When the 'Saints' got together!

Twinning up with another school on a local level was a novelty for both schools concerned... but the teachers and pupils of St Joseph Junior School, Sliema, and San Anton Early School, L-Imselliet, took the plunge with enthusiasm and at the end of the project, both sides agreed that it had been a total success!

The year-long project started in October and came to an end in early June. The idea to team up originated by a mutual wish to develop and foster on an educational level a positive social relationship previously established between the two schools. The schools decided to embark upon a locally-based twinning project that was both educationally valid and sound for the pupils and practical for both schools to carry out.

The underlying rationale was to extend school boundaries, to enhance co-operation between Maltese schools, to encourage teachers to meet and share ideas, and to encourage the pupils to get to know children from other schools and make friends.

An interesting aspect of this project was that the participating schools come from different sectors of the Maltese educational system: Church and independent, and this was an excellent opportunity to celebrate diversity and exploit common features to the benefit of both schools.

The two schools were aware of their respective individual limitations and common constraints, namely, time, space, resources and the curriculum. The most feasible solution was to work on an activity which both schools normally carry out during the scholastic year so that not much additional work would be involved and the teachers would welcome the project rather than view it as a burden.

The activity chosen was the two schools' Open Day, which is a major event on both school calendars. The schools agreed to link their Open Days by means of a common theme: Numbers.

The schools' representatives discussed the different ways in which the irrespective school usually organises its Open Day: San Anton School teachers work around a common topic all throughout the early school. Their work is mostly based on craft work and displays that the classes build up along the year. This work is eventually displayed in class and on the display boards outside the classrooms along the school corridors.

St Joseph School teachers, on the other hand, usually choose their own theme and organise activities related with this theme all throughout the day. The parents are invited to come and watch their children participate in these activities.

This diversity in the way Open Days are organised in the two schools was not seen as an obstacle, but rather as a positive aspect of this project as the teachers could learn from each other and develop new ideas.

On April 1 St Joseph pupils were invited to view the excellent work prepared by the teachers and pupils of San Anton. They also picnicked on the grounds and games were organised to encourage the children from both schools to mix and become friends.

The day was rounded off with an enjoyable singing session of rhymes all having to do with numbers. The host children presented the guest children with a small token to mark the day and the success of the project.

On June 1 San Anton classes reciprocated the visit. The youngest classes from both schools enjoyed practical activities in class, helped by some parents. Activities were organised in different areas and the children were given the opportunity to move from one activity to another.

The older classes prepared a show of games and songs for the guest children in the school hall. At the end of the day, the guest children were presented with a memento and the project came to an end with enthusiastic singing and dancing in the hall where all pupils, teachers and staff participated with glee!

Twinning was a challenge for both schools, and yet the educational and social benefits that were derived from this project overcame all difficulties and problems. This activity served to pave the way for further twinning activities on a local or international basis in the future.