Lightseekers

www.lightseekers.co.uk

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Session 2/6 of our project #ConnectingCultures. We are working to connect two culturally diverse schools across Leicester City and Harby village in Melton Mowbray. Our second session was held at Harby Primary schools and students enjoyed another lively storytelling session with Peter Chand.

Students were then advised on how to translate personal memories into short stories. Students wrote stories based on personal heroes/heroines and used family photographs to inspire their ideas and recall memories.

Whilst this project is all about #ConnectingCultures, it was still a beautiful surprise to see connections with Nairobi, Kenya since my father lived there during his formative years.

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Session 1/6 of our project ‘Connecting Cultures’. We are working to connect two culturally diverse schools across Leicester City and Harby village in Melton Mowbray. The first session was held at Abbey Primary school in the Belgrave area of Leicester. Students enjoyed a lively storytelling session with Peter Chand, followed by an exercise of creative writing. Students wrote a story based on a hero and used family photo photographs to inspire ideas for their work.

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CONNECTING CULTURES

A new cross-cultural education project, to connect two culturally diverse schools, situated between Harby village (Melton Mowbray) and Leicester City.

The project will promote community cohesion, while enhancing literacy, through photography, creative writing and storytelling. A series of workshops will be delivered to children, aged 8-11.

We will work with a storyteller, illustrator & photographer, with a view to publishing a book of their experiences of cross cultural engagement & learning.

Activities:

Storytelling & Writing, with Peter Chand

Experience India visit to Leicester & Sharing stories exercise.

Illustration, with Paul Gent

Book Making (artist to be confirmed)

Exhibition/Celebration event

Each child will write stories, poems or haikus, then produce illustrations, based on stories. All stories will be published in a professional keepsake book. Workshops will also be delivered for children to make their own books.

VOLUNTEERS REQUIRED:

We are looking for volunteers (expenses paid), for approximately 2-6 days during September/October. This is an excellent opportunity for anyone looking for experience in delivering creative activities in primary education.

This project has been made possible through generous support from The Big Lottery Fund.

CONTACT:

[email protected] or 07944 948 392

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Day 7. Vanasthali School: Valod. Gujarat. India.

Vanasthali is a residential ashram, wholly attended by those from tribal areas. Mostly Halpati, Gamit, Chaudhary and Vasava. Children at this school learn four languages; English, Sanskrit, Hindi and Gujarati. Alongside the usual subjects (science, maths, etc), agriculture/farming is also on the curriculum since the children are from this background; It is regarded as an important tradition. The children are responsible for their own cooking, cleaning, etc.

Agriculture is the largest industry in India.

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Day 6. Emotional Literacy Project. As part of the project, letters have been written by children in the UK and given to the students in India. Secondary school students at Vanasthali have written back to primary school students in the UK, since level of written and spoken English is basic for this age group.

Whilst this is a Participatory photography project, there is a clear need for other basic learning equipment at the school. The language barrier has encouraged us to contribute some resources which will help the process of learning English for the Indian students. There are very little resources at the school, including dictionaries and books so these will also be supplied through the funds received from Gammelgaard Monochrome/Charnwood Arts and other private donations.

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Day 5 at Vanasthali School. Installation of a magnetic board, on which words can be rearranged to help children learn basic English.

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Day 4 at Vanasthali School; Valod. Gujarat. Mostly old faces, some new...

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First two days at Vanasthali School for Adivasi children. Tried my best to speak entirely in Gujarati...no doubt the students had a good giggle at me :)

Thanks to my wonderful assistant, Namrata Tanna!

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Hello everyone...

I'm looking forward to the next few months…I am just about to embark on our project: LIGHTSEEKERS; India. I will travel to India in December 2012/January 2013 to work with children from Vanasthali, which is a residential school in India for Dalits; the people once known as “untouchables”. The school is largely attended by Gamit children from tribal communities.

We will be using photography as a means to connect children between India, UK and Denmark. I look forward to sharing my journey with you and receiving your feedback along the way x