Darwen teachers enjoy fact-finding trip to Bangladesh (From Lancashire Telegraph)

Darwen teachers enjoy fact-finding trip to Bangladesh

3:00pm Monday 10th November 2008 in

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TEACHERS from Darwen visited Bangladesh on a 10-day fact-finding mission.

Barbara Cocken, headteacher at St Stephen’s C of E Primary School, Tockholes, Claire Redman, assistant headteacher at Darwen Vale High School, and Emma Johnson and Sarah Stowe from Avondale Primary School travelled with Liz Alderson, a consultant from Blackburn with Darwen City Learning Centre.

The trip was organised and funded by the British Council as part of the three-year Connecting Classrooms project which aims to encourage inter-cultural dialogue.

Each partnership is entitled to £12,000 per year, for up to three years, to fund study visits, to purchase materials, and meet other costs.

The teachers have been forming links with a range of schools in Bangladesh to work on shared learning topics like climate change and challenging their perceptions of each other’s societies and cultures.

As many English school pupils come from a range of diverse backgrounds, the project is seen as an opportunity to build positive feelings in regards to their heritage and identity.

In July, teachers from Pakistan and Bangladesh visited schools in Blackburn and Darwen.

Liz Alderson said: “Our experience was so unexpectedly fantastic and different.

“It has enhanced our enthusiasm for the project.

“We are looking forward to working more closely with our Bangladeshi colleagues over at least the next three years and are excited about future visits to such a beautiful part of the world.”

Coun Chris Thayne, executive member for childr-en’s services at Blackburn with Darwen Council, said: “Young people need to be aware that they are world citizens as well as vital members of our local communities.

“I’m delighted the trip went so well and that young people and teachers in both countries are learning from each other.

“I hope the connections will continue beyond the three years of the project.”