacher, offers ten basic recommendations for Olympic educators: 

1. Only use sound or authentic materials collected in careful research. 

2. Use an interdisciplinary approach to benefit from all five learning areas of Olympic education. 

3. Concentrate on the main contents of the history of the Olympic and Paralympic Games and phenomena of the Olympic Movement. Design compact materials (Less is sometimes more!). 

4. Use problem-oriented and pupil-centred exercises and activities. Youth must be actors in the action! 

5. Use the potentials of an event character to achieve a higher emotionality of the learning process (Olympic Day/Week, Meeting with Olympians/Paralympians of your country/region etc.). 

6. Organise Olympic educational activities as competitions: Olympic values have to be experienced, practised, “lived” by the youths themselves. 

7. No excessive desire for action, but well-planned and long-term implementation. 

8. A comprehensive, professional and regular training of “Olympic educators” (teachers, coaches, leaders of sports and youth clubs etc.) is indispensable. 

9. A continous evaluation of and empirical research on the effectiveness of Olympic educational projects supports a successful learning/teaching process. 

10. Guarantee the support of school authorities, school departments and the Ministry of education from the very beginning of your projects/events on Olympic education.[51] 

Hopefully, this case-study may offer some inspiration and motivation to you as an Olympic educator to organise similar events for students in different countries and culture areas. 

Feel free to adapt elements presented and enjoy Olympic education work with your students, children and youths![52] 

Appendix
– Certificate of Social performance
– Participant’s Certificate
– Excerpts from the Knowledge Test
– Other materials
– …

REFERENCES 

ANDRECS, H.:
“The Olympic Idea and its Realization in Schools”, in: IOA (Ed.): The International Olympic Academy. Thirteenth Session 1973. Ancient Olympia, 180-189. 

BINDER, D. (Ed.):
Be a Champion in Life!! A Book of Activities for Young People Based on the Joy of Participation and on the Important Messages on the Olympic Idea. An International Teacher’s Resource Book for Schools. Athens: FOSE 2000. 

BINDER, D. (Ed.):
Teaching Values. An Olympic Education Toolkit. A Programme of the International Olympic Committee. Lausanne 2007. 

CIPC (Ed.):
Forum Report. Lausanne 2005. 

COUBERTIN, P. de:
« Les “trustees” de l’idée olympique », in: MÜLLER, N. (Ed.): Pierre de Coubertin. Textes choisis. Tome II: Olympisme. Zürich, Hildesheim, New York 1986 [1908], 448-450. 

COUBERTIN, P. de:
“The Trustees of the Olympic Idea”, in: MÜLLER, N. (Ed.): Pierre de Coubertin. Olympism. Selected Writings. International Olympic Committee. Lausanne 2000 [1908], 587-589. 

COUBERTIN, P. DE:
« L’Olympisme à l’école. Il faut l’encourager! », in: MÜLLER, N. (Ed.): Pierre de Coubertin. Textes choisis. Tome II: Olympisme. Zürich, Hildesheim, New York 1986 [1934], 679-680. 

COUBERTIN, P. DE:
“Olympism at School: It must be encouraged”, in: MÜLLER, N. (Ed.): Pierre de Coubertin. Olympism. Selected Writings. International Olympic Committee. Lausanne 2000 [1934], 218-219. 

COUBERTIN-GYMNASIUM-ERFURT (Ed.):
Coubertin Academy. A Handbook for Education in Secondary Schools. Product of a Joint Socrates Comenius 1 Project on School Development. Piešt’any, Sopot, Ülenurme, Erfurt 2007. 

GALL, H.:
“Olympism and Global Learning”, in: Sportonomics 5 (No.2), 1999, 55-61. 

GEßMANN, R.:
“Fachdidaktische Ansätze zur olympischen Erziehung in der Schule – Versuch einer Bestandsaufnahme“, in: sportunterricht, 41(1992), 193-200. 

