Comenius Week at Cospicua Primary

The first week of June was Comenius Week at Immaculate Conception Primary School, Cospicua. Led by the headteacher, Mr Anthony Blackman, the staff and pupils had for months been participating in a number of activities related to the theme "Travelling around Art, Music and Traditions in different countries".

Pupils also had been corresponding with other pupils from Caegarw Primary School, Mount-ain Ash, Wales, and from Mittelpunktschule, Hartenrod, Hesse, Germany. They exchanged information, pictures, photographs, letters and videos that helped them to become familiar with each other's local traditions.

This gave them an opportunity to develop their skills in letter writing and to use their talents in various crafts. At the same time learning material was exchanged between the staff of the various schools while the school council organised activities to disseminate information on the project among parents and the local community.

The climax of the activities was reached earlier this month when an exhibition presenting material produced by pupils from the Maltese, Welsh and German schools was organised in the school hall. The pupils were thus able to understand both cultural diversity and similarities which characterise various aspects of European culture.

Prominence was given to traditions related to local feasts, Christmas, Carnival and Easter. Pupils also tried their hands on recipes which they had been exchanging.

Two Welsh teachers, and two teachers and a facilitator from a German school also came over to Cospicua to visit the school and evaluate the project in which they had been participating for this last year.

During their visit they had meetings with Mr Blackman and Mrs Gemma Galea Scannura, the project co-ordinator, and members of staff to evaluate and then report upon their achievements. They also discussed how they could further develop activities that would provide for creativity, self-expression and inclusion through a thematic and interdisciplinary approach. During this evaluation exercise, the partner schools agreed to concentrate on music activities in the coming year.

The Welsh and German teachers were hosted to a reception where Maltese food was prepared by the pupils and staff. They met the school council and this enabled parents to learn how their counterparts in Wales and Germany are supporting their children and the school in educational and cultural activities that could also be extended to the community.

They also visited classes and attended a drama session during which an English play was presented in the school hall. Cospicua mayor Joseph Scerri welcomed the Welsh and German teachers at the local council offices. He stated that the local council greatly appreciated the school's initiative to encourage pupils to correspond with fellow pupils from other European countries.

By the end of the week, the Welsh and German teachers were much impressed by the many activities organised by the Cospicua Primary School. They praised the pupils' ability to use e-mail and their dramatic talents. They very much appreciated the hospitality shown towards them by the school management and stated that they are keenly looking forward to further co-operation in the coming year.