Games Legacy for Scotland

March 11th, 2011

On your marks…

mfarrell

Comments: none Tags:  : Categories Commonwealth, Commonwealth Games, Get Set, International, Uncategorized, health and well being, olympics

Next week marks a couple of significant milestones towards the London 2012 Olympics and the Glasgow 2014 Commonwealth Games.

Monday 14^th March is Commonwealth Day, an annual celebration of the Commonwealth. To mark this occasion many local authorities and organisations are taking part in ‘Sport your trainers’ day to show support for Glasgow 2014. Why not join in on Monday? Find out more here:

https://ltsblogs.org.uk/gameslegacy/2011/03/02/sport-your-trainers-for-commonwealth-day/

The theme of this year’s Commonwealth Day is ‘Women as agents of change’.

Tuesday 15^th March marks 500 days until the opening of the London 2012 Olympic Games. One of the first events will be women’s football at Hampden.

How can we make the most of this unique opportunity to leave a lasting legacy in education? Are you aware of all the opportunities, resources, ideas and initiatives out there? Here is a list of just some of what is on offer - and there really is something for everyone!

1. Get Set - the London 2012 education programme: register with Get Set and get access to a huge range of excellent resources, opportunities and activities. Join the Get Set Network, the official reward and recognition scheme to get access to even more. There is something for all age groups from 3-18 across all curriculum areas. Each month you will receive a newsletter highlighting featured resources and opportunities such as Get Enterprising, the Get Ahead school leavers programme, Film Nation: Shorts and Two birds with one stone - a competition where you nominate one of your students who is living the Olympic and Paralympic values and receive a surprise visit from one of the 2012 mascots. Just released is Get Set to exercise your taste buds a competition to encourage healthy lifestyles. The prize is to have your meal ideas served up in the Athletes’ Village!

2. Inspire - Inspire projects are a way for non-commercial organisations to get involved in building the legacy of London 2012. Many schools are already involved in Inspire projects and can use this involvement to get onto the Get Set Network.

3. Learning for Life - Inspire/Aspire - many schools have participated for several years in the Learning for Life values poster competition. This year, the competition is an Inspire project and uses the Olympic and Paralympic values as the theme.

4. Human Race - this is an exciting 3 year project and another Inspire project exploring Scotland’s global impact on the history, culture and science of sport. And right now there is the opportunity to take part in a competition to design a sports related product to feature in a major new exhibition in 2012 during the London 2012 Olympic Games

5. Sky Sports - Living for Sport: this free initiative offers a mentor for the day to work with a group of young people who have been organising an event. And it is not just any old mentor in Scotland but a gold medal winning gymnast, Steve Frew.

6. Bank of Scotland National School Sports Week - have you registered your school sports event as part of this national event? Here is a chance to connect what you are doing to London 2012 and inspire learners to get involved.

7. Lead 2014 - are you signed up yet? Lead 2014 invites every secondary school in Scotland to send a selection of young people to take part in one of six free conferences in universities across the country. Targeted at young people aged 14+ and taking place during March and April, the day-long conferences will see university students lead workshops on event management to inspire the younger students to subsequently organise and deliver Commonwealth Games themed sports festivals within their own school community. Parallel workshops will also be run for teachers highlighting the ways in which they can support teams comprised of young leaders.

8. the Jubilee Time Capsule - 2012 marks the Diamond Jubilee of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II - that’s 60 years also as Head of the Commonwealth. The Royal Commonwealth Society want to build a unique time capsule of this time and they want to hear your stories. Pick a day from the last 60 years and tell us what happened in your family, community or country. You could interview someone, write a poem, do a drawing, take a photograph or make a film. There are 21,915 days in the last 60 years (from 6th February 1952 until 5th February 2012) and they need stories for each of them!

For more information on these and other initiatives, go to the Games Legacy area on LTS online.

March 3rd, 2011

Games Legacy: Turkey & Perth Grammar School

mconlon

Comments: 2 Comments » Tags: Tags: Games Legacy Perth, Mehmet Emin, Perth Grammar, Perth Grammar School, Perth Turkey
 : Categories Commonwealth Games, International Inspirations, olympics, turkey

Last day at school

Imagine being surrounded by children from shouting hello, wanting to shake your hand, laughing and smiling and glad to see you, eyes bright and engaged and desperate for a photo with you. This happens all the time at Perth Grammar School……

Of course I’m just messing about - we are only too aware we are new faces and I’m wearing a kilt and being invited into their classes where they put on special shows. If we were to stay any longer I’m sure they would just get used to us as they do their own teachers. But we know we will miss seeing “the little people” as one teacher called them in broken english.

