International Week

Context:

This programme of activities comes from a rural but multicultural district of Norway. More than 40 nationalities and four main religions are represented in this junior school, which likes to think of itself as a “world in miniature”. Multicultural links have almost become a “brand” of the school. It is important to see the programme over a seven year perspective, from 1st to 7th forms.

Objectives: general

• To focus on what is common for all cultures
• To emphasise and show cultural aspects of two-cultural families and teachers’ use of mother tongue
• To strengthen the multicultural environment of the school and families’ relationships to it and the local community
• Increase multicultural awareness and pride of home cultures
• Affirm position of teachers of mother languages and help them become known
• Increase sense of unity among the children
• Enrich all our lives by sharing and performing aspects of different cultures

  Specific to multicultural play (1st form)

  • Learn about each other by playing games and singing songs from the various countries we come from

  Specific to national costumes (2nd form)

  • See and draw them

  Specific to drama activities (2nd form)

  • Dramatise the ‘same’ fairy tale in the way it is told in the different cultures

  Specific to games (indoor and outdoor) (3rd form)

  • Learn to play new games

  Specific to fairy tales (4th form)

  • Read and perform different fairy tales from different countries

  Specific to children’s rights

  • Learn about children’s rights

  Specific to international dancing (5th form)

  • Learn dances from different countries

  Specific to art - illustrating a story (5th form)

  • Listen to the ballet suite by Igor Stravinsky King Kastsjeis dance from ‘The Firebird’
  • Listen to the story of the Firebird and make appropriate illustrations

  Specific to international food (6th form)

  Learn to make dishes from different countries

  Specific to human rights (6th form)

  • Learn about some human rights

  Specific to United Nations (7th form)

  • Learn about the origin of the UN

  Specific to Work of Peace (7th form)

  • Find out about peacemakers

  Specific to Antiracism (7th form)

  • Find out about work against racism in Norway and other places

Teaching strategies:

Start the week with an assembly, with children in national costumes joining a parade, and singing the school song as well as other songs

During the week have an international evening when families come to school with traditional food from their home countries, and children perform for their parents

Finish with a closing ceremony, with a performance and invited guests.

During the week there is a good deal of group work, with role plays, singing and dancing, story telling, cultural films, project work, use of the internet and formal teaching.

When Ramadan does not coincide with the 24th of October, United Nations Day, it is also celebrated, with representatives from the local Evangelical Church, a Mosque and the Human Ethical Organisation, all speaking about Human Rights in light of their religious or secular standpoint.

Partnership:

Teachers of the mother tongues have a central role. The school coordinator for multicultural activities organises the week with a schedule of activities etc. Teachers vary in their work but try to contribute to the topic in their form teaching.

Parents join in the telling and showing of things from their countries such as food making, dancing and singing.

Other local and international entertainers often perform at the opening and closing ceremonies.

A multicultural school-committee with representatives from the local church and mosque as well as teachers, plays an important part.

Themes addressed:

• Cultural aspects of the many countries represented in the school
• Knowledge, respect and tolerance of different cultures
• United Nations Day, 24 October (see example below)

Target group/size of group:

Whole classes aged between 6 and 12

Persons involved:

See partnership above

Description of activity

Time needed for preparation and implementation:

The week involves the whole school, so preparation in advance is necessary. Preparation of class activities with different topics is variable, though lessons should be prepared several weeks ahead of use.

Making a school song is very important, as it is used not just in the week but also throughout the year.

Instructions (unfolding of the activity):

See teaching strategies above

Teaching/pedagogical materials and equipment used:

Many and various!

• The School song (Music available from contact person below)

We come from Lommedalen, Baghdad and Drammen, Pakistan, Karasjokk and the US!
We bring along language and lost of dialects; we understand each other well!
We speak Kurd and “drammenser” here. WE talk Urdu, Arabic and German!
But we are Rykkinn-people, and we are just as good, no matter where we originate!

We come from Senegal, Skui and Kabul, Denmark, Somalia and Kurdistan!
We bring our music, songs and dancing, and we see that it is possible to live in harmony!
We play tabla, djembe and sitar here. WE dance zorba, polka and reel!
Father Jacob we sing in many tongues, we sing it our way!

We come from Tromso, Paris and Morocco, Kosova, Lebanon, Nesby’n and Kjerr!
The food we like can be different, but most of it we can get here.
We like couscous – mild or hot! We smell from garlic, chilli, fish and “Klubb”
Most of it tastes nice!

We come from Haugesund and Palestine, from the Philippines, Drobakk and Ski!
Our ideas can be different, but our thoughts are free!
We celebrate Christmas, Easter and 8th March. WE celebrate Id and Ramadan.
But on 17th May together we march, to celebrate all that we can.

We left closed down farms and factories; we left famines, wars and storms.
Here we found work, safety and sunshine; here we live well!
We play football, drums and tennis here; we join youth clubs and go skiing.
We are Gommerud kids, and we are just as good, no matter where we originate!

