Loading...
If you' re looking for some artefacts, books or other resources to borrow please contact us:
Jill Bailey, International Development Officer
Tel.: 01752 306392
Email: Jill.Bailey@plymouth.gov.uk
There are Ghana resources available to borrow which consist of:
VSO Global Xchange Team 95
Global Xchange aims to support the development of active global citizens, committed to working for positive change within communities.
The Global Xchange is a six month programme run by VSO and the British Council. It gives a group of 18 young people the opportunity to volunteer, learn and share valuable skills together whilst making a practical contribution to their local community. Team 95 consisted of nine people from across the UK and nine from Ghana. They worked on a wide range of community projects during their time in Plymouth, and did a huge amount of research. Check out http://www.davidjamesgreen.co.uk/plymouthghana or email susan.moores@vso.co.uk to find out more about their visit and getting involved in future programmes. For more information visit www.vso.org.uk.
______________________________________________________________________________________________________
Ghana link visit (Autumn 2008)
Gabriella Angevi and Gerry Brewer from Notre Dame RC School in Plymouth spent 10 days at Archbishop Porter RC Secondary School in Sekondi/Takoradi, Ghana.
Notre Dame and Archbishop School have been partner schools since 2006. These teachers set out to establish links between departments of the schools. Sharing resources and exchanging ideas will bring a global dimension to students' learning and understanding of other cultures.
The next step will be an exchange visit of students and teachers.
Gerry Brewer commented on the warm and generous nature of the people of Sekondi/Takoradi and the determination of the students to work hard and reach their goals.
Gabriella Angevi said; " I never thought visiting this country would have such a personal effect on me. The people are so genuine and the students so polite and fun. It is hard not to love this country. The people make you feel so good and welcome. They are always smiling and they love music and dancing- and are really good at it! It is a vibrant place full of life. Although there are people who have nothing, they are much richer in spirit in many ways and their values are something we could learn from. I believe a return visit with a group of students would be something really special and an experience they would never ever forget. It really puts a lot in to perspective. I hope we can sustain the link between the schools and that the partnership will become well embedded in to the curriculum."
______________________________________________________________________________________________________
Ghana Visit (October 2008)
Sarah White and Chun-Sun Chan from Stuart Road Primary School had volunteered their time during the October half term break to visit St. Peter's International School in Sekondi-Takoradi, Ghana. Both schools have been twinned as part of the UK- Ghana Link- specifically Sekondi-Takoradi with the city of Plymouth. This link has been established since 2003 and has enjoyed a healthy existence, with good links between both schools.
The exchange of teachers between the UK and Ghana was designed to allow teachers from both countries to swap local knowledge, resources and cultures in order to teach their respective pupils in their home schools about life in a contrasting country. Both cities are sea ports and have a wealth of history and culture to share, compare and contrast.
On this occasion, work had been planned and geared towards children producing work to be displayed in an Art Exhibition which was held in St. Peter's International School. Two other local schools were also involved in this project which also had ‘twin' schools in Plymouth. Ketan Catholic Primary School was twinned with Ernesettle Community School, whilst West Ridge Primary School was linked with Montpelier Primary School.
Through the week, both Sarah White and Chun-Sun Chan had opportunities to use art resources brought over from the UK to enhance the work that their Ghanaian colleagues had initiated. A variety of different art materials otherwise difficult or expensive to use in Ghana were used. These items included gold spray paint, poster paints and pastels. Children were also taught printing techniques using cardboard blocks with string and vegetables cut into shapes based around local symbols in the Ashanti culture.
Through the week, there was also the opportunity for the UK teachers to visit each others' twinned schools. The contrasts were astounding. St. Peter's International School is a public school and well funded privately with relatively small class sizes (the average class size was approximately 45), whilst Ketan and West Ridge Primary Schools are state funded with typical class sizes of 60 and above. St. Peter's also boasts an air conditioned ICT Suite and new assembly hall with capacity for over 500 people, whilst the one of the other two schools did not have electricity or running water for sanitary facilities.
As well as teaching local children, Chun-Sun Chan and Sarah White also accompanied pupils on field trips learning about local wildlife, habitats and of a castle in a nearby town of El Mina used for the Slave Trade over two hundred years ago. These field trips were planned and featured as part of the work done towards the Art Exhibition at the end of the week.
All UK teaching staff that went on this visit enjoyed the warmth and hospitality of their Ghanaian colleagues and were made to feel very welcome and supported in their work done in their respective twinned schools. Ghanaian staff helped their UK counterparts to find and purchase a variety of Ghanaian artefacts and resources which could be help in the teaching of Ghana as a topic in their UK schools. Items included African wood carvings, pictures, fabrics, jewellery and music recordings.
This visit proved to be very rewarding on personal and professional levels and allowed us to witness first hand how teaching and learning takes place in another part of the world. It allowed us to reflect on our work as teachers back in the UK and to further strengthen our links with Ghana, by making some amazing new friends too.
Whilst we were in Ghana were also took several photographs which show how different life is in Ghana and in their schools. Its aim was also to illustrate how daily life and culture is very different to that in the UK.
We showed the children in the Early Years Unit our photographs in the form of a slide show and displayed the resources that we had purchased. The children were fascinated by the resources and discovered for themselves the colourful life that people lead in Ghana.
Some photographs featured Barnaby Bear. The children in the Early Years Unit have used Barnaby Bear as part of their PSHE programme of work, this was extended by taking him along to Ghana and taking pictures of him in different situations. The children have enjoyed their past experiences and stories with Barnaby Bear and had developed an affinity for him. Through Barnaby Bear it was possible for children to be told about what was experienced in Ghana. The photographs taken helped support Spencer's account of what happened in Ghana and proved to be an effective way to communicating our Ghanaian experiences to the children.
Children were also taught a ‘Ghanaian style dance' which was done to some Ghanaian music (available on CD as a resource bought back from Ghana), as well as how to greet people in the nativity language of Ashanti.
The work done in Ghana with printing using Ashanti symbols using carved potatoes was repeated back in the UK. Again, the children showed great enthusiasm and enjoyment through this activity. Children were also told how each symbol had a different meaning.
In conclusion, the visit supported by staff recounts, photographs, short video clips, Ghanaian art, crafts, textiles, jewellery and books had ignited the children's enthusiasm for learning about Ghana. To teaching staff concerned it proved to be rewarding on personal and professional levels and it was possible to make comparisons and contrasts with the UK and Ghana with children as well. This helped broaden the children's concept of their place in the world and the UK within a wider context.
______________________________________________________________________________________________________
Ghana comes to Lipson Vale Primary School
On Thursday 29th April 2010 two Ghanian visitors, who were part of a contingent of teachers visitiing Plymouth for 3 weeks, came to speak to children in Years 3 and 4 at Lipson Vale Primary School about life in Ghana. This supported the curriulum project on which the children were embarking about the continent of Africa and the country of Ghana in particular.
The visitors showed the children various traditional objects which they found fascinating. These included a chef's school, a traditional drum and a woven robe. The children learnt a great deal from this first hand experience and class teacher Anne West commented 'It was a pleasure to meet such friendly and cheerful people who are clearly so proud of their culture'.
Lipson vale has recently established a link with Bethel Methodist Primary School School in Sekondi - Takoradi and this visit really brought that into focus for the children.
Kathryn Caves - Lipson Vale Primary School