Today we have have seen, amongst other things, marble painting (we got to do our own!) and drama - both excellent. In our wisdom, last night we downloaded and burned a couple of songs onto CD to teach a few Scottish Country dancing steps. We settled on Dashing White Sergeant and Strip the Willow. Kirsty then attempted with Funda to teach one of them to a class of 7 year olds…..Ok, here goes, Strip the Willow everyone….Orcadian….

Carnage!

But what a great laugh, kids loved it and it descended into chaos as they just grabbed hold of each other and birled themselves about in no particular order…

Kids are kids the world over.

March 3rd, 2011

Games Legacy: Turkey & Perth Grammar School

mconlon

Comments: 1 Comment Tags: Tags: commonwealth games, Games Legacy Perth, Mehmet Emin, Perth Grammar, Perth Grammar School, Perth Turkey
 : Categories Commonwealth Games, International, International Inspirations, olympics, turkey

Olympic legacy.

So how do we plan to have a lasting legacy for both schools through this project? I guess the first reaction when looking at the amenities at our partner school is “Give them some money so that the pupils have some decent equipment and access to opportunities in sport”. While laudable, that is really a short term answer to a long term problem so together we need to develop a plan which is going to have a life beyond the next few years. Everybody in Scotland loves an action plan with outcomes so we’re getting stuck in!!

So we are planning to effect change for the pupils and the community through a number of possibiities, the first of which is to develop young leaders through sport. Initially we will train them to lead and promote a tournament which will be the launchpad for all that we do after it. Especially in Turkey, the tournament will be a clarion call for parents, pupils and the community that we are investing in sport, developing young people and staying true to olympic ideals. We plan to have hoodies and t-shirts made for all the young leaders and the teams they set up. We have already developed a logo and motto which we will share soon!

After the tournaments we will work with the young leaders so that they can then train and inspire younger pupils in different sports and activities. They will develop responsibility, self confidence and communications skills. At all times, by wearing the hoodies and t-shirts pupils there will be high visibility for the project.

By looking at ways of using the Turkish play area - sectioning off an area for basketball/football/handball and by marking down permanent game activities on the concrete playground - hopscotch and other games - there will be more visible activity opportunities. Buying equipment like skipping ropes and balls will also help pupils access sport and activity. Special needs pupils will have equipment which could help with gross and fine motor skills that increases their opportunities for being more involved in sport.

An international inspiration club will be able to track the progress of the project and share between our schools - pupils will have the opportunity to be leaders in maintaining and strengthening our already good relationship.

As each year progresses and we train more leaders we will see a growth for both schools.

These are all ideas for the pot and we will be formalising these tomorrow at the Ankara planning day.

March 2nd, 2011

Games Legacy: Turkey & Perth Grammar School

mconlon

Comments: 1 Comment Tags: Tags: Games Legacy Perth, Mehmet Emin, Perth Grammar, Perth Grammar School, Perth Turkey
 : Categories Commonwealth Games, International, International Inspirations, Uncategorized, olympics, turkey

Let’s talk about our observations about our cultural differences AND similarities.

First off, driving is like playing Crazy Taxi or watching the Indy 500 - hundreds of cars trying to get to where they want with scant observation for any rules - cut ups, horn toots, weaving about, no attention paid to “lines on the road” - hilarious! Our driver - Assistant Head Nazif Sahin - is a genius at keeping us alive. Drivers really need to know the width of their car as gaps either side on roads are usually in centimetres and you need eyes in the back of your head. Strangely though, you do not see many cars with big scrapes down the sides or busted headlights and bumpers. You won’t see me driving when I visit again!

Culturally there is great history and tradition as there is in Scotland, along with a passion and pride in it’s heroes and it’s past. The pupils often mentioned Braveheart and we have learned of their love for Mustafa Atatürk, the founder of the modern Turkish republic - a wise man in many regards.

Our Turkish colleagues and pupils have all that you want in new friends - an excellent sense of humour, smiles, consideration, appetite for life and that good old fashioned sense of decency that can take you anywhere in the world.

Our friends here love a bowl of soup at every meal and they drink tea by the gallon - at first I didn’t enjoy it (“Any milk?”!!) but now I want at least 5 cups in a day please! We have tried LOTS of different foods, some we have really enjoyed, others…..but that’s just food for you.

We’ve visited castles and museums today, went bowling with the kids (I got gubbed) and the back to school for more planning which is what I’ll also be telling you about….

March 2nd, 2011

Sport your Trainers for Commonwealth Day!

mfarrell

Comments: none Tags:  : Categories Commonwealth, Commonwealth Games, International, health and well being

Monday 14^th March is Commonwealth Day. To mark this occasion, the Glasgow 2014 committee, have launched a campaign encouraging everyone to ‘Sport Your Trainers’ to show support for the 2014 Commonwealth Games. This is a fantastic opportunity to get involved in a fun event for young people and adults.

