4 June 2014
Connecting our Classrooms from Lebanon to Lytham
LSA Technology and Performing Arts College has been developing international links with Rawdah High School, Lebanon as part of a connecting classrooms project to boost global education.
The visit took place at LSA High School during the week of May 12th and included four members from our partner school in Lebanon. The Head of Secondary and Primary English along with the Head Teacher and one pupil spent 4 days exploring our school and curriculum experiencing our way of life both in school and out.
During the week of events, our visitors engaged in lessons teaching Arabic and attending lessons in English, Media Studies, Drama, Food Tech and Art. They showed us how to cook traditional Lebanese bread and also tasted our fantastic menu from the LSA canteen.
As part of our project, “Walk a mile in my Shoes”, Teachers shadowed each other including our Head Teacher Mr Wood who was shadowed by Mr Chalhoub, the Head Teacher from Rawdah High school.
Mr Chalhoub said, “The visit to LSA exceeded my expectations and the staff and students were very welcoming. We certainly saw many similarities between our schools and were shown many outstanding activities that the school teaches in its curriculum. “
Mr Wood commented that it was a very unique experience to host another Head Teacher and his colleagues from a country outside of Europe. I had the pleasure to spend some time with Mr Chalhoub discussing our school systems and found it interesting to hear that we really are not that dissimilar. Students and staff here at LSA are very lucky to have such opportunities that enable us to engage with others globally and we pride ourselves in being a leader in global school partnerships. We look forward to forging a long term partnership with Rawdah High School.
Connecting Classrooms is a UK government and British Council education initiative. LSA has been selected in recognition of its commitment to teaching students about global issues. Teachers and students are working with Rawdah High School in Lebanon to learn how to become responsible global citizens and to develop skills to work in a global economy. Schools across the UK can benefit from a range of support offered by the scheme.
Sandra Underwood, School Link Coordinator from LSA Technology and Performing Arts College said:
“Our students were very excited about the visit and really engaged in all of the activities that we put together to show our visitors that LSA offers an outstanding and diverse curriculum. The performance by the choir was magnificent as was the award winning Drama performance. But more than that, the students embraced the visit with curiosity and learned a lot about another culture seeing that it’s not all about what you hear and see portrayed by the media rather we live very parallel lives. I am very much looking forward to my visit to Rawdah High School in Beirut this October.”
Katia Tajeddine ”Being part of the Connecting Classrooms Program and partnering with a school in the U.K. have enabled RHS students to come a step closer to becoming the tolerant, cultured, peace-making, and moral global citizens that we aspire to nurture in our school.” Mr Chalhoub, Head Teacher at Rawdah High School said, “We firmly believe that an international dimension is an essential part of our curriculum, thus we view this partnership as an imperative means to achieving our school mission which states that we aim for our students to be noble and responsible leaders in a global community.
