Mexico Link
Encyclopedia
The Ulverston Victoria High School Mexico Link is a link between Ulverston Victoria High School (Cumbria, England) and Secundaria Tecnica #44 Francisco Villa (Mexico City). The link was founded in 2001 by the British Council
in Mexico City with a theme of Human Rights
and Citizenship
.
Students and teachers on both sides of the Atlantic meet regularly to discuss the issues affecting their countries. There have been four major exchange visits between Ulverston
and Mexico City
and Mexico City and Ulverston. There have also been smaller visits involving small groups of teachers and students.
The linking originated in January 2001 when the British Council in Mexico City began to develop an Interactive Citizenship and Human Rights Project. The aim was to link 20 Secondary Technical Schools in Mexico City with 20 secondary schools in UK.
The UVHS Philosophy Club had begun in spring 2001 and it was looking to develop a link with a South American country where P4C (Philosophy for Children) was strong. In September 2001, the UVHS Philosophy Club was invited to join a project initiated by the British Council and it soon began contact with Mexico.
The UVHS – Secundaria Tecnica #44 Link is now well recognised as being a successful and well-sustained school linking project. This has happened over the past 4 years due to the commitment of students, parents and teachers involved in the linking. Case studies about our link have been used in several British Council
and DFES documents. It has been featured in the local media and in the Times Educational Supplement
. Students and teachers regularly make presentations and offer workshops.
The linking is now being embedded into curriculum of both schools. This development work forms the heart of the British Council Curriculum Development Award. History, Geography, Belief Philosophy and Ethics, Citizenship and Maths are currently directly involved.
Great use is made of the Philosophy for Children
technique which provides a democratic community for discussions to take place in.
Communication between the two schools is mainly by email. Students and staff contribute to the link website and to the biannual newsletter "The Link" which is distributed to local supporters.
British Council
The British Council is a United Kingdom-based organisation specialising in international educational and cultural opportunities. It is registered as a charity both in England and Wales, and in Scotland...
in Mexico City with a theme of Human Rights
Human rights
Human rights are "commonly understood as inalienable fundamental rights to which a person is inherently entitled simply because she or he is a human being." Human rights are thus conceived as universal and egalitarian . These rights may exist as natural rights or as legal rights, in both national...
and Citizenship
Citizenship
Citizenship is the state of being a citizen of a particular social, political, national, or human resource community. Citizenship status, under social contract theory, carries with it both rights and responsibilities...
.
Students and teachers on both sides of the Atlantic meet regularly to discuss the issues affecting their countries. There have been four major exchange visits between Ulverston
Ulverston
Ulverston is a market town and civil parish in the South Lakeland district of Cumbria in north-west England. Historically part of Lancashire, the town is located in the Furness area, close to the Lake District, and just north of Morecambe Bay....
and Mexico City
Mexico City
Mexico City is the Federal District , capital of Mexico and seat of the federal powers of the Mexican Union. It is a federal entity within Mexico which is not part of any one of the 31 Mexican states but belongs to the federation as a whole...
and Mexico City and Ulverston. There have also been smaller visits involving small groups of teachers and students.
The linking originated in January 2001 when the British Council in Mexico City began to develop an Interactive Citizenship and Human Rights Project. The aim was to link 20 Secondary Technical Schools in Mexico City with 20 secondary schools in UK.
The UVHS Philosophy Club had begun in spring 2001 and it was looking to develop a link with a South American country where P4C (Philosophy for Children) was strong. In September 2001, the UVHS Philosophy Club was invited to join a project initiated by the British Council and it soon began contact with Mexico.
The UVHS – Secundaria Tecnica #44 Link is now well recognised as being a successful and well-sustained school linking project. This has happened over the past 4 years due to the commitment of students, parents and teachers involved in the linking. Case studies about our link have been used in several British Council
British Council
The British Council is a United Kingdom-based organisation specialising in international educational and cultural opportunities. It is registered as a charity both in England and Wales, and in Scotland...
and DFES documents. It has been featured in the local media and in the Times Educational Supplement
Times Educational Supplement
The Times Educational Supplement is a weekly UK publication aimed primarily at school teachers in the UK. It was first published in 1910 as a pull-out supplement in The Times newspaper. Such was its popularity that in 1914, the supplement became a separate publication selling for 1 penny.The TES...
. Students and teachers regularly make presentations and offer workshops.
The linking is now being embedded into curriculum of both schools. This development work forms the heart of the British Council Curriculum Development Award. History, Geography, Belief Philosophy and Ethics, Citizenship and Maths are currently directly involved.
Great use is made of the Philosophy for Children
Philosophy for Children
Philosophy for Children, sometimes abbreviated to P4C, is a movement that aims to teach reasoning and argumentative skills to children. There are also related methods sometimes called "Philosophy for Young People" or "Philosophy for Kids". Often the hope is that this will be a key influence in the...
technique which provides a democratic community for discussions to take place in.
Communication between the two schools is mainly by email. Students and staff contribute to the link website and to the biannual newsletter "The Link" which is distributed to local supporters.
External links
- http://www.mexicolink.co.uk/
- http://www.ulverstonvictoria.cumbria.sch.uk/
- http://www.thinkingworlds.org/
- http://www.ulverston.net/
- http://www.sapere.org.uk/