Different local authorities across Scotland are taking part:

Glasgow City Council are encouraging establishments to come up with interesting, innovative and unusual activities to do on 14th March, while “sporting your trainers”. It could be to walk/jog/run a mile in your trainers; it could be dance for an hour in your trainers; it could be hop on the spot for 10 minutes in your trainers; it could be … anything you can think of, so let your imagination run wild! Glasgow establishments are being encouraged to share their activities online at http://www.goglasgow.org.uk/Pages/Show/380. There you will find full details of how you can let them know what your establishment is planning to do to celebrate Sport Your Trainers and Commonwealth Day on 14th March. They have arranged for a photographer to record some of the events going on in Education Services, so please let us know about your plans.

More information on the City of Edinburgh Council’s plans can be found here:

http://www.edinburgh.gov.uk/news/article/364/sport_your_trainers_for_commonwealth_day

March 2nd, 2011

International Inspirations from Perth Grammar

mfarrell

Comments: none Tags:  : Categories Get Set, International, International Inspirations, olympics, turkey

We are delighted to welcome to the blog Depute Head Teacher Michael Conlon, whose recent posts you will have seen reporting on his reciprocal visit to Turkey from Perth Grammar School. Michael and PE teacher, Kirsty Munro, are taking part in International Inspirations, a London 2012 initiative to develop the Legacy of the 2012 Olympics beyond the UK. There are 15 Scottish schools involved in links with Turkey, 7 with South Africa and - the very first one to get involved - Islay High School, who are linked with the tiny Pacific island nation of Palau. All of the schools involved are seeking to support the development of PE and Health and well being in their partner schools, particularly through sports leadership. However, there is a very strong reciprocal element to the links with the Scottish schools benefiting greatly from the increased intercultural dialogue that enables them to add an international dimension to the curriculum and support the development of global citizenship.

We look forward to hearing more from Michael and other guest bloggers involved in these links.

Go to the Games Legacy for Scotland area on LTS online to find out more about getting involved in using the Games context to support international linking and developing global citizens across all curriculum areas.

Go to Get Set, the London 2012 educational programme to access the wealth of resources, activities and opportunities and join the Get Set Network.

Here is the full list of schools involved in International Inspirations in Scotland…

Turkey

Bannerman High, Glasgow,

Avenue End Primary, Glasgow

Auchenleck Primary, Glasgow

Caledonia Primary, Glasgow

Scotstoun Primary, Glasgow

St Ninians Primary, Glasgow

Perth Grammar, Perth and Kinross

Perth Academy, Perth and Kinross

Golspie High, Highland

Arbroath High, Angus

Lynburn Primary, Dunfermline

St Peter’s Primary, Galashiels

Grove Academy, Dundee.

Melvich/Farr Primaries, Highland

Low Port Primary, West Lothian.

South Africa

Calderglen High School, South Lanarkshire

Bucksburn Academy, Aberdeen City

Beeslack High School, Midlothian

Lasswade High School, Midlothian

St Machar Academy, Aberdeen City

Lourdes Secondary, Glasgow

Dingwall Academy, Highland

Palau

Islay High School, Argyll and Bute

March 1st, 2011

Games Legacy: Turkey & Perth Grammar School

mconlon

Comments: none Tags: Tags: Games Legacy Perth, Mehmet Emin, Perth Grammar, Perth Grammar School, Perth Turkey
 : Categories Commonwealth Games, International, International Inspirations, Uncategorized, olympics, turkey

Whew Part 2 (The sequel)!!

It’s been another eye opening experience for us here with our turkish friends. Our last sports day was held in our very own athletics arena and grandstand.

Our partner school has a little bit more difficulty…

So if International Inspiration is what we are all about, how do we address such a gap? How do we inspire both groups to participate more in sport and be active? How do we develop young leadership?

This is the challenge ahead and we aim to start by training young leaders, improving the variety of activities available to the primary schools - ours included obviously - and promoting sport by example. Today in our planning sessions we tried to address such issues.

I will never be short of amazed at the enthusiasm of the pupils at Mehmet Emin - Kirsty and I have had our picture taken a thousand times. Pupils have a break after every lesson and pupils are so full of beans when we venture into the playground that we feel overwhelmed - they need a channel for that and hopefully with the budget we can create opportunities for them.

We visited a special needs PE lesson this morning and also the cross country on the desolate wasteland (which did not dampen the students enthusiasm!). In the afternoon we visited some local High Schools - different in that pupils must sit exams aged 13/14 at the “Primary School” to gain entry. This means parents and pupils focus is often more on the academic side than the sporting side. These schools are much more like colleges and they have specific focuses e.g. Technical High School or a High School with focus on Home Economics, Fashion, Beauty and Graphic design. There was the usual gender bias in these schools as we often have in Scotland.

So another exhausting day! But one which was also filled with more good news - Perth Grammar School have won their second Green Eco Flag!!