Games Legacy for Scotland

All posts in the ‘turkey’ Category

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: 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!!

February 28th, 2011: Games Legacy: Turkey & Perth Grammar School; mconlon; Comments: 8 Comments » Tags: Tags: Games Legacy Perth, Mehmet Emin, Perth Grammar School, Perth Turkey
: Categories Commonwealth Games, International, International Inspirations, Uncategorized, olympics, turkey

Whew!!!

It’s been non stop for Grammar staff in our first visit to a Turkish school in the capital city, Ankara. Kirsty Munro (PE) and I (Michael Conlon, Depute) are here to complete a plan with our partner school, Mehmet Emin Yurdakul Primary School, which will help to increase participation in sport, develop young leaders, build an appreciation of what sport can do for us in every aspect of our lives and taking the opportunity to take part.

Today has been our first visit to the school after our travelling days - 3 flights! - and yesterday meeting up and visiting places of culture in Ankara. It’s going to be a busy week!!Perth Grammar school programme

I decided to wear my kilt to the school and all day I have felt like a movie star - the pupils have been fantastically engaging and interested, desperate to say hi and take pictures. Many of the younger pupils performed tradition dances and tales and we visited lots of classes where we saw nothing but smiles and laughter (must be the knees). It was a great opportunity for some of the pupils to practice their English and laugh at our efforts to say hello and goodbye!

Our first big impressions are how valuable being here is, in our understanding of the culture and the possibilities for our partner project. It really has made us appreciate what we have in Scotland and the investment in sport that exists there. A big eye opener is seeing what limited facilities they have for developing Physical Education, only an outdoor play area, but also how keen their desire to change this and push the understanding that a healthy active lifestyle will contribute greatly to the chances young pupil have in academic success and overall wll-being.We have had a fantastic day and hope to be able to support Mehmet Emin in developing their Active Schools as we develop our.

We made good friends today.