INTERNATIONAL LINKS INTERNATIONAL LINKS
The global community
Rafi.ki is an
intellectual stakes, a venture for AS and A level French
students sets the bar even higher. Run by the Flemish
online global
regional government of Belgium, the European classes
programme invites four schools from four different
countries to choose an aspect of European legislation
learning
they would like to introduce or amend.
Following several months of preparation, participants
community,
meet up in the historic surroundings of Alden Biesen
Castle, where they present their case in any language
facilitating school links and
other than their mother tongue in a simulated Council
of Ministers debate.
For this year’s event, the Southend delegation
undertaking global projects
proposed modifying the Schengen Agreement and
setting up a European police force to counteract the
involving school children
spread of organised crime.
“We deliberately chose a controversial theme,” said
from all corners of the
head of modern languages Barbara Dresner.
“Although we lobbied hard and made concessions
planet. Alison Thomas
on our Schengen proposal, it was voted down; but the
one for a European police force went through. It was
great fun and gave the students fantastic insight into the
looks at the organisation
democratic political process.”
Clearly the experience paid handsome dividends
in action and we also focus
Today the young interviewers have moved on to The girls joined in lessons and held discussion linguistically, but there were abundant other benefits
year 9 and their Darfur file is closed. Except that once groups with their peers about the differences between too. “It was of immense value to people doing A level
on three case studies
opened, it can never be closed. When the news broke the South African and English curriculum and schools. politics and today one girl proudly informed me that
that the Sudanese president was to be charged with war On returning home they shared their impressions with in her sociology class she had been able to explain the
crimes, Ms Entwistle took a newspaper cutting into the rest of the school through PowerPoint presentations links between criminality and the absence of border
school to share with them. and displays. controls,” said Ms Dresner.
HAT IS conflict? How does “The Médecins sans Frontières are leaving. The Participating teachers feel equally privileged and “Their knowledge of geography has improved just
W
it affect the innocent victims students must be wondering about the doctor they continue to benefit both professionally and personally by being in a part of Europe that is a dynamic,
caught up in its wake? What spoke to and the patients he is leaving behind. The from the friendship. Moreover, their South African multinational crossroads. And history, of course, since
agonising dilemmas do personal link will always make them think,” she said. colleagues have left their mark in more ways than one. you can’t understand the Schengen Agreement without
refugees and aid workers Membership of Rafi.ki is one small part of the Not only did visiting staff teach some lessons, they have understanding the break-up of the Soviet bloc. While
face every day? school’s commitment to global education, a commitment given the geography department statistics, case studies we were there we also visited the European parliament,
The issues raised by that has twice earned the language college a Department and other first-hand materials that are now used in class. Maastricht, Aachen and toured a Brussels art gallery
global citizenship do not come much bigger than these for Children, Schools and Families International School You do not have to travel to far-flung destinations with a commentary in French.”
and Darfur: Impossible Choices from Rafi.ki cuts to the Award. to bring foreign culture alive. A trip to the Young Vic Last, but by no means least, it has boosted the
quick: “It is our most popular project and leads to hard- It takes many forms including diverse links abroad. to see Amazônia, which tells the story of the vanishing self-confidence of reticent girls who normally shun
hitting conversations,” said John MacNutt, director of A year 9 project on climate change with schools in rainforest, combined geography and global issues in an the limelight. “They had to speak. And they did, most
the global online learning community. Kenya and Ghana revealed that these countries face exuberant display of Brazilian music and dance. eloquently. What’s more, they enjoyed it. The universal
“Like all of our projects, it comes with lesson plans, even graver dangers than we do. A trip for years 11 Annual visits from Senegalese dancers and verdict was that this was the best school trip of their
audio-visual resources, and the chance to communicate and 12 to a link school in China inspired one student to drummers add a splash of local colour to year 8 lives,” Ms Dresner concluded.
online with people who have inside knowledge. The study geography and Chinese at university. geography, which features Senegal as an example of a
aim is to bring the curriculum alive. When students One partnership that has proved especially Less Economically Developed Country (LEDC). The • Alison Thomas is a freelance education journalist.
