Sister Schools

• Gifu city lies in central Japan on a hilly site not far from Kyoto. 

• GSNS made links with Shotoku Gakuen Primary School a number of years ago focusing on our common goals to engender a stronger bilateral relationship focused on friendship and intercultural understanding. 

• The private Gifu school has primary, secondary and university education all on one campus. Their tertiary links and student profile showed much in common with George Street Normal School.

What Happens?

• Both GSNS and Gifus have regular live video-conferencing to build understanding and excitement as ‘screen buddies.’

• Every fortnight a GSNS group talks online with Shotoku students of their own age. All 127 students at Years 5 and 6 have the opportunity. 

• Both groups prepare a topic and questions then, using clear communication protocols and English language, they engage with each other. Students really enjoy this and develop skills in talking to an audience, communicating to a second language group, learning some Japanese words and phrases, and discovering aspects of each other’s culture that differ or are similar. An example might be, ‘what NZ kids do after school.’