UK- Saudi Arabia Contact SeminarApril 2012

Welcome

British Council team

Stephen Hull, Grant Awards Manager, Connecting Classrooms, London

Anas Idrees, Project Coordinator, Connecting Classrooms, Saudi Arabia

British Council?

British Council Schools

What is Connecting Classrooms?

Professional Development for Internationalising

Education

Collaborative Curriculum

Projects

International School Award

Connecting Classrooms works in:

•China•Central & South Asia•East Asia•India & Sri Lanka•Latin America & Caribbean•Middle East & North Africa •Sub-Saharan Africa.

Promotional Film

The Programme ScheduleSubmission of Year 1 Project Plan - Deadline: 31 March 2012

Activity in Year 1:1 April 2012 to 31 March 2013

Joint Curriculum Projects

Submit Travel Plan 2 months before visit date

£4,500 Travel grant (split between UK and Middle East)

Visit from Saudi Arabia to UK

Submission of Year 1 Report and Year 2 Project Plan - Deadline: 31 March 2013

Activity in Year 2:1 April 2013 to 31 March 2014

Joint Curriculum Projects

Submit Travel Plan 2 months before visit date

£4,500 Travel grant (split between UK and Middle East)

Visit from UK to Saudi Arabia

Submission of Final Report - Deadline: 31 March 2014

Programme Overview:

Day 1: Getting to know each otherand our education systems

Day 2: Visit to a Saudi School

Day 3: Identifying and agreeing project themes and activities

Day 4: Finalising the Project Plan

Introductions

Introduce yourself to somebody you don’t know

5 minutes

Tell us something about your new colleague

Introduce yourself to somebody you don’t know

5 minutes

Tell us something about your new colleague’s job or school

Coffee Break

Exploring Cultural Perceptions, Similarities and Differences

Cultural Perceptions

Cultural Similarities and Differences

How might cultural diversity affect your partnership?

How might cultural diversity affect your partnership ?

Miscommunication Assumptions about each other

Unwillingness to tackle problems

Ways schools work

Respect for elders

Expectations of money

Working day

Time keeping

Teaching styles

Expectations of hosting:

“When I come to you I am a resource, when you come to me you are an honoured guest.”

Education Systems Discussion

Education Systems: Discussion•Who runs the school?

•What is the management structure of the school?

•What is the role of the Head Teacher/Principal?

•What is the teaching style?

•How stable is your education system – is it going through changes?

•What are the roles of private, state and faith schools?

•What age to pupils start and end compulsory education?

•What subjects are compulsory?