GRUPE, O.:
“Die Olympische Idee ist pädagogisch. Zum Problem einer olympischen Erziehung“, in: MÜLLER N./MESSING, M. (Ed.): Auf der Suche nach der Olympischen Idee. Facetten der Forschung von Athen bis Atlanta (Olympische Studien Bd. 2). Kassel 1996, 23-38. 

IOC (Ed.):
Olympic Charter. In force as from 2 August 2016, 15. 

LENK, H.:
Werte, Ziele Wirklichkeit der modernen Olympischen Spiele. Schorndorf 1964. 

MÜLLER, N.:
“Olympismus als Gegenstand schulischer Erziehung“, in: DEUTSCHE OLYMPISCHE GESELLSCHAFT (Ed.): Olympisches Feuer 1991, 49-53. 

MÜLLER, N. (Ed.):
Pierre de Coubertin. Textes choisis. Tome I-III. Zürich, Hildesheim, New York 1986. 

MÜLLER, N. (Ed.):
Pierre de Coubertin. Olympism. Selected Writings. International Olympic Committee. Lausanne 2000. 

MÜLLER, N.:
“Olympismus”, in: RÖTHIG, P./PROHL, R. et al. (Ed.): Sportwissenschaftliches Lexikon. Schorndorf 20037, 414-416. 

NAUL, R.:
“Olympische Erziehung – Ein integriertes Konzept für Schule und Verein“, in: DÜSSELDORF RHEIN-RUHR 2012 GMBH (Ed.): Olympische Dekade 2002-2012. Weißbuch Olympische Erziehung. Bewerbung für die Olympischen Sommerspiele 2012 in Düsseldorf Rhein-Ruhr. Düsseldorf 2002, B2-29. 

NAUL, R.:
“Olympische Erziehung”, in: ASCHEBROCK, H./PACK, R.-P. (Eds.): Edition Schulsport. Aachen 2007. 

NAUL, R.:
Olympic Education. Oxford 2008. 21 

NIKOLAUS, I.:
„Die Erarbeitung der Ausstellung ‚Pierre de Coubertin – Leben und Werk eines Humanisten‘ als Beispiel für ein fächerübergreifendes Projekt zur Olympischen Erziehung, in: WASSONG, S. (Ed.): Internationale Einflüsse auf die Wiedereinführung der Olympischen Spiele durch Pierre de Coubertin (Schriftenreihe des Deutschen Pierre de Coubertin-Komitees, Bd. 1). Kassel 2005, 203-217. 

NIKOLAUS, I.:
“Die Olympische Idee Pierre de Coubertins als erzieherische Herausforderung für die weltweite Olympische Bewegung. Eine historische Aufarbeitung, Analyse und Fortschreibung nationaler und internationaler olympischer Erziehungsprogramme für Schulen“, in: MÜLLER/ MESSING et al. (Eds.): Olympische Studien vol. 15, Kassel 2013. 

NIKOLAUS, I.:
The CIPC’s International Network of Coubertin Schools ‒ A Sustainable Model for an Olympic Education. Comité International Pierre de Coubertin. Lausanne 2015. 

NIKOLAUS, I.:
Pierre de Coubertin’s Olympic Idea as an Educational Challenge for the Worldwide Olympic Movement. A Historical Review and Systematic Analysis of Olympic Education Programmes for Schools by Host Cities of the Olympic Games and International Institutions. International Pierre de Coubertin Committee/Comité International Pierre de Coubertin (CIPC). Lausanne 2016 (publication in process). 

SCHANTZ, O.:
“Werte des Olympismus für die Sporterziehung?“, in: MÜLLER N./MESSING, M. (Ed.): Auf der Suche nach der Olympischen Idee. Facetten der Forschung von Athen bis Atlanta (Olympische Studien Bd. 2). Kassel 1996, 75-92. 

 

Internet 

http://www.coubertin.net (26.10.2016). 

http://www.sportgymnasium-erfurt.de (26.10.2016). 

