Most Significant Change Story
Principal Rob Higgins School Leongatha PS
Title of Story: Whole community links to Asia.
Beginning (situation before the change) small preamble:
The L21CSV was one component of a major shift in curriculum at Leongatha P.S. Five years ago LPS was one School Council meeting away from cancelling our Indonesian Languages program and removing LOTE from our curriculum. It was decided at that meeting to give our program one last chance with a focus on more direction interaction with Asian countries.
Middle (what happened) tipping point:
LPS made a deliberate decision to make Asian Literacy “real”. We wanted to interact directly with students in Asia to see a purpose for language education and engage students in their studies of Asia. Through the Bridge program, supported by funding from our own funds, we developed a close relationship with SDN Pondok Labu 11 in Jakarta, Indonesia. This program was initially based around the use of Skype contacts but has evolved now to the point that 4 teachers from Indonesia have been sponsored to visit LPS and 6 LPS staff have visited SDN Pondok Labu. The next development has seen 20 Indonesian students (in 2 visits ) being hosted by LPS families. This program was highlighted by the Prime Minister, Julia Gillard, during her launch of her White Paper on Asian Languages in Federal Parliament.
Now (situation after ) aspect of impact:
The next stage we wanted to consider, and which was the focus of this project, was to give some of our students the opportunity to have an in-country experience in Asia. It also aimed to increase our parent and community involvement. Using funding and support from the “Gippsland” Region, the AEF and L21CSV we have been able to establish a second sister school in Changshu, China. After investigations by myself we decided that student visits to Jakarta would be difficult. (A further feasibility study is being conducted Easter, 2014) China has become an easily accessible country for our visits which has lead to a close relationship with China Highlights, a supplier now used by many other schools following our example.
As a result of visits by a team from LPS to Changshu with the Gippsland delegation we have developed another close bond. At Easter 2013, 21 students and 21 parents visited China supported by 6 staff. Another group of the same size is booked for Easter, 2014. 21 of our students, many of our staff and numerous parents join us in our second language lessons which are offered weekly as a lunchtime elective class in Mandarin. This program was enhanced with the visit of 10 students and 2 teachers from China this year. The strongest advocates for our program now comes from those families directly involved. We are now hearing from students in the junior school that they “will” be involved and are planning already.
Asian Literacy, and the 2 sister school program, is now the centre of our school ethos focussing on globalisation and our place as global citizens. Our community and School Council are strong supporters financially and by hosting international students. Twelve of the LPS staff have had an International experience in one of our sister schools and this is reflected in their classrooms and spread into their PLT’s.
Based on materials from Jessica Dart & Rick Davies – Clear Horizon Consulting – Most Significant Change Model.