Connecting Classrooms

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Connecting Classrooms

• Bringing the Global Dimension to Education

Nick Falk Anne Jakins
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What is Connecting Classrooms?

• An overview of the programme, how to get started
  and the benefits to students and staff
• Two case studies

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Sub-Saharan Africa
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Connecting..

• Sub-Saharan Africa, Middle East, India, Pakistan,
  China, Japan, Afghanistan
• Contact Seminar
• Funding
• Partnership Plan
• A commitment that builds a three year sustainable
  project
• Engaging with the wider school community

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What is the Funding for?

• The funding is to support the project plans
• This might include-
• face to face meetings in one of the countries
  involved
• Communication between the partners
• Equipment for communication or projects
• Resources such as stationery
• Dissemination events, newsletters, websites

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Guidelines for Eligible Expenditure Travel and
Communication

• Up to 3000 per cluster can be spent on visits to
  partner schools
• This can include fares, visas, inoculations,
  accommodation, subsistence
• Electricity supplies in African Schools
• Postage, fax, e-mail, telephone, line rental
• Budget Spending Plan records and receipts

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Connecting

• With your UK cluster the hidden benefits

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Celebrating Inclusion

• Sackville Manor Green College Newick House
• Team Teaching
• Involving the whole school community
• SEN students Tutor Groups Health and Social Care
• Directed Working from 6th Form students with an
  environmental focus

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West Sussex Cluster
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Starting with International Communication

• What is the purpose of the communication?
• How does it contribute towards the projects
  objectives?
• Emails? Letters? Video Conferencing? Message
  Boards?
• Moderating the content of the communication

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Benefits for Students

• Stimulating articulacy, argument, evaluation and
  reflection
• Encouraging discussion and the sharing of ideas
  and opinions
• Real communication with a purpose
• Motivating students to work to impress their
  peers
• Projects that are fun and engaging

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Other benefits

• Global Citizenship
• Inter cultural dialogue
• School Leaderships issues
• Sustainability
• Enhanced ICT Skills

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What did the experience teach us?

• You can make things happen
• What it felt like to live in an unrushed stress
  free environment
• Living with dignity in difficult conditions
• Valuing what we have the pointlessness of
  vandalism and consumerism
• Respect for other cultures and for each other
• Learning is a shared experience

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Embedding in the Curriculum
Our school is 5 miles away from home and I start
on foot at 6am and for home at 5pm.
In school avoid any risky behaviour my friend. If
you stay in school it will make your life better.
How are you, also pushing forward your studies?
I think you must be very busy making sure you
harvest what you have sowed.
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Beads for Change
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Beads for Change

• Achievements
• 14 bicycles
• 100 students on the yoghurt programme
• The Future
• More bicycles
• Maintain and expand the yoghurt programme
• Establishing an ICT centre of excellence

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Beads for Change

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Connecting Classrooms Afghanistan

• UK cluster
• West Sussex and Inverness
• All school phases
• Afghanistan (Kandahar) cluster
• Madrassa, girls school, private school
• Project
• Electronic timeline comparing days
• Games, sports and traditions

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Exploring Perceptions
Extended families
Alcohol
Poverty
Dress code
Unsafe streets
Rich culture
Extremes of weather
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Where next?

• International and European Dimensions
• Can we help?
• nfalk_at_wsgfl.org.uk
• ajakins_at_wsgfl.org.uk