 

Films 

DIETRICH, M. : Pierre de Coubertin, hier et aujourd’hui. Pierre de Coubertin: Yesterday and Today. Pierre de Coubertin gestern und heute. Co-production by SWR and Arte 2004. (CIPC Cultural Award in 2004, updated version on occasion of the 2nd Summer Youth Olympic Games 2014, Nanjing China). 

 


 

[1] Title of an article written by COUBERTIN in 1934 (COUBERTIN, P. DE: « L’Olympisme à l’école. Il faut l’encourager! », in: MÜLLER, N. (Ed.): Pierre de Coubertin. Textes choisis. Tome II: Olympisme. Zürich, Hildesheim, New York 1986 [1934], 679-680; English version in: MÜLLER, N. (Ed.): Pierre de Coubertin. Olympism. Selected Writings. International Olympic Committee. Lausanne 2000, 218-219. 

[2] IOC (Ed.): Olympic Charter. In force as from 2 August 2016, 15. 

[3] Cf. NIKOLAUS, I.: “Die Olympische Idee Pierre de Coubertins als erzieherische Herausforderung für die weltweite Olympische Bewegung. Eine historische Aufarbeitung, Analyse und Fortschreibung nationaler und internationaler olympischer Erziehungsprogramme für Schulen“, in: MÜLLER/MESSING et al. (Eds.): Olympische Studien vol. 15, Kassel 2013, Chapter 2. There a network is also being developed to include potential implementation forms according to Olympic educational target groups in a historical context. 

[4] LENK, H.: Werte, Ziele Wirklichkeit der modernen Olympischen Spiele. Schorndorf 1964. 

[5] ANDRECS, H.: “The Olympic Idea and its Realization in Schools”, in: IOA (Ed.): The International Olympic Academy. Thirteenth Session 1973. Ancient Olympia, 180-189. 

[6] Reprint of his initial article in: GRUPE, O.: “Die Olympische Idee ist pädagogisch. Zum Problem einer olympischen Erziehung“, in: MÜLLER N./MESSING, M. (Ed.): Auf der Suche nach der Olympischen Idee. Facetten der Forschung von Athen bis Atlanta (Olympische Studien Bd. 2). Kassel 1996, 23-38. 

[7] MÜLLER, N.: “Olympismus als Gegenstand schulischer Erziehung“, in: DEUTSCHE OLYMPISCHE GESELLSCHAFT (Ed.): Olympisches Feuer 1991, 49-53. 

[8] GEßMANN, R.: “Fachdidaktische Ansätze zur olympischen Erziehung in der Schule – Versuch einer Bestandsaufnahme“, in: sportunterricht, 41(1992), 193-200. 

[9] SCHANTZ, O.: “Werte des Olympismus für die Sporterziehung?“, in: MÜLLER N./MESSING, M. (Ed.): Auf der Suche nach der Olympischen Idee. Facetten der Forschung von Athen bis Atlanta (Olympische Studien Bd. 2). Kassel 1996, 75-92. 

[10] BINDER, D. (Ed.): Be a Champion in Life!! A Book of Activities for Young People Based on the Joy of Participation and on the Important Messages on the Olympic Idea. An International Teacher’s Resource Book for Schools. Athens: FOSE 2000. 

[11] NAUL, R.: “Olympische Erziehung – Ein integriertes Konzept für Schule und Verein“, in: DÜSSELDORF RHEIN-RUHR 2012 GMBH (Ed.): Olympische Dekade 2002-2012. Weißbuch Olympische Erziehung. Bewerbung für die Olympischen Sommerspiele 2012 in Düsseldorf Rhein-Ruhr. Düsseldorf 2002, B2-29.  

[12] English translation of MÜLLER, N.: “Olympismus”, in: RÖTHIG, P./PROHL, R. et al. (Ed.): Sportwissenschaftliches Lexikon. Schorndorf 20037, 415. There MÜLLER originally named eight Olympic values. Later he himself combined the fourth and fifth value as shown in the abovementioned list. 