speak to someone on the ground, it has huge impact.” rewarding is with a school in the Eastern Cape in South choice of a francophone country is no coincidence, as
That was certainly the case for year 8 students from Africa. Collaboration has included reciprocal visits for this part of the syllabus is taught in French by modern
Further information
Southend High School for Girls in Essex when they teachers and allowed six fortunate Southend students to languages staff. Rafi.ki is an online global community working to
interviewed a member of Médecins sans Frontières. experience a way of life very different from their own. The aim is threefold: to promote cross-curricular facilitate links abroad. Schools can join for free with
“They wanted to know about the human side of The area is very poor and facilities are basic, but learning, provide linguistic challenge, and replace “silver membership” status, which gives you the chance
things,” Jane Entwistle, director of international studies, what their partners lack in material terms they make up conventional modern foreign languages content with to begin communicating with other schools worldwide.
told SecEd. “What was it like to live there? Was he for in resourcefulness. something more sophisticated and outward looking. “Gold membership” is a paid for service costing
scared? What did the people think? Did he ever wish “Our girls were amazed at the distances pupils travel The same methodology re-appears in year 10 with a £750 a year. This gives full access to all areas of the
he could come home? Even when textbooks include to school and their dedication to education. They were module on agriculture and the Normandy landings, community including all projects and resources. You
case studies, it sounds fake, as if the author has created also impressed by their culture and traditions. They which includes an excursion to France to see Second will be assigned a facilitator who will help you get
fictitious characters to bring home the point. This was a performed a wonderful dance to welcome us and they World War sites and a dairy farm. started and given support, training and advice. Visit:
real person, doing real things in a real situation.” sing most beautifully,” said Ms Entwistle. If work of this kind broadens horizons and raises the www.rafi.ki
Case study: Northfleet School for Girls, Kent
EADY-MADE EDUCATIONAL
R
projects are just one part of the Rafi.
ki service. With its bank of potential
partners from around the world,
facilitators on hand to provide help
and advice, and a safe environment
for trouble-free communication,
Rafi.ki makes an excellent platform for international
projects of your own.
Like Design4U, a business challenge for year
9 devised by the ICT, maths and business studies
departments of Northfleet School for Girls in Kent.
The brief was for young people from Morocco,
Gambia, Uganda, Ghana and the Philippines to design
logos for tee-shirts, which the English pupils would
edit, put into graphics format and print, before sending
the finished garments back to the creators. All in the
short space of four or five weeks.
“Working in teams, they started by allocating
roles such as manager and accountant, then came up
with a business plan. Everything had to be costed,
from buying the tee-shirts to producing advertising
leaflets and paying for printing and postage,” explained
Abderrahmane Benjeddi, innovations leader at the Keeping in touch: Northfleet students
business and enterprise specialist school. video-conferenced with St Augustine’s
Meeting the tight deadline was not easy, all the more School in Ghana during this year’s BETT
so as their business associates operated in different time technology show (this image and above)
zones and had limited facilities.
“In one instance, the nearest computer was an hour
away, so the teacher became the messenger, dispatching that would not have shown up. Our students had to the chain. The tee-shirts were duly printed, packaged talking, they are more interested in discussing what they
work out of school hours. That in itself was quite an explain what was wrong and how to correct it. They and sent off, to the huge satisfaction of all. have in common than where they come from. If a Man
eye-opener for our pupils,” said Mr Benjeddi. did their job very well. When the revised version The project was such a success, there are plans to United supporter links up with someone from India
Despite these hurdles, negotiations went on apace came through, it was absolutely fine,” Mr Benjeddi repeat it next year. Meanwhile, every pupil in the school who supports the same team, that is what unites them.
as manufacturers and designers discussed alterations continued. has been given access to Rafi.ki for their own personal Geographical boundaries disappear,” said Mr Benjeddi.
to initial drafts. When the big day came, a production line swung use. “Some people regularly chat online with other
“For example, one school produced a design into action, with everyone assigned to a specific link in teenagers from around the world. When they first start • Alison Thomas is a freelance education journalist.
18 SecEd • July 2 2009
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