Chris Stevendale

Well, today is the longest day, but no, it doesn’t mean that the day lasts for more than 24 hours as a pupil enquired this morning! Not very summery unfortunately and I suppose this is the sort of weather that I might expect in Cape Town in August as this is wintertime for them.

I have recently been busy organising the gifts that I will take with me, to give to the various schools that I will visit. We haven’t been informed of which schools these are so far, but were told to expect a mixture – from Township to smarter Cape Town suburb schools. I think that the former ones will be the most interesting. Apparently, often the whole school turn out for visitors, performing a full singing/dancing routine. So far, I have bought one or two books on Scotland with lots of photographs. I am also acquiring a variety of pens and pencils to leave at schools and I have a contact name in East Lothian who, hopefully will supply some with the corporate logo. LT Scotland has agreed to send me some with their logo on, along with one or two other lightweight items). Historic Scotland has provided me with some booklets and postcards which are great too. I would love to take some shortbread for Headteachers/Staff at the schools, but need to source this in sealed packaging such as vacuum pack, [please let me have any suggestions]. Some lightweight Scottish flags would be nice also, probably the sort that come along with a cocktail stick or key-rings with flags on.

Those of you that know me, will know that I hate doing work unless I can see a very valid use for it. This Study Visit will of course provide an opportunity for me to travel which I love to do; will provide a great deal of hours towards my annual CPD commitment; but more importantly will provide the opportunity to develop some wonderful links with people from another country. I am using the experience to write a Communication module at Access 2 level (well, in fact 2 as I’ve managed to include the Learning Outcomes for both the Oral and Language units). The theme of the module is ‘Scotland meets South Africa’ and all the work will be shared with my colleagues in the other East Lothian Secondary schools. A number of S3/4 pupils at Musselburgh Grammar are currently preparing personal profiles as part of the module. These will be taken across to Cape Town with me to help to establish personal South African pen-friends (or may that should read mouse-friends as I hope that they will communicate via email where possible).