WEBSTER'S SCHOOL NOTES, NOVEMBER 12, 2009
Kenyan Visitors: Webster's High School has been successful in their application for year two of the Global Curriculum Project grant funded by the Department for International Development (DFID) through their Global School Partnerships scheme.
Webster's l initiated the link with Litein High School (an all-boys school) in Kenya back in 2007. Last session's (08/09) highly successful projects were based on English and Pupil Care and Support (PCS), developing creative writing and training HIV peer educators. The joint creative writing publication JAMBO is now on sale in the Kirriemuir bookshop and will also be sold at school parent evenings and events.
This session's grant will fund a range of projects relating to different subjects (e.g. ICT, Maths and Science) agreed between the partner schools. It will also partly fund a staff and pupil exchange.
The Mathematics projects involve comparing teaching themes and techniques in both schools, examining the differences between prices for local and imported goods in each country and also exercises which entail Fair Trade, weather statistics and carbon footprints.
With ICT, the aim is to create a website for Litein High School and a video on the life in both schools and communities.
PCS hopes to, with pupil participation, resolve conflict through peer educators and raising awareness of issues in Kenya and the UK.
Two teachers and two pupils from each school will take part in the exchange. The Litein High School staff and pupils are: Daniel Langat (head of Maths), Kennedy Korir (head of the Computing Department), Jacob Ogwonyo (aged 15 years) and Albert Langat (aged 16 years); they have just completed two weeks in Kirriemuir engaging with the staff and pupils at Webster's on this session's projects (see photograph on Byte Size).
The two boys worked with S2 Geography classes, following the Kenya unit. They also spoke at school assemblies on Human Rights topics and attended some of the school's multiple extra-curricular activities (e.g. the senior singers' choir, creative writing club).
They also participated in a game of football after school, taught pupils Swahili at lunchtime and, last Tuesday, went on a farm visit which proved to be a novel experience for them. The fortnight has proved a tremendous learning experience for all parties.
Webster's High staff Mr. Clark (ICT) and Mrs Murray (History and PCS), along with senior pupils Jamie Cowie and Kayleigh Keith, will be visiting Kenya in June next year. Their visit will conclude the projects developed throughout the session.
Army Visit: Last week Webster's seniors welcomed to the school a major who had recently returned from serving in Afghanistan. He spoke about his experiences and how the Afghan people do not fall into our stereotypes of men with long beards etc. He explained how peaceful methods of giving food and aid and trying to befriend the people in Afghanistan were not always easy for the British soldiers employed in this work.
During his time in Afghanistan, the major had to train civilians to fight so they could then be placed on the front-line in the South of Afghanistan to fight against the Taliban.
He claimed it was not always easy to encourage the men to fight in the south, not because they had no pride, but simply because their patriotism was attached to their clans and not their country.
Many of them were also extremely frightened having had very little time to train and prepare for war. This was an incredibly interesting talk and gave the seniors a thought-provoking insight into the lives of our soldiers serving in the East.
TARGE: The Kirriemuir WarGames Society hold its annual conference in the school next weekend. This is a big event which usually takes place in the Town Hall. There were will be a lot of tables operating and many enthusiasts taking part, but the event is also open to visitors.
Go along on Saturday and find out more. You are guaranteed a most interesting time.
Science Week: From November 1 to 6 Science Week was held in Webster's to develop pupils' understanding of the scientific workings of our world.
This is the second time such an event has been organised. It involved a tremendous lot of hard work, depends on a lot of support for the universities and is extremely ambitious. But it was such a success last year that it was decided to run it again.
Years first to third took part in a wide variety of activities: Professor Ellington gave first year an RSE Lecture on "A Guided Tour of our Universe" and Abertay University, Dundee University, Herriot Watt, Edinburgh University, Glasgow University and St Andrews University all put on workshops and involved the pupils in numerous scientific activities, which were enjoyed by all.
It was a highly educational week but also full of fun and the contributions from the visitors were much appreciated by staff and pupils alike.
So once again Science Week was very successful in conveying the importance of science to our world today.
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Weather for Brechin
Thursday 24 May 2012
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