Dedeh Suatini

Having made correspondence for about 6 months, we finally met face to face with Avon Valley College teachers at Sierra which has a very wonderful view in Bandung. They are, David James Macaulay, an Art teacher, Lucy Mary Goodhew, an English teacher, Linsey Baron, a sport teacher and Lee James Edward, a business teacher as a coordinator.. I would like to say thank to British Council and LPMP Batujajar which have facilitated our meeting. They would stay at LPMP for 3 days.
It was a wonderful time to meet them as we have failed meeting on video conference before..
Marc Jessel, an Assistant Director of Education from British council said in his speech that Tony Blair, Prime Minister from England came to Jakarta to have officially declared of Indonesian Global Gateway. Tony Blair hoped that there would be one thousand link up between Indonesia and UK. It will be a good chance to some Indonesian schools for having partner from UK.
At the same time, Marc Jessel gave a prize for the winners of Montage-Bandung Competition. SMAN 24 as the first winner, SMAN 23 as second winner and SMAN 5 as third winner. Each winner got a digital camera which will be very important for the teachers to join projects..
They came to SMAN 24 Bandung on april, 8, 2006 for experiencing teaching in class and then made discussion forum for sharing experience in teaching.
Some teachers from some schools joined this forum such as I.Ida from SMAN 5, I.Yanti from 23, I. Elly, I.Santi, P.Sofyan and me from 24 Bandung, I. Dede from SMAN Karawang 1, P.Yusuf from SMA ALOYSIUS, and I.Helly from SMPN 13 Bandung..
We finally decided to make 2 projects. They are Flat Stanley exchange and Tourist object exchange.
In flat Stanley exchange, Avon Valley College brought 12 stanleys which were exchanged with various flat from 7 schools in Bandung.. Some students in Bandung will make adventure to some places in Bandung and take pictures. Finally they will send them including their report. So do students in UK. Finally they will exchange information about both countries and we hope they will learn many things from the differences as well as similarities. This project will end in the end of July,
Our second project is exchanging tourist objects such as building, food, handcrafts and many things that are popular in each country. We will put them in the same website so that students in each school can see it. Finally we will download all students report and make a booklet of it. It will be a good result of our Link up between Wiltshire in England and Bandung in Indonesia. We will end this project in the end of October 2006.
We ended the meeting at about 3.30 pm and took them to Saung Angklung Udjo.
At the end of the meeting,
Lucy who is an English teacher from Avon Valley College wrote a comment in SMAN 24 website. Here is what she wrote:

. I feel very privileged to have been invited to SMAN24 to visit. I have been overwhelmed at how friendly and welcoming both students and staff are. I had so much fun talking to the class 3 Science 2. They all wanted to learn and understand about schools in England. I was so surprised by the size of the class. In England the classes are half the size with about 28 students.At snack time I was introduced to traditional Indonesian snacks. With all the different colours and tastes, i thought they were delicious. As well as enjoying my snack I was entertained by students who were playing traditional Indonesian musical instruments. I was so impressed. The students at SMAN24 seem very happy to be at school. As a teacher it is really good to see.I have enjoyed myself so much at your school this morning that i would like to come back and teach here again. Thank you for being so welcoming.

We would like to say thank you all. Your visiting make our students were happy. May we will be a good partner in a good relationship.

Special thank to Ibu Teriska, the head of LPMP Batujajar, west Java, who has welcomed the visitors so well. At farewel party held by West Java LPMP , the head of LPMP gave a present to each teachers from Avon Valley College and They gave a present from their school in return.

# posted by Dedeh Suatini @ 9:13 AM