The purpose of the
ISSE program is to arrange for each classroom of a school to be visited
by 11-year-old ambassadors from the partner school (See section V).
Thus the Host Coordinator and the Visiting Adult must work closely together
to be sure the Visiting Team is used in a constructive manner. It is
important that the school schedule and the host teachers are as flexible
as possible during this visiting time. The Visitors have come as a curricular
resource and should not be regular participants in 5th or 6th grade
except grade except as permitted by their schedule of Visitors' activities.
The job they have come to do must have first priority.
School schedules for the Visitors should balance
"play" and "work" so there are varied opportunities
for the Visitors to develop close relationships. Host teachers and the
Visiting Adult should reach a joint agreement on goals. Many schools
schedule the Visitors in class with their hosts for the first few days,
though if the language barrier is too great and the Visitors do not
understand the academic work, other plans must be made. In any case,
after the Visitors begin to feel at home in the school, they should
be involved with as many individuals and classes as possible. Schools
usually hold welcome and farewell assemblies to officially open and
close the ISSE participation. Both schools should take part in these
celebrations.
The first day of school the Visiting children
will be anxious to meet alone and compare notes with each other. Host
children should expect this and not feel left out and upset. Some schools
present small gifts to the Visiting team on their first day. In an U.S.
school, for instance, these might be T-shirts and gym bags, which can
be put to use immediately. Such gestures help break the ice and will
be treasured souvenirs later on.
To involve all students at the Host school as
well as their teachers, different classes might plan special ISSE projects
each week. An ISSE bulletin board might be sponsored by several groups.
Some Host students could help the Visitors introduce their language
to the entire school over the public address system (if there is one),
or in person in various classes each morning. All classes, kindergarten
through sixth grade, will meet and talk with the Visitors during the
Visit. Games, songs, and skits can be used, and Visitors will try to
adjust their individual class presentations to the different grade and
interest levels. Some schools devote afternoons to Visits to the younger
grades, giving the morning hours to fifth and sixth graders.
The Coordinator should meet weekly with Host
parents to evaluate the master schedule and see how things are going.
School meals for the Visitors are paid for by some schools, while other
schools arrange for the Host parents and children to cover this expense.
This must be made clear when the program is undertaken. Arrange for
the Visiting delegation to give their main assembly program early in
the visit. This will allow other children to know who the Visitors are
and create more warmth for and interest in the ISSE program. The Host
Coordinator and the Adult from the Visiting school should consider almost
daily how effective the classroom visits have been, and how to make
them more effective during the coming days. The Adult will often be
with the Visiting children and at times may teach certain classes on
his/her own. Also, the Adult should have time to talk informally with
teachers, visit other schools, meet with community groups, etc...
Plan to take Visitors to visit one or two other
elementary schools in your community. It is interesting for them to
see what other schools in your country are like, and it is an excellent
way for other schools to get a taste of the ISSE experience. The visit
might include three parts: being shown around the school by a few sixth
graders, attending an interesting class where there can be interaction
with local children, and a short assembly program put on by the Visitors.
The whole visit need last no longer than an hour or two. It can be fun
for both the Visiting team and the other school, and perhaps the other
school will become interested in joining the ISSE program so it can
have its own partner school.
It would be useful if the Hosting school can
provide a room to be used by the Visitors from the partner school to
display pictures, maps, and other items they have brought with them.
Perhaps this room is the place for the Host school classes to come,
on a schedule, one, two, or more times for joint sessions with the Visitors.
At the very least, the Host school should provide a small area for the
Visitors to plan, leave notebooks or lunches, or for the teacher to
hold individual or small group conferences.
Because of their irregular schedule, there may
well be times when the Visitors are bored or tired. Suggest that they
work on their journals, allow them to go to the library, or go out on
an errand. Simple relaxation and letter writing need some time. Local
sightseeing, with or without Host children, could be arranged for such
times, perhaps escorted by a school parent or community friend. After
the Visit is over, it can be very useful to get Host families to write
some sort of evaluation of the program. These can be given to the ISSE
Coordinator and considered by the ISSE Committee.
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