Cluster link with Walasmulla

1. Cluster link with Walasmulla Lucy Turzynski & Mark Turner

2. Overview • How it all started • Partnership in action – Durham Gilesgate Primary School • Increasing global citizenship, enriching education practice and developing a whole school approach to international partnerships

3. County Durham - Walasmulla

4. County Durham - Walasmulla

5. County Durham - Walasmulla

6. Durham Gilesgate

7. Durham Gilesgate

8. Durham Gilesgate

9. Durham Gilesgate

10. Durham Gilesgate

11. Connecting Classrooms Three main objectives: • Increasing global citizenship • Enriching education • Developing an equitable and sustainable partnership

12. Increasing global citizenship Global themes – • Conflict and peace • Sustainable living • Rights and responsibilities • Fairness and equality • Identity and belonging

13. Increasing global citizenship Global skills – • Self-awareness • Conflict resolution • Empathy • Creative thinking • Critical thinking • Collaborating • Communicating • Taking action

14. Increasing global citizenship Global outlooks – • Positive sense of identity • Sense of interdependence • Commitment to rights & responsibilities • Desire to make a difference • Open to new ideas • Commitment to justice • Commitment to peace

15. Enriching education practice • Subject and curriculum; • Core skills; • Teaching styles; • Assessment; • Classroom & behaviour management; • Inclusion; • Promoting well-being

16. Establishing a successful partnership • Identify a suitable partner: • Directly through personal contacts; • Through Schools Online: http://schoolsonline.britishcouncil.org/partner-with-a-school/search-for-a-school-public; • Using Local Authority support; • Work with partners to identify common objectives and curriculum areas for collaborative activities; • Devise a detailed activity plan of 3-4 activities for a 12 month period – which children will be involved? How many? What will be exchanged and when / how?

17. Examples of recent projects • “What can we see from our window?” – descriptive writing / drawings to describe the local view • Traditional recipes – instructional writing and creative cooking! • Nature / wildlife conservation – Exploration of local wildlife and habitats, discussion of threats vs conservation • Culture in a box – which items represent local culture and heritage? • Recycling – Comparison of what is recycled / re-used and how

18. Examples of recent projects • School garden – Sustainable / healthy living. What grows well in each country and why? • Festivals – Create and exchange interactive calendars to introduce cultural similarities and differences • Tree of dreams – Outside and inside! • Literature – Pupils on both sides to read the same novel and discuss pertinent issues raised • More project ideas here: http://schoolsonline.britishcouncil.org/projects-and-resources/template-projects

19. Any questions? brian.stobie@durham.gov.uk lucy.turzynski@durham.gov.uk