[13] Cf. in detail NIKOLAUS, I.: “Die Olympische Idee Pierre de Coubertins”, Kassel 2013, Chapter 2.4.7 and NAUL, R.: “Olympische Erziehung”, in: ASCHEBROCK, H./PACK, R.-P. (Eds.): Edition Schulsport. Aachen 2007, 106-112 and idem: Olympic Education. Oxford 2008, 126. 

[14] Cf. NAUL, R.: “Olympische Erziehung”, Aachen 2007, 108f. 

[15] NIKOLAUS, I.: The CIPC’s International Network of Coubertin Schools ‒ A Sustainable Model for an Olympic Education. Comité International Pierre de Coubertin. Lausanne 2015,

[16] Cf. CIPC (Ed.): Forum Report. Lausanne 2005, 16-25. 

[17] Cf. MÜLLER, N.: “Olympismus“, Schorndorf 20037, 415. 

[18] For more details, as well as developments of the CIPC concept over the course of two decades and the use of its potentials for an Olympic education, see NIKOLAUS, I.: The CIPC’s International Network of Coubertin Schools, Lausanne 2015. 

[19] Cf. http://www.sportgymnasium-erfurt.de.  

[20] Cf. www.coubertin.net. For a detailed presentation of the project see also NIKOLAUS, I.: „Die Erarbeitung der Ausstellung ‚Pierre de Coubertin – Leben und Werk eines Humanisten‘ als Beispiel für ein fächerübergreifendes Projekt zur Olympischen Erziehung, in: WASSONG, S. (Ed.): Internationale Einflüsse auf die Wiedereinführung der Olympischen Spiele durch Pierre de Coubertin (Schriftenreihe des Deutschen Pierre de Coubertin-Komitees, Bd. 1). Kassel 2005, 203-217. 

[21] COUBERTIN-GYMNASIUM-ERFURT (Ed.): Coubertin Academy. A Handbook for Education in Secondary Schools. Product of a Joint Socrates Comenius 1 Project on School Development. Piešt’any, Sopot, Ülenurme, Erfurt 2007. This handbook presents activities for 9 different subjects and a full 6-languages Olympic dictionary. Furthermore, an accompanying DVD offers numerous teaching aids, solutions, audio-files of texts for listening as well as songs and poems composed and recorded by students during the project.  

[22] Most of the athletes undertake two training units per day as well as training and/or competitions at the weekend (author’s note). 

[23] COUBERTIN-GYMNASIUM-ERFURT (Ed.): Coubertin Academy. Erfurt 2007, 116-119.  

[24] COUBERTIN-GYMNASIUM-ERFURT (Ed.): Coubertin Academy. Erfurt 2007, 128. See also Appendix, page 30. 

[25] Leia Behlau, participant in the first Winter YOG in Innsbruck, and three medallists in international competitions. 

[26] The Olympic flag was a gift by the German Olympic Academy “Willi Daume” for this purpose. 

[27] For reasons of security an electrical one, provided for such purposes by our Regional Sports Association was used (author’s note). 

[28] In 2012 it was a very emotional moment, when one day before his departure to the London Olympics, René Enders, one of our former students, addressed to the school community wishing all successful and fair competitions. Some days later he could repeat his success from Beijing 2008 and won the bronze medal in team sprint (cycling).  

[29] See the form used in 2014 in the Appendix, page 23. 

[30] Some of the questions of the knowledge test can be found in the Appendix, pages 27-29. 

[31] COUBERTIN, P. de: “The Trustees of the Olympic Idea”, in: MÜLLER, N. (Ed.): Pierre de Coubertin. Olympism. Selected Writings. International Olympic Committee. Lausanne 2000, 589. In the original French: « L’important dans la vie ce n’est point le triomphe mais le combat; l’essentiel ce n’est pas d’avoir vaincu mais de s’être bien battu. Répandre ces préceptes, c’est préparer une humanité plus vaillant, plus forte − partant plus scrupuleuse et plus généreuse », quotation taken from: COUBERTIN, P. de: « Les “trustees” de l’idée olympique », in: MÜLLER, N. (Ed.): Pierre de Coubertin. Textes choisis. Tome II: Olympisme. Zürich, Hildesheim, New York 1986 [1908], 449. 

