During the visit In-country organisation Daily Daily organisation and planning Planning for a satisfying and rewarding experience for all Engagement Communicating with school and home In-country learning and teaching Developing intercultural understanding and students’ knowledge base In-country activities for developing intercultural understanding and students’ knowledge base and reflecting on the experience Personal reflection: graphic organisers Alternative ways for participants to record their experiences Curriculum programs and activities In-country activities planned or commenced prior to Post visit Post visit learning and teaching Developing intercultural understanding and students’ knowledge base Activities to enable students to reflect on intercultural experiences and knowledge base and revisit pre-departure expectations Incorporation into school programs Students returning from overseas share their learning with classmates (and partners) Sharing experience Sharing information and key learning Sharing the experience with the school community Professional learning for educators Building educator awareness of the overseas learning experience and its place in the school curriculum Maintaining partnerships Encouraging relationships with international partners to grow Reflecting on and evaluating the experience Reflection and evaluation Choosing appropriate ways to reflect on, evaluate and report on overseas learning experiences 2. Hosting visits from sister schools While undertaking visits to an overseas sister school is a high impact experience for those participating, hosting visitors from sister schools can also be a rewarding and valuable learning experience, and is generally perceived as “an opportunity to show our hospitality to repay the hospitality we have received while visiting the sister school.” Whilst the planning for hosting visits less time than planning a visit to sister schools, you shouldn’t feel pressured to host if the timing is not right and if you don’t think you have adequate time to organise hosting. Politely communicate your situation and concerns to your sister school and offer an alternative date. Schools are advised to check the on SPAG (and/or relevant sectoral guidelines) about the implications of hosting visits from overseas sister schools. This advice includes Risk management
Duty of care for visiting students Departmental policies Pre-hosting teaching and learning Planning curriculum program and activities Embedding the sister school visit in the curriculum Developing intercultural understanding and student knowledge base Activities to intercultural understanding and students’ knowledge base During sister school visit Arrival Airport pick up Involvement of host families In-school activities Welcome Classroom placement Considerations for classroom placement to continue the teaching and learning as planned Departing Gifts Certificate Farewell party Cultural protocols associated with gift giving After hosting sister school visit Post hosting learning and teaching Sharing experience Developing intercultural understanding and students’ knowledge base Activities that enable students to reflect on the hosting experience and knowledge base and revisit the pre-hosting teaching and learning goals Reflection and evaluation Reflection and evaluation Choosing appropriate ways to reflect on, evaluate and report on the hosting experience 2.3 Before hosting the visit Pre-hosting organisation Liaising/planning with sister school Careful and adequate planning will ensure the success of reciprocal visits. Hosting visits is no exception. If you have planned visits to your sister school with homestay arrangements, reverse the thinking when getting ready for hosting the visit from your sister school. In some instances, your sister school will rely on you for advice arrangements such as visa, in-country travel. Communication is the key. If communication procedures and protocols haven’t been established, it is essential that it is established at this point to ensure the free flow of information. A working committee headed by a sister school champion is highly desirable to facilitate the planning and decision making.
Delacombe Primary School China Language and cultural program Whole school partnership Reciprocal visits Leongatha Primary School Indonesia Teacher exchange Student and community exchange Language and cultural learning Loyola College France, Italy, Indonesia Reciprocal exchanges Malvern Primary School China Whole school partnership Reciprocal visits Teacher professional learning Mount Waverley Secondary College Japan, Germany Language-based program Reciprocal visits Penleigh and Essendon Grammar School China Reciprocal study tours Themed visits Long-term teacher exchanges Princes Hill Primary School Hong Kong, China Teacher professional learning Student research projects Reciprocal visits Rowville Secondary College Non-language based program Whole school partnership St Kilda Primary School Japan Language-based program Reciprocal visits Involvement of primary and high schools St Monica’s College Epping Japan Reciprocal visits Homestay arrangements 2.2 Showcasing your work Once your sister school partnership is successfully established it is worth considering sharing your learning and showcasing your work. There are a number of possible options for doing this, including: Your own school community is a good place to start when showcasing your partnership. Parents and the wider community could be engaged in an evening presentation highlighting some of the work undertaken with your partner school. This can include your students presenting on their interactions with the partner school and illustrating some of their learning. This is a useful way to keep your parent community involved and interested in the partnership. This can form part of your promotional strategy to the school community and can be particularly useful when schools require greater support from their community. Consider using this event to promote the partnership to members of the business community who may be willing to sponsor the partnership in some way. School cluster Other schools in your area / region may be interested in knowing how you have managed the process of establishing a successful partnership. It is worth remembering that you needn’t limit your presentation to only the successful elements of the partnership. Your colleagues will be interested in learning about the obstacles encountered and the strategies employed to deal with them. Sometimes this can form the most compelling part of a presentation because it highlights the fact that such ventures do not always run smoothly, but that with persistence and creative thinking,