Out of Africa, always something new

Simon Balle School

• Humanities Specialism since 2004

• Geography, citizenship and RE

• Links with South Africa through Link Community Development

• Trying to share good practise throughout school

• Deep learning days

Cross-curricular dimensions•Young people need to experience opportunities to understand themselves and the world in which they live.•Cross-curriculum dimensions help young people make sense of the world and give education relevance and authenticity. They reflect the major ideas and challenges that face individuals and society.•Dimensions can add a richness and relevance to the curriculum experience of young people. They can provide a focus for work within and between subjects and across the curriculum as a whole, including the routines, events and ethos of the school.•Cross-curriculum dimensions include:Identity and cultural diversity, healthy lifestyles, community participation, enterprise, global dimension and sustainable development, technology and the media, creativity and critical thinking

Why Africa?

• Pupil perceptions

• Understanding issues

• Cultural diversity

• Developing mutually beneficial partnerships

• Understanding the world around us

Linking Schools

Link Community Development

Global teacher programme – 5 week placement in Kimbili Junior Secondary School

Follow up work for one year after placement

Schools linked

Kimbili Junior Secondary School

Where did I go?

I stayed in the rural area surrounding the village of Qumbu in the Eastern Cape in South Africa

Qumbu

AREA

• Very open countryside, mountains and grassland

• Quite remote from towns so no shops or facilities

• Pupils can walk long distances to school

• Roads not made up

• Weather changes rapidly, can be very hot one day, misty and cold the next

The School Environment

• 4 permanent classrooms

• 1 rondavel• 1 community

built classroom• 2 half built

classrooms

The School Environment

• 4 permanent classrooms

• 1 rondavel• 1 community

built classroom• 2 half built

classrooms

The School Environment

• 4 permanent classrooms

• 1 rondavel• 1 community

built classroom• 2 half built

classrooms

The School Environment

• 4 permanent classrooms

• 1 rondavel• 1 community

built classroom• 2 half built

classrooms

There is a school assembly every morning and afternoon to say prayers

This is on my last day when the teachers gave me the outfit I am wearing as a present.

Grade 8 and 9 on a very cold, wet day!

This room was built by the community. There are about 80 pupils in here. There are holes in the roof and in the walls.

My first lesson was teaching about continents. They have no world maps so I was glad I took the inflatable globes!

I stayed with the principal for 5 weeks. Her house was very nice and she was a relatively wealthy member of the village. The house had electricity but no running water. I had to get water from a big tank in the garden and heat it on a paraffin heater. If I wanted to wash my hair this meant getting up at 4am!!! There was no bathroom and the toilet was a pit loo at the end of the garden.

This was a typical meal.

Vegetarian sausage

Fried onions and spinach

Mashed pumpkin

Tomato gravy

Pap

And good old tomato ketchup

I had lots of dreams about falling into the pit loo!!!

Why an Africa Day?

• Smart arts group

• Sharing good practise across departments

• Introducing Cultural Diversity

Story telling

Can you remember…..

Activities

• Drumming

• Gumboot dancing

• Mask Making

• Cooking

• Science

• African Games

• African Cup of Nations

www.hertsgeog.wordpress.com

www.gateway-africa.com/stories

www.lcd.org.uk

www.musicforchange.org

www.heritageceramics.org