MUNDI and School Linking

MUNDI has had six years experience of facilitating global school partnerships (international school linking). This started in the summer of 2000, linking schools in Nottingham and Nottinghamshire, UK with schools in Harare, Zimbabwe as part of the Linking Lives project. Linking Lives ran for 5 years in total up until the end of September 2005. MUNDI is currently co-ordinating a link between schools in Nottingham and Nottinghamshire, UK with schools in Saltillo, Coahuila state, Mexico as part of the Hablame (Speak to Me) project.

Hablame (Speak to Me) July 2005- June 2008 funded by DfID

Equipping children with the necessary skills to successfully interact in an increasing globalised world is becoming a key aspect in education. The school curriculum can provide many opportunities to promote what has been called ‘global citizenship', a concept that embraces the notion of global awareness and the construction of an individual identity that takes into account aspects of life in a local community as well as in a global context.

The ‘Háblame' project constitutes an innovative way of teaching ‘global citizenship' in primary schools by incorporating a global dimension into the curriculum, particularly but not exclusively through the courses of Modern Foreign Languages (MFL), Citizenship, and Information, Communication and Technology (ICT).

The project links primary state schools in Nottingham (England) that are teaching Spanish as a foreign language to schools in Coahuila (Mexico) that are teaching English as a foreign language. The aim of the project is to promote an understanding of Southern/Northern perspectives regarding local and global issues at the same time as the acquisition of a new language (English/Spanish).

Multimedia technology is a key aspect of the project and children are encouraged to use digital cameras and video cameras to document various aspects of their lives in their own communities. This material is exchanged with the photographic work and videos produced by their counterparts. Such audio-visual material is then used to support the MFL, Citizenship and ICT courses allowing children to increase their knowledge of these subjects and to discuss social issues at the same time. In addition, children can make use of the Internet (discussion boards and e-mail) to communicate with each other, which brings a new dimension into the process of learning a new language and the promotion of citizenship-related issues.

The Linking Lives Project 2000- Sept 2005 funded by DfID

Linking Lives aimed to promote awareness and understanding of global citizenship in the twinned cities of Nottingham and Harare, Zimbabwe through school linking.
A school link with a Southern country, such as Zimbabwe, can provide a meaningful context for exploring what it means to be a global citizen in an ever-changing and exciting world.

The project was open to all Primary, Secondary and Special schools in the City of Nottingham and County of Nottinghamshire and all schools in the Region of Harare. Click here to see the table of schools involved.

With the support of the Linking Lives workers these schools agreed the aims and objectives of their links and found ways to embed the link in the curriculum.

Linking Lives had an Advisory group in each city to offer guidance, advice and support to the project workers. A wide group of stakeholders were represented on the groups from project partners, NGOs, university staff, teachers, older pupils, and industry.

Mundi aimed to establish links that are long-term, fully reciprocal, embedded in the curriculum and sustainable.

Support on offer
Linking Lives provided a framework in which schools in Nottingham and Harare could form a link. The project offered support in the nature of:
· - contact details of keen schools in Harare
· - guidance on curriculum matters
· - advice on funding opportunities
· - easy communication with Zimbabwe, through the MUNDI workers.
· - termly school visits
· - termly teachers' meetings which give teachers the chance to discuss issues that may arise and to draw proven good practice.
The support we offered schools was free of charge.

Staff
The role of the Linking Lives project was to facilitate links and the resulting link belongs with and should feel owned by the school itself.

Linking Lives had workers in both cities. At MUNDI we feel this is instrumental to the success of the project

Linda Barker
Linking Lives Co-ordinator, Nottingham
Role:
· -Co-ordinate the project in Nottingham City and County
·- Facilitate schools in Nottingham to form a link with Harare
· -Assist schools to embed their link in the curriculum
· -Advise schools on funding opportunities
· -Support reciprocal visits
· -Run Inset sessions promoting North/ South linking
· -Promote awareness of Linking Lives in UK.

William Mahofa
Linking Lives Programme Officer, Harare
Role:
· -Co-ordinate the project in Harare
· -Facilitate schools in Harare to form a link with Nottingham
· -Assist schools to embed their link in the curriculum
· -Support reciprocal visits
· -Promote awareness of Linking Lives in Zimbabwe.


School Involvement
Contact between the staff of both schools in each link got off to a good start. The Head Teachers have been involved from the start and fully endorse the links. Communication has now passed to the designated Link Teacher, who will carry out the day-to-day work generated by the link and encourage the involvement of the whole school community.
Alongside staff, pupils have started to communicate with each other, exploring similarities and differences in their daily lives.

· -Fernwood Infants, Nottingham and Hatfield Infants, Harare exchanged e-mails on what they had for breakfast each day and whether the children are involved in growing any of the food they eat. This information was then presented as part of the Harvest celebrations at Fernwood Infants. Haydn Primary, Nottingham and Warren Park 5 Primary, Harare both have keen writers groups. The schools are devising characters and plot lines to engage in a 'never-ending story' co-written by children in both cities.

·- Shepherd Special School, Nottingham and St Catherine's Special School, Harare are communicating by exchanging photos and pupil information as a way of getting to know each other.

- All Saints RC Comprehensive, Mansfield and Zengeza High, Harare are building on a strong tradition of music, art and drama together and are looking in to the possibility of establishing a triangular link with a school in Italy.

During William's visit in March 2002, each school received a pack from their partner. This contained a selection of photographs, letters and school brochures. William also arranged to have a fantastic collection of Zimbabwean artifacts delivered, which now form the basis of displays in schools, aimed at raising the profile of the link in schools.

Nottingham Link Teachers went to visit Harare schools as a group around October Half-term 2002. Harare teachers made the reciprocal visit during March 2003. These visits cemented the links and provided a wonderful opportunity for teachers to 'live each others lives' for a week or two.

Partners
Linking Lives was a partnership programme between MUNDI, the Department for International Development, the Zimbabwean Ministry of Education, Sport and Culture, Nottingham City Council and Nottingham County Council.

The Department for International Development: MUNDI secured three-year funding from DfID for Linking Lives. The funding included provision to employ the workers in both cities.

The Zimbabwean Ministry of Education, Sport and Culture: The Regional Director for Schools gave Linking Lives her full support. The Ministry provided office space for the project free of charge and encouraged schools to develop links with Nottingham. The Deputy Regional Director was the Chair of the Linking Lives Advisory Group in Harare and was actively involved in managing the project.

Nottingham City Council: The Twinning Department of the City Council have been involved in Linking Lives from the out-set of the project, both as a funding body and advising on project development. MUNDI worked closely with the Education Department, through the International Dimensions Officer, who assisted with involving and supporting schools. Officers from the Twinning Department, Education Department and Agenda 21 served on the Advisory Group in Nottingham.

Nottingham County Council: Linking Lives was opened up to County schools during 2001, since which time several County schools have become involved. An officer from the Education Department and a Headteacher served on the Nottingham Advisory Group.