Page 30 - link magazine

30 The Link Magazine • December 2004
Making secondary school connections in South Africa
Over half term four teachers from Greendown Community School joined Africa, to continue developing partnership projects at two schools in the
three colleagues — Terri Peacock. head teacher of Peatmoor Commu- rural mountain town of Clarens. Greendown teacher Cristina Bennett

nity Primary School, West Swindon: volunteer Allan Barrow and com- describes the link being made with Moriting Wa Thuto Senior Secondary
puter expert, Chris Tuttiett — on a ten day trip to Free State, South School.
They're singing; the unmistakable, from our usual arrival at thing is possible. This will help
lyrical sounds of acappel la voices school in West Swindon. them to dream about the future."
drift from the assembly yard. This is no dream either. A week has passed. We have
It's 7.35am; we're outside under It is the reality of a lot of worked together planning lessons;
a cloudless blue sky, in warm sun- planning, communicating written poetry; understood con-
shine — this is no ordinary Mon- and waiting after my first tour lines using our hands; made a
day morning assembly for myself visit to Moriting eight video with eloquent and ambitious
and my colleagues, Greendowri s months ago. young members of the school coun-
head-teacher, Steve O'Sullivan, As the singing softens, cil; lunched together, attended
Anna Carriero, head of Year 7, and the introductions begin. I some curriculum development in-
primary schools coordinator am welcomed — greeted service teacher training together;
Angela Proctor. We're a long way back into the school like a Steve O'Sullivan working through a problem sung, wept and laughed together.
long-awaited relative. My with pupils at Moriting secondary school We have grown together.
colleagues too, feel the Mr Motaung L.S. insisted it was
Purton House warmth and appreciation of 287 noon, the school timetable has been no disruption to his Friday after-
Church End young people — learners — and their suspended and we are listening to noon when he remained at the
Purton, Swindon 12 educators. the school choir practising whilst school long after everyone else had
This is the right place for us to we wait for visitors and other gone home, whilst four of us strug-
Tel: 01793 772287
be: the partnership we are coming school groups to arrive. gled with the idiosyncrasies of a
to confirm — the working together, Choir leader, science teacher Mr broken down van and a computer
Call for details about our the sharing of resources and teach- Motaung L. S. says, "they have not hard-drive from hell, which kept
Organic Box Scheme ing experiences, the under- yet quite reached the standard I rejecting its connection to the
standings of each other's personal would like them to be!" This puts internet. His life's ambition, which
Vegetables • Fruit and curricula environments, the Moriting school's motto clearly sounded so straightforward to us,
Meat • Eggs exchange of worlds and cultures - into perspective: 'excellence was really a dream for him: "I would
is a positive future development through diligence'. like to make contact with the USA."
Deliveries & drop off points for Greendown. His dream seemed as distant
in Swindon, Cirencester, It gives our school motto as ever when we hadn't man-
Wootton Bassett, Broad Hinton,
'think of the other person' a aged to get the modem to con-
Marlborough, Wroughton 21st Century significance. nect. The next day we drove in
www.purton-house.co.uk In class, is this really the two vehicles to a computer shop
21st Century? A large chalk- in Bethlehem, 60kms away, to
board on one wall, desks buy an external modem.
and chairs in rows, a pin- Whilst Steve and I awaited a
board with a few notices, mechanic to fix the sick van,
and a poster about HIV/ Angela and Anna returned so
AIDS. that computer 'wizard' Chris
But that poster tells us Tuttiett could finally help
we are in the 21st Century. Moriting make the connection.
South Africa has one of the It is this difference in access
fastest growing HIV epidemics in Moriting is the only secondary to things that we so easily take for
__ A RI(AN goof the world and AIDS is set to claim school in Clarens. It is an English granted at the flick of a switch or
the lives of around half of all 15 medium school in the Sosotho the press of a button, that made us
year olds. speaking community of Basotho all realise what a tremendous value
IllCU0$ 3i RUIKI, DRIED FRUIT, TEA w COFFEE,
The freshly covered graves we people, who live in the township our schools' partnership could be.
(NUTNE11, IP1(El,1AUCE1 AND MORE,
passed on our long journey here of Kgubetswana, on the edge of As teachers in the UK we often
CONTACT. were a stark reminder of the perils the tourist town, Clarens. hear the whines of our pupils bleat-
PHONE: 01793 323015 MARKETHALL
ANDREW AND JOHN MARKET STREET of this new century. In the township, the minimum ing, 'it's not fair ...; why can't I
:SMONDE-WHITE MOBILE: 01838158683 SWINDON Our arrival coincides with a wage for a day's work is just £3.70; have ...; we never get the chance
sNlIRZ
OPEN MONDAY TO SATURDAY drama presentation about AIDS a year's fees for school are approxi- to ..; why don't we ever ....'
9am to 5.30pm
awareness. On this Monday after- mately £13 - it's difficult to It would be so good to hear these
prioritise when there's so little to same British pupils say,'it's amaz-
juggle with. ing that we can ...; because we
Most lessons are taught in Eng- have this we can ...; we could use
lish at this Grade 10 to Grade 12 this to ...; why not.
school. With the support of Green- How enriching this would be
down's partnership, educators and for British pupils to extend their
learners alike hope to make their citizenship beyond the familiar
already almost faultless written confines of their own neighbour-
English, become, as teacher Miriam hoods and national boundaries.
Mbambo says, "an international Through the strength of our
standard of English when spoken. schools' partnership I know that
"This will allow everyone to be- with time, energy, enthusiasm, in-
come a part of the world that is novation, and commitment and
waiting for them. Some of our belief in the partnership, this will
learners are not used to paying be possbile. I can't wait for the next
visits even to the nearest towns stage of this global project.
because of poverty. But finding To read Cristina's full article and
themselves with visitors from Eng- to see more photographs, go to
land will show them that every- www.swindonlink.com