A multicultural school in international cooperation

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A multicultural school in international
cooperation
Malawi
Kosovo
Zimbabwe
Ostfold University College
Fredrikstad kommune
Kjølberg skole
Tor Arne Marthinsen, Kjølberg skole
Odd Eriksen, Østfold University College
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Kjølberg school
The municipality of Fredrikstad
Learning objectives The students in our schools
will increase their knowledge about different
cultures through international cooperation Activi
ties Digital communication, cultural activities
and student/teacher exchange
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Cooperation with private partners
Kjølberg skole Rød skole,O Begby skole Slevik
skole Trosvik skole
Universitetet of Prishtina
Kosovo
Lilongwe District Office of Education 5
skoler
Municipality of Mitrovica 2 skoler
Malawi
Zimbabwe
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Cooperation with private partners
5 schools in Fredrikstad
5 schools in Malawi
5 schools in Zimbabwe

• What kind of cooperation?
• How did it start?
• What about economy
• Experiences and results

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Norwegian student teachers in Lilongwe, Malawi
since 2003/2004
HiØ
Kjølberg
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These are the facts about the Malawi project

• Criteria for participation Personal qualities
  good progress in their studies!
• 8 students from the teacher education program 4
  students from the pre-school teacher program,
  working together
• 3 weeks practical training and preparations at
  Kjølberg Primary School 5 weeks in Malawi
  guidance and feedback/assessment from both
  african teachers and teachers from Kjølberg
• Flight costs 70 as scholarship and 30 as
  increased loan from Lånekassa
• Covered by the students
• Food in addition to breakfast, safari other
  activities outside the work situation
• Covered by the project
• Transport to the airport, vaccine and malaria
  medicin, internal transport, motel room and
  cultural arrangements are covered by the project
• Ostfold University College gives in about 60000,-
  NKR each year (The project is both an important
  part of our international work and of our
  recruitment activities)
• BUT The students must contribute their share by
  covering up a few days as substitute teachers at
  Kjølberg school
• AND They need to use extra time for preparations
  and planning they even usually manage to raise
  some money from fellow students and staff to
  provide neccessary equipment and pedagogical
  material for our sister schools

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An example.
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An example The Schoolbag Project in 2006
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Why international practice?

• Increase the studentsunderstanding of how
  children face very different conditions both in
  their lives and in education around the world
• Increase the studentsunderstanding of the
  importance of childrens cultural heritage as
  foundation for their self esteem and pride
• Compare and learn from the perspectives on
  learning and methods used in different countries
  different conditions, but not different
  objectives
• Experience how exiting it is to relate to people
  and culture in another country, as a mean to
  develop new perspectives as a teacher student
• Contribute to the building of networks and
  relations across borders- bring new ideas to new
  friends, as well as learn and improve competence
  by co-working with them

Students and teachers
Plenty of children in class..
Girls Promotion Club
Lars is sewing with the boys..

Exchange of cultural skills..
International practice makes better teachers!
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The Kosovo project

• Friendship between schools and exchange since
  2001
• Practical training for for student teachers ( 1
  week) since 2003, in cooperation with Ostfold
  University College
• Cooperation and exchange with University of
  Prishtina since 2006
• Democracy project for student organisations since
  2008
• Mutual visits also on political level in
  Fredrikstad and Mitrovica
• Cooperation with the Norwegian Embassy in Kosovo

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Summary

• Teacher-and student exchange
• Kjølberg teachers in Africa and/or Kosovo 23
  of 35 teachers since 2001
• Kosovo 32 student teachers since 2003/2004
• Malawi 64 student teachers since 2004/2005
• What are the results?
• Mutual development of quality in both students
  education, the teacherspractice and in our
  institutions climate on all sides
• Practical and pedagogical cooperation over a long
  time leeds to new ideas about cooperation
• Building strong relations between people across
  borders and links between minorities in Norway
  and their home countries are important
• Cultural cooperation and development for mutual
  benefit is a good foundation for improving
  education
• Creating a new kind of practical training for
  students has lead to extended cooperation between
  Ostfold University College and Kjølberg school

What do our partners in Africa say about this
kind of international cooperation? We feel
support for our own struggle with the development
of quality in education. Our schools have become
examples for other schools
Bringing people together makes development!