Gymnasium Munster, Germany
8th-12th October 2008
This year we have begun a new project through the Socrates Comenius Programme, delivered by the British Council, which aims to promote understanding of others and tolerance of differences, by developing European links.
Between September 2008 and June 2010 we will be exchanging a wide range of work on the topic ‘Preserving Our Worlds’ with four other schools in Spain, Italy, Germany and Slovakia. The project will look at environmental issues but it will also examine how we can help to preserve our language, history and culture for future generations.
There will also be opportunities for the teachers to visit each school and this began when, between the 8th and 12th October, Miss Steele and Mrs Roulston received a very warm welcome at the Gymnasium Munster in Lower Saxony, Germany. During their visit they toured the school, observed lessons, talked to the teachers, tasted the food and learned a lot about the geography and history of the area. They even learned a few words of German!
They discovered that the German system is very different to ours, with 3 years at kindergarten, 4 years at primary school and up to 9 years at secondary school. In Germany pupils begin to learn English at primary school and by the age of ten most pupils have a fairly good grasp of the basic language. How this was achieved was interesting for us, as introducing foreign language learning is a fairly new concept in UK primary classrooms although we are being encouraged to incorporate it as far as possible in our curriculum.
The next face-to-face meeting of the group will be held in Kilrea Primary in March, when our pupils will get the chance to meet and entertain the visitors and hear about the other countries first hand. Before that we will be sending photographs and information about our school and homes and the ways in which we recycle to our project blogspot. Future activities will also involve conservation projects, looking at local products from each country, exports and imports, exchange of recipes and details of traditional games, songs and stories. If you want to keep up with the project please feel free to check out the website at http://preservingworlds.blogspot.com.
Other schools in the programme...
8th-12th October 2008
This year we have begun a new project through the Socrates Comenius Programme, delivered by the British Council, which aims to promote understanding of others and tolerance of differences, by developing European links.
 Prep Meeting December 2007 Muggio, Monza, Italy |  Visiting Teachers, Gymnasium Munster, October 2008 |
 Planting the Euro Flag, Gymnasium Munster, October 2008 |  Pupils entertain at Gymnasium Munster, October 2008 |
 Presentation of seeds for planting project |  Meeting Class 4 at Sullberg, Grundschule, Munster, October 2008 |
 Guided Tour of Luneberg, October 2008-10-17 |
Between September 2008 and June 2010 we will be exchanging a wide range of work on the topic ‘Preserving Our Worlds’ with four other schools in Spain, Italy, Germany and Slovakia. The project will look at environmental issues but it will also examine how we can help to preserve our language, history and culture for future generations.
There will also be opportunities for the teachers to visit each school and this began when, between the 8th and 12th October, Miss Steele and Mrs Roulston received a very warm welcome at the Gymnasium Munster in Lower Saxony, Germany. During their visit they toured the school, observed lessons, talked to the teachers, tasted the food and learned a lot about the geography and history of the area. They even learned a few words of German!
They discovered that the German system is very different to ours, with 3 years at kindergarten, 4 years at primary school and up to 9 years at secondary school. In Germany pupils begin to learn English at primary school and by the age of ten most pupils have a fairly good grasp of the basic language. How this was achieved was interesting for us, as introducing foreign language learning is a fairly new concept in UK primary classrooms although we are being encouraged to incorporate it as far as possible in our curriculum.
The next face-to-face meeting of the group will be held in Kilrea Primary in March, when our pupils will get the chance to meet and entertain the visitors and hear about the other countries first hand. Before that we will be sending photographs and information about our school and homes and the ways in which we recycle to our project blogspot. Future activities will also involve conservation projects, looking at local products from each country, exports and imports, exchange of recipes and details of traditional games, songs and stories. If you want to keep up with the project please feel free to check out the website at http://preservingworlds.blogspot.com.
Other schools in the programme...