MY SCHOOL-YOUR SCHOOL

1. MY SCHOOL-YOUR SCHOOL Global dimension key concepts: DIVERSITY-developing a sense of awe at the variety of peoples and environments around the world. GLOBAL CITIZENSHIP- appreciating that young people’s views and concerns matter and are listened to. VALUES and PERCEPTIONS- understanding that people have different values,attitudes and perceptions INTERDEPENDENCE-appreciating the links between the lives of others and children’s and young people’s own lives

2. Enquiry: What do you know about Africa? What does it mean to you? Introduction. The whole school topic for this term is The Olympics. So we began by talking about what countries would be competing. Eventually Africa was mentioned and I asked them what they knew about Africa..what did it mean to them? This is a selection of what the children said: • Ethan: It has a lot of countries in it. • Imogen: It’s very hot there • Bronia: Some people don’t have houses there • Jake: There are palm trees ther • Megan: They ride on elephants and drink coconut • Abigail: They once hosted the Olympics • William: There are kangaroos ther • Freya: There’s no light inside the houses and the windows have no glass • Zac: They make houses out of mud • Niklas: They have no food so they have to eat leaves • Thomas: People who are poor have to kill animals to get meat • Harrison: Some people go blind because they don’t have enough food • Olivia: They make their roofs out of leave • Jacob: It is dangerous • Beth: There’s lions and tigers there • Eddie: It’s a very poor country • Jude: There’s not many cars Session 1

3. ENQUIRY: • Q: What does Africa look like? • I asked this question and then invited them to draw a map of Africa and show what they think is there. After the children completed their maps we looked at where Africa was on the globe and looked at a poster map of Africa. They realised Ethan was correct when he said Africa was made up of lots of countries. Session 2

4. Session 3 • P4C enquiry. In order to promote talk about schooling in Africa I showed the children this photograph. I didn’t tell them anything about it. Individually the children had 1 minute of thinking time and then got into ‘talking triangles’ to discuss and generate an interesting question. We shared our questions: 1.Why do they have yellow and blue clothes on? 2.What country is it in? 3.What are they doing? 4.What is the building? 5.Why have they all got short hair? 6.What do they eat? The class voted using cubes to discuss .. ‘Why do they have yellow and blue clothes on?’

5. Extracts of class discussion that followed: Eddie: They might be wearing clothes to worship God. Imogen: That might be their school clothes Abigail: I agree because lots of people are wearing those clothes Jacob: I agree (showing thumb up) Laura; I think they might be poor Bethany: I agree because they look like they are poor...see on TV people like that on the news Julian: I agree because they look poor...clothes look different to ours Session 3 cont...

6. Megan: Disagree because children are wearing tops like me...white shirt Stephanie: I agree because I’ve got a similar dress Todd: They are wearing the same clothes as us Lull in conversation.... Teacher: What clothes are we wearing? Abigail: School uniform Ethan: I think they are at school Bronia: The building might be their school Marcus: I agree because there’s lots of people there

7. I think it is Africa because it’s sunny and I can see shadows Julian: I agree....it looks like a big school for boys Caitlin: I disagree...I can see some girls William: There’s a lot of boys.. Teacher: Where is this happening? Bronia: Could be Africa because it looks quite poor Todd: Disagree...because they don’t have any clothes there Megan: I disagree....think it is Africa because it’s sunny and you can see shadows Beth: Agree...as my group thought it was Africa Jude: I’ve been there and it’s very hot

8. Using the comments from the first session and from our P4C discussion had given me some food for thought! Many of the children had preconceptions about all African people being ‘poor’/ eat leaves/live in mud houses/poor country/ etc... Beth mentioned that she had seen images on TV .. ‘people like that on TV.. ’ Julian ‘they look poor’.. Todd ... ‘they don’t have any clothes there’.. Thomas ‘people who are poor have to kill animals to get meat’. Thus begins the single story of seeing and hearing many negatives about Africa. So how to introduce them to and promote a different story? I decided to start addressing this by showing them the DVD ‘Reel Lives-Sierra Leone’ which some of us had looked at during our Wortley weekend. The aim of the DVD is to: ‘foster real understanding and respect for different communities and cultures.’ Reel lives sets out to counter this one-dimensional view and to explore the many similarities and commonalities that exist between us, instead of just looking at the differences. Food for thought!

9. Reel lives-Sierra Leone ENQUIRY: What similarities and commonalities are there between us and Shawn? Q: What do you think going to school is like in Sierra Leone? What do you think you will see? Comments: Julian: The school might be a mud building Abby: They might have desks instead of tables Erin: There’s no teachers because they are very poor...not much equipment Olivia: Stools instead of chairs Bronia: Their mums might teach them Beth: No computers or whiteboards or lights... There’s no electricity there Jude: I’ve been to Morocco...there was electricity Thomas: Ripped clothes....some might wear a uniform....not all Session 4-Shawn’s story

