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Why Link?
I have often been asked this question, however
perhaps more often, why and how I became involved in linking. I think, perhaps,
the best way to answer the former is to answer the latter.
On 20th July 2001, I attended the UKOWLA
conference in Leamington Spa. I was a little overwhelmed at the beginning –
everyone seemed to know each other, everyone was already doing – I was there to
learn.
There was a moment within the weekend in which
linking became real to me. I listened to the lecture, ‘North/ South Linking
Partners: Who Benefits’ by Dr. Daleep Mukarji. I was inspired and suddenly
linking, for me, made sense.
It had seemed an impossible concept – equality
in the face of complete inequality. Dr. Mukarji talked about, "bonds of
friendship across barriers." He said that you need to believe in the link, that
it takes patience, time, energy and effort, that there need to be key leaders on
both sides who are committed. He discussed how you need to deal with attitudes
and expectations / perceptions and accepted that money is an issue in linking,
money brings with it power and it is unequal. Raising money can become fun in
itself but it can also become divisive.
He went on to discuss the benefits, he said
that they began in the North:
1. Individuals learn and change. They
understand and become active.
2. Communities benefit, links help people to get to know each other, there is a
sense of belonging and purpose.
3. Education happens in the North and begins to communicate to a wider network.
4. There begins to be a sense of a multi-cultural community, a movement for
justice and for change. Leadership for international development. There is
attention in numbers, ordinary people begin to be concerned with issues of
justice. In this way, it does begin to make a difference.
5. We are able to discuss issues and concerns with others.
6. We become advocates for each other, not just friends, the concept of 'What
are you doing for one world?'
7. There begins to be the feeling that you can make a difference because you are
not alone. You can feel empowered.
and then it begins to benefit people in the
South. But with this relationship comes problems:
1. Ideas and
projects are more likely to succeed when the ideas come from the North. Is
this right?
2. The North can become dominant though, just support through money is not
linking.
3. Problems with Visas, for example a village woman could not get a visa because
immigration could not understand why she would return.
4. We have the problem of trying to make partners like us.
I remember, very vividly, listening,
understanding and feeling that a sense of what I believed in was defined in
front of me. I reflected on our small school link with which I was involved and
thought about whether I was doing enough, whether I had the right ideas, whether
I needed more energy and more action.
It was a moment of change and, as I was
frantically scribbling notes on the lecture at one end of my exercise book, my
mind was longing for me to turn to the back and cover it with ideas – ideas of
what our link could become and what it could be, ideas about what I could do and
a real excitement in the idea that I could visit our partners and learn.
There were questions and ideas that I recorded
from the lecture and I challenged myself with them then:
To truly listen, change is necessary.
Change is not easy.
How can we honestly be friends?
How can we honestly help each other?
We must face the unequal world before we can face 'One World.'
Education, Health, Poverty.
'Love your neighbour and do good for them.'
Can we really have a one neighbourhood world?
Linking will challenge and change...
We need to start with what we know.
We need to look for entry points in the school curriculum.
The question should be, not what should I do for them, but what can I learn
from them.
But now I know that linking is about people,
about friendship and about learning. Above all else, spending time with your
partner makes you reassess yourself and that is something that everyone should
experience.
Internationalism at Polesworth
Our
internationalism is rooted in four fundamental beliefs:
1.
We gain a greater understanding of ourselves when we can see
through the eyes of another;
2.
No culture has a monopoly of wisdom or expertise: we can all
learn from each other;
3.
Our world is both a huge village, whose diversity we have to
celebrate, and a tiny planet, whose future we have to safeguard;
4.
We are all brothers and sisters under the skin.
Our
International links enable us to create a sense of mission
•
In staff: Fuel the fire of vocation & passion for teaching
•
In students: Inspire grand ambition & passion for learning
•
Standards of achievement are driven up-
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First by emotions & relationships
- Second by dreams & ideas
- Lastly by logic & strategic plans
We also aim to improve our practice by;
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Exchange, adapt & implement the best ideas from around the
globe- system/school/subject/classroom
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Stimulate reflection on one’s own practice-compare & contrast
By linking you can change the world by;
•
Promoting respect for diversity in language, culture, faith &
lifestyle
•
Raise awareness of global issues – human rights, fair trade &
sustainable development
•
Combating racist attitudes, stereotypes & myths
•
Fostering a sense of social justice & a belief that individual
actions can change the world.
Sharon Leftwich
Internationalism and Development Education Co-ordinator
Polesworth High School
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