• Songs like Brother James (or John) in different languages, e.g. Frere Jacques, Fader Jacob, Waaryaa Jaamac, Baba Jacob, Pater Jakob, Voae Jakob, Bab Yakob, Panie Janie.
• Different games e.g. roofball, pairs, colour game, fire-fire; we have blowing competitions.
• Flags from different countries
• Sports equipment

Appraisal

Avoid Ramadan.

The week is the climax of the whole year, and is looked forward to by children at the school, parents, older children who have left, and is really enjoyed by all.

It is easier as we collect ideas from previous years and have more to draw on each time.

Further evaluation:

The enthusiasm of the parents when contributing with lots of delicious food from all corners of the world on our International evening makes a real difference to the evening and increases the anticipation of the children.

Some of the parents who don’t normally join in social meetings at the school throughout the school year find that the International evening is well worth supporting.

Cooperation with the teachers of the mother tongues really contributes to a more varied cultural diversity. These teachers are very important for the pupils during this week, because they get a more central role for all children in the school.

The fact that we organise this week every year, contributes to a multicultural identity for ethnical Norwegian children as well as children with other cultural backgrounds; differences become an enriching strength.

Some examples of how enriching can be seen in the questions for discussions amongst the older pupils, enabling them to learn more about each other

• Can Muslims or children from other religions go to the local church?
• What’s the difference between taking part in a service and joining in when visiting an old church with its history and symbols?
• Can Muslims join in on a Pilgrim-walk through our local community, following in the footsteps of our forefathers?
• Can Muslims have girlfriends and boyfriends?
• Can Muslim boys have girlfriends, while the girls can’t have boyfriends?
• Are Norwegian girls “whores” because they dress in clothes showing their bare stomach and have boyfriends?
• Do Norwegian girls deserve as much respect as Muslim girls?
• Is it necessary to wear a “hijab” to be a good Muslim?
• Must other people concern themselves about somebody wearing a hijab?
• Everybody who wants to wear his or her hijab in the classroom can, but nobody can wear a cap. Is that fair or unfair?
• Is it better to be a Muslim than a Christian or vice versa?
• Is it possible not to believe in anything?
• Are those who don’t celebrate Christmas to be pitied?
• Are those who fast to be pitied?
• Al Qaeda is an Islamic organisation. Are all Muslims members or supporters?
• Must all Muslims support holy war?
• Are Muslims to blame for 9.11?
• Are God and Allah two different gods, or are they the same?

EXAMPLE OF UNITED NATIONS DAY

24th October: The United Nations day – gathering in the hall.

In the Spring of 2004 the school invited representatives from the local mosque, the local congregation, the Human ethical Organisation, the organisation of the parents and teachers particularly interested to a multicultural meeting on ”Values”. The aim was to work out common values for the school and the groups mentioned. The school emphasized the importance of grown-ups showing each other respect and standing up for some of the same, important values between humans. The meeting was most successful, the church and the mosque expressing a wish for a better and closer relationship. All representatives emphasized the role UN and Human Rights play. With this in mind, the school invited the representatives from a mosque, an Evangelical church and the Human Ethical Organisation to join in an assembly on the 24th of Oct. and afterwards to visit some of the classes. The representatives were invited to express their views as to why and how they would celebrate the UN-day and Human Rights in accordance with their religion.

The children had the opportunity to ask questions like

• Is there just one God, many Gods or no God? Are God and Allah the same?
• Is it appropriate for a Muslim to go to church or, visa versa, for a Lutheran to go to a mosque?
• Is it better to be a Christian than a Muslim or visa versa?
• Why do you fast? Is it difficult to fast?

The former bishop of Oslo, Gunnar Staalseth, was invited to our school because he has played an active part in developing good relations between different religious leaders in Norway and Europe. In addition he has also been very active in work against racism. He visited the 6th and 7th form-children.

• He told them about his work with different religious leaders and their mutual work for peace, especially after 9.11.
• He told about his visits to India and was asked about his attitude towards Indian religious leaders and their religion, Hinduism. He expressed a deep respect of the way the Hindis take care of all living creatures. He also told the pupils about Mahatma Ghandi and his struggle for peace and justice in a non-violent way.
• He told them a lot about his work here in Norway. This caused a lot of questions to be asked by the children, such as:
• How does a bishop live? Do you have a family and friends?
• How is a bishop dressed in church? (He was wearing a clergy shirt with a normal suit.)
• How was it to marry the Norwegian Crown Prince and his wife and baptise their children?

Contact details:

Margareth H Danson
Gommerud skole,
Stian Kristensensv.114, 1348 Rykkinn, Tel: 0047 67154800, Fax 0047 67154810
geoff_danson@hotmail.com

COMMENTARY

This is an easy-to-understand example though it may be hard to organise without sufficient administrative and logistical support. It can be replicated wherever there are suitable resources. It is a long term programme where the knowledge, understanding and skills are built up over a period of time, with each event reinforcing the learning of the previous one. It can be a highly motivating and enjoyable form of learning.