One of the main initiatives for the 2007/08 Envoy year was to take twinning into schools.
I visited over 20 schools in the city and gave over 50 presentations and twinning talks. Yet I hope to have been able to get schools a little more involved in twinning again.
Lotta Imeyer
The following images are submitted from Gayton Junior School:
Landau Forte College and Gesamtschule Schinkel
In October 2007, eight students from Year 12, Landau Forte College, went to Osnabrück as part of a work placement exchange visit. Students stayed with host families in the town, which is Derby's twin city and during the day they went on work placement to a variety of different places, such as a bank, a law firm, a school and a Kindergarten.
Susie Dundon went to a Kindergarten. This is what she had to say about her experience in Germany.
"Our exchange trip was amazing! Ok…their breakfasts were a bit strange – they ate salami and cheese on rolls for breakfast, but in general, Germany's culture is quite like ours!
My exchange partner, Eva, was very welcoming and, although we were both a little nervous at the start, we soon got to know each other. Eva cycles to school every day and on my first day of work at the 'Timotheus-Evangelisch-Lutherischer-Kindergarten' (big mouthful!), I cycled to work and back. Well… let's just say I got a bus to work for the rest of the week! I was pleasantly surprised to find that the town Council had provided us with guest tickets on the buses, so we travelled for free!
The Kindergarten was such fun, apart maybe from being chased around a lot with little children shouting "Gefängnis" (prison) or "kitzlig" (tickly), but it was a good laugh. I've never made so many little friends in one place, they were all adorable. We spent our time there (me and another Year 12 girl Laura Gilmore) playing ludo-like games, jigsaw puzzles and memory games and chasing all the little people.
The exchange was such a confidence builder, not only improving my German, but also improving my outlook on life. It was also comforting to learn that people who live so far away are really just like us after all!"
Susie Dundon
John Port School and Gymnasium Melle
The twinning link between John Port School and Gymnasium Melle has been in existence since the outset and still thrives today. The number of Derby children attending the school has fallen over the years but the link remains firm.
The John Port School band was set up in 1965 by Mr John Atkinson. At first the band started with just 10 students and was augmented in the early days by members of staff and some players from the local Salvation Army band. It only played in school assemblies. It gradually grew in size and in 1977 the band had around 40 members. The school band continues to grow in size and diversity, taking part in more engagements. The band has now been conducted by Mr Alan Losh for 10 years since Mr Atkinson's retirement. As well as doing several main school concerts and a very popular Cabaret Evening, the band performs at many local fairs and charity concerts. In 1995 the Swing Band was established by Mr Losh and this ensemble has proved very popular. The school also now has an orchestra, choir, saxophone ensemble, junior windband, flute choir, clarinet/saxophone ensemble and numerous rock bands.
In 1977 John Atkinson and Rolf Lieske established the band exchange which is still going strong and is now in its 30th year. Last year's anniversary exchange took place in England from 26th – 31st October 2006.
The Gymnasium Melle Band gave a series of concerts locally, playing at Chatsworth House in the Peak District on the Friday and to some primary schools in the Mickleover and Hilton area on the Monday as our schools returned after the half term break. However the concert highlight was undoubtedly the 30th Anniversary concert held in Pears School, Repton on the Saturday night. Repton School , founded over 400 years ago by Sir John Port of Etwall, generously offered the use of Pears School for this celebration. An absolutely glorious setting for a truly spectacular concert. In the second half of this concert the Melle band was joined by the John Port School band – both current and former members from over the past 30 years (including exchange students from the very first exchange) – creating a combined band of approximately 150 players.
Nicola McFarland
Borrow Wood Junior School and Johannisschule
Borrow Wood Junior School in Spondon and Johannisschule have been twinned for one year now. Tim Priestley, the German teacher, helped pupils to write letters to their German friends and they sent them a Christmas video. To get an impression of what the pupils think about their friendship with the German school and ways in which this link is being encouraged, some pupils from Borrow Wood wrote some comments about the events they have taken part in and about the established pen-pal scheme with the Johannisschule.
"My partner is called Mathis Trutman. His hobbies are football and playing the trumpet. He likes swimming and he loves basketball. I’ve met the German envoy and told her I was 8 years old – I also asked how old she was, in German. Everyone was shy except for me. We sent them all letters and made a Christmas video and we’ve learned millions of German words. I love it because they sent letters back."
Shaun Wright Age 8
"We can count to twenty in German and we can say some colours in German too. My pen-pal is a girl called Ronja and we speak to each other by writing letters. I love speaking German and practice almost every day. Plus we sent a video and told the Germans that it was raining in England. It was cool!"
Charlotte Lewing Age 7
“We have been learning to say our name in German and our age, address, numbers, colours and hobbies. Also Happy Christmas and Happy New Year. We sent a video about Christmas and we are sending and receiving letters. We are going to learn some German songs and we went to Spondon library and saw the Osnabruck envoy – her name is Theresa Michel. My partner is called Niklas – he is 9.”
Thomas Bulman Age 8
"We have been writing to Johanisschule and we made a video including us speaking German and saying Happy Christmas. We wrote to our pen friends – mine is called Kevin. We got letters back from Johanisschule too. We’ve learnt a bit of German too. We've learnt numbers, colours and phrases. We went to Spondon library and we saw Theresa Michel – the Osnabruck Envoy."
Jake Collings Age 7
"We wrote letters to our twin school and we sent a video. We have learned German. We went to the library to meet the Osnabruck envoy. She is called Theresa Michel. We learned how to say Merry Christmas on a video and it was raining. Borrow Wood are very interested in learning German, we can count to 20 and we are going to learn some German songs and we have received some letters."
Emily Wallage Age 7
"We have been sending letters to German school and we sent a video. I have had lots of fun having a pen-pal. We have learned colours in German. My pen-pal is 7 years old and so am I! She is called Rosaria. We went to Spondon library and met a German person! It was cool!"
Jordan Mangham Age 7
"Hello! Borrow Wood have been some German in class. We have also sent a letter to Osnabruck to talk to our pen friends. YOU WILL WANT A PEN-FRIEND! We have done a video and sent it to Osnabruck – we sang Jingle Bells! We went to the library to meet Theresa Michel and she is very nice. We can count in German up to twenty and we can say how old we are, hello and lots more. My partner is called Natalie."
Chantelle Harriott Age 9
"I have a pen-pal called Elena and she is 10 years old. It was hard to learn German but now it is easy. Red = rot. Pink = rosa. Hello = Guten Tag. I have learnt more but I haven’t got room to write it down but we made a video. Elena liked it too."
Hollie Slater Age 9
"It was pretty easy learning German. Even though we are not 100% there on numbers and colours, here are some words we know. Guten Tag = Hello! Eins = one. Rose = pink. We also know lots of others but I am reading a letter from my partner Ben Ranche. It was great for a nine year old! I hope he writes again!"
Gus Collier Age 8
"We learnt our pen friends' names and then we wrote letters to them. We sent a video and wished them a Happy Christmas. We learnt to speak German – colours and the numbers to 20. We went to Spondon library and met Theresa Michel, we listened to a German story and then made a card."
Shannon Hughes Age 7