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School’s forging links with Mumbai
REACHING OUT ... Mortimer students have been twinned with an Indian community school. From left, front, teacher Neville Jilla, pupil Chloe Ross and teacher Emma Doherty.
PENPALS at a South Tyneside school are breaking down cultural barriers after linking up with pupils in India.
Year Seven students at Mortimer Community College have put pen to paper to share their experience of education in the UK with their Indian counterparts.
In turn, students at the Shree Vitthalrao Joshi school in Mumbai have written about their life in the classroom.
The project is being led by teacher Neville Jilla, who visited the Indian school last August.
Mr Jilla, who used to work in Mumbai before joining Mortimer Community College 12 years ago, said: “In India, education is very expensive for people to afford.
“The school is teaching their students in English, making these students the first generation to do so.
“The project gives pupils here a different perspective on how others view their education, while, in turn, helping the students out in India.”
A total of 45 11 and 12-year-old pupils are taking part in the project. As well as writing letters, the youngsters are also learning about India and its cultures. Student Hollie Coldwell, 11, said: “We have received letters from the school in India, and we’ve done some research on where the school is.
“It’s very exciting. Schools in India are very different – their days last a lot longer.”
Craig Robe, 11, added: “They have told us about what it is like at their school, and what they do to have fun.
“They also wrote about mallakhamb – a sport where they do acrobatics on a wooden pole.
“The school over there sounds a lot stricter, and I’m just glad our days are not as long as theirs!”
Emma Doherty, a teacher at Mortimer Community College in Reading Road, South Shields, said: “The pupils are really enjoying writing letters, and find it interesting learning about their culture.
“The letter writing is also helping them with their communication and literacy skills, as well as reaching people in the wider world.”
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Wednesday 23 May 2012
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