10. Before showing the DVD we found Sierra Leone on Google Maps and discussed the fact it was on the West coast of Africa and that it is a country in Africa. We also found out it takes six hours to fly directly there from London. We located the position of GB and London too. I showed the DVD in two sittings: Shawn’s day and then Mbalou’s day and stopped the video frequently to enable the children to comment. Q: What did you see that was the same as your life here in Sheffield? During the video showing Shawn’s day the children were visably shocked and amazed that they had so much in common with Shawn. Gasps of amazement that there was electricity in the home, so he could watch TV and keep food in the fridge and freezer. That he ate some of the same foods, Kit-Kats and cereal and took a lunch box to school. They were amazed that the family had a car and also had a maid. There was much discussion about this and why she was there. There was also much talk about Shawn reading Harry Potter books and which books they read. Some picked up on the fact that he got the book from an aunt in USA. The fact he had a birthday party that was very much like their own was met with laughter and enjoyment that Shawn had the same kind of cake, finger foods, dancing, games and the singing of ‘Happy Birthday’-which they all joined in with! Session 4 cont...

11. Caitlin and Jasmine said their mum was a lawyer like Shawn’s and Jake added his aunt was a lawyer too. Imarn was pleased that he had someone called Shawn in his family. Many of the boys were happy that he played football and a discussion about favourite football teams ensued! The school part brought up some observations about having assembly outside (which they thought would be great fun) and the fact that there was no whiteboard and computers but a blackboard and chalk- they laughed when I told them it was like that when I was at school! So, many similarities and commonalities were identified and I could see the change in their perceptions happening before me which was wonderful. They really had begun to identify with Shawn as a child who in many respects was like them.

12. Before showing Mbalou’s story I told the class that she lived in the same country as Shawn. Q: What things do you have in common with Mbalou? Is there anything that surprises you about the way she lives? Comments after: The class could see some similarities with Mbalou...she lived with her family, went to school, shared meals with her family and played with her friends. But the over-riding feeling was that her lifestyle was in some ways different to theirs. The class commented on there not being electricity and water in the home. Many remarked on the fact that she had jobs to do at home and that she walked to school so she must be tired. Eating with her hands was a talking point but then they agreed that we too eat food with our hands at times...pizza, sandwiches, cake, biscuits etc... They were interested in the ‘gari’ that she was eating. Session 5-Mbalou’s story

13. Where next? Where to go now and what to do with this information that we are discovering? I asked the children what could we do to show others what we were learning about life in Africa. Suggestions ranged from, tell them...draw some pictures...write about it...tell another class..put it on our class blog...make a book... We decided we would like to make a book to show others how we do many things the same and some different. We have a ‘talking book’ in our classroom and decided to use that so they could add their own comments, drawings and photo’s. We have made a start on this by taking some photo’s of us doing the same things.. Tidying up/playing games (Imogen has a similar game to the Ghananian one at home)/uniform/classroom-whiteboard/chalkboard/furniture/assemblies/transport/animals/music/food/clothes and shoes etc.. Sweeping up: Palm broom/dust pan and brush Playing games: Oware/Four in a Row

14. Enquiry through objects • We have started to investigate the artefacts in the ‘Ghana bag’ and have discussed and identified the palm brush and the Oware game and have talked about objects we use to tidy up and games we play. We will continue to look at the objects and try to determine what significance they have for Ghanaian people –Object Detectives activity. I will ask the class to bring in a shoe box containing 5-10 objects that represent their life that they would show to a child from Africa. What will they include and why? The children could do a short presentation to the class. • Enquiry through first hand evidence • Our classroom cleaner took great interest in our poster map of Africa and told me she was born in the Cote d’Ivoire which borders the west of Ghana. She is willing to be interviewed by some of the children about her school days there. The class will generate some questions to ask her and I will video the interview on our palm recorder. • Enquiry through ‘Thrive Africa’- values/citizenship • Annie-Rose will come into school to talk to each class about going to Ghana to help build and equip a library for children. What can the children do to help? A Books For Ghana day-bring and buy book sale and a book raffle for each Year group. £1 donation from each child could raise nearly £300. Annie-Rose will return in the Autumn term to present a PowerPoint of her work there and how the money was spent. Other activities to consider

15. DVD’s • ‘Reel Lives-Sierra Leone’ • ‘Iddi & Esther’-Farm Africa • Artefact box ‘Life in Ghana’/ Teacher’s Guide • Books Handa’s surprise/Handa’s Hen-Eileen Brown One Hen-Katie Smith Milway (Ghana) Elizabeti’s School-Stephanie Stuve-Bodeen (Tanzania) Deron Goes To Nursery School- Ifeoma Onyefulu (Ghana) Nii Kwei’s Day- Francis Provencal (Ghana) Grandma Comes To Stay- Ifeoma Onyefulu (Ghana) A is for Ampe- Kathy Knowles (Ghana) Otu Goes to Sea- Kathy Knowles (Ghana) Welcome Dede! – Ifeoma Onyefulu (Ghana) The Spider Weaver- Margaret Musgrove (Ghana)- Kente cloth • Websites www.unicef.org/mdg- Millennium Development Goals www.blipfoto.com www.bing.com Google maps • CD’s • Rough Guide Music-African Street party Think Global-Women of Africa Rough Guide music- Nigeria & Ghana Resources