Yvonne McBlain from Falkirk Education Services curriculum support team has been finding out about some excellent partnership work instigated by Sarah Ritchie, principal teacher at Bonnybridge Primary School. Bonnybridge Primary School has formed a partnership with Spire Junior School in Uganda. Spire Junior school is located in Bwaise –Kazo Nakamiro Zone in Kampala District the major city in Uganda. The partnership aims to increase understanding and awareness of each other’s culture, tradition and life style, encourage open mindness, critical thinking and reasoning in pupils and give pupils a true sense of global citizenship. Pupils in Primary 5 have been working closely with their peers in Uganda exchanging letters and photographs. Click here to view some of these letters written by primary 2 pupils. This joint project, Through My Window, compares the impact that the environment has on the daily lives of pupils in both countries. The partnership has been hugely successful for both schools and has had a positive impact on pupils. To ensure the growth of the partnership Mrs Stocks, head teacher at Bonnybridge PS, and Mrs Ritchie secured funding from the British Council visited Uganda in October. 3 planes and 14 hours later they found themselves in the city of Kampala where they were very warmly welcomed by Peter Basoga, Principal Teacher of Spire Junior School, and Godfrey Muyodi, class teacher. Over the course of the week Jill Stocks and Sarah Ritchie met with teachers and pupils, observed lessons and took part in the daily life of the school. The arrived colleagues and left friends – look at the leaver’s assembly planned for them here. Peter Basoga and Godfrey Muyodi from Spire Junior School will visit Bonnybridge Primary School in December 2013. Click here to view the welcome received by Sarah and Jill, and here to see Bonnybridge pupils talking about the project.
Category: Developing Global Citizenship
Inchlair Nursery learns about the Commonwealth Games
Yvonne McBlain from Falkirk Education Services Curriculum Support team has been finding out about some active and engaging interdisciplinary learning happening at Inchlair Nursery School. The pre and ante-pre school children have become immersed in preparations for the Commonwealth Games following their reading of the story “Captain Bristle’s Thistles”. This story (click to see the story video) really captured the imaginations of the children and has led very naturally into development of their knowledge within various disciplines. Isobel Edmond, head teacher at the nursery, has worked with staff colleagues to involve parents in extending and deepening pupil understanding of this international event. Click here to see one of the documents used to keep parents informed of developments with this interdisciplinary work. Click here to see how one of the children continued to develop his learning at home with his mum. Staff are responding to the children’s interest in the progress of the Queen’s Baton Relay by using a map display within the nursery. The children are developing this display by noting and bringing in photos or other items which show their links to the relay route on the map. Click on the photograph at the start of this post to watch Inchlair pupils sharing their learning.
Global Storylines Roadshow in Falkirk
Yvonne McBlain and Anne Hutchison from Falkirk Curriculum Support team have worked with Diana Ellis and Marie-Jeanne McNaughton to organise a Global Storylines Roadshow event in Camelon Education Centre between 3.30pm and 5.15pm on 30th May 2013. This event is for primary and nursery practitioners who may be interested in joining a potential Falkirk cohort of teachers accessing this high quality professional learning next session. Diana and Marie-Jeanne will share the content and format of this valuable global citizenship training, as well as the impact it has had on teachers and pupils. A number of teachers in our schools have already expressed a firm interest in being part of this Falkirk cohort. This event is designed to ensure that everyone has a chance to find out more about what is involved. Click here to read the descriptor for this course – applications should be made through your CPD co-ordinator in the usual way. You may also want to visit the Global Storylines website . Here are the thoughts of a teacher and a pupil who have taken part in tha Global Storyline project:
“My confidence in teaching these current issues has really increased and I can now use what I’ve learned to develop Global Citizenship right across different curriculuar areas and incorporate the drama techniques in all the different activities we use.” Principal Teacher
“It makes you think about it, because unless you look at something, it’s quite hard to imagine how people feel in real life, you can’t just step out of drama and go back into real life. When they’re in that position iit puts things into perspective.” 11-year-old pupil.
These testimonials express some of the benefits of applying storyline teaching strategies to progress pupil knowledge and understanding of global citizenship issues.
Beangeese Blog for Slamannan Primary School
Malcolm Wilson, ICT Curriculum Development Officer of the Curriculum Support Team of Falkirk Council Education Services, supported staff at Slamannan Primary School in setting up a blog to share the learning journey of pupils in relation to their activities around a natural phenomenon which takes place every year not far from the school.
In October every year, Beangeese fly over from Scandinavia to Slamannan’s plateau to graze for the winter. In February they fly off again to sunnier climes. Slamannan is one of the very few places in the whole of the British Isles where this happens.
This blog was set up to be able to provide a means to share with the wider community. In addition to sharing about what has been happening, with photographs and descriptions, pupils have been adding their comments on the blog, clearly demonstrating their engagement and enjoyment of their activity.
Well done to staff and pupils of Slamannan Primary School for making great use of a blog to share your learning journey.
Click here to visit the Beangeese blog at Slamannan Primary School.