[32] This is often misinterpreted: the most important thing is to have taken part.  

[33] In 2012 during the first Award instead of a music workshop, an arts workshop was organised. See Appendix, pages 33-34. 

[34] Numerous ideas for teaching Olympic values can be found in the IOC’s programme OVEP: BINDER, D. (Ed.): Teaching Values. An Olympic Education Toolkit. A Programme of the International Olympic Committee. Lausanne 2007 and its succeeding issue OVEP 2.0, including this platform for Olympic education, as well as in COUBERTIN-GYMNASIUM-ERFURT (Ed.): Coubertin Academy. Erfurt 2007.  

[35] DIETRICH, M. : Pierre de Coubertin, hier et aujourd’hui. Pierre de Coubertin: Yesterday and Today. Pierre de Coubertin gestern und heute. Co-production by SWR and Arte 2004. (CIPC Cultural Award in 2004, updated version on occasion of the 2nd Summer Youth Olympic Games 2014, Nanjing China). 

[36] See excerpts from the Knowledge Tests in the Appendix, pages 27-29.  

[37] Two parallel film presentations and lectures for year 9 and 10 were organised. Students changed after 45 min.  

[38] See Appendix, page 24.  

[39] Most of the students in the region of Thuringia begin to learn English in class 3 at the age of 8/9, some of them already from class 1 on.  

[40] Due to the limited time of the workshops (60/120 minutes), only foundations could be laid and initial discussions started. Therefore, these topics will be taken up again within different subjects or as part of extra-curricular events, such as meetings with Olympians who attended our school. 

[41] As recognition for our many efforts in this field within various projects, we were honoured with the title “School against Racism” in 2010. Furthermore, our school is engaged in several refugee projects as well as projects like “Restaurant of the Heart” to support disadvantaged people of our town. Traditionally in November, a Charity Day, including a Charity Run, is organised to collect the necessary funding. 

[42] In 2012 one of the sports competitions for the Coubertin Award was basketball (goal-shooting) from a sitting position. More Paralympic sports were offered for the participants of the Olympic Day in the School each Olympic year (see Appendix, page 35).  

[43] They had been very well prepared representatives of our school, who also successfully participated in the International Coubertin Award during the Youth Forum. All of them were very proud to bring the Coubertin medal home. 

[44] The participants’ feedback given in an anonymous survey had been translated into English by the author. 

[45] Quoted from the students’ report. 

[46] Ibid. 

[47] Ibid.  

[48] For some of the top athletes of this age group school, training and competitions can mean up to a 70-hour week! 

In some sports, top athletes only receive two to three weeks of holidays during the school year so that it is difficult to find time for social performances within their rare free time, which they should spend to relax. 

[49] The club “Friends of the School” supported the organisation of the event financially so that the necessary materials for all the workshops could be bought, extra copies for each student be provided, etc.  

[50] See GALL, H.: “Olympism and Global Learning”, in: Sportonomics 5 (No.2), 1999, 55-61. 

[51] See the final chapter of the author’s dissertation: NIKOLAUS, I.: “Die Olympische Idee Pierre de Coubertins”, Kassel 2013 or the English version: idem: Pierre de Coubertin’s Olympic Idea as an Educational Challenge for the Worldwide Olympic Movement. A historical review and systematic analysis of Olympic Education Programmes for schools by host cities of the Olympic Games and International Institutions. International Pierre de Coubertin Committee/Comité International Pierre de Coubertin (CIPC). Lausanne 2016 (publication in process). 

[52] Further activities on Olympic education suitable for such events can be found in the IOC’s programme OVEP: Binder, D. (Ed.): Teaching Values. An Olympic Education Toolkit. A Programme of the International Olympic Committee. Lausanne 2007 and its successor OVEP 2.0, including this digital platform for Olympic education, as well as in COUBERTIN-GYMNASIUM-ERFURT (Ed.): Coubertin Academy. Erfurt 2007.