Teachers from Sirius Academy visit Ethiopia to inspire pupils with games
TEACHERS from a city school have visited Ethiopia as part of the Olympic legacy.
Cosi Basile and Trevor Taylor, of Sirius Academy, were invited on the trip by the British Council as part of a sports programme.
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LET'S PLAY BALL: Sirius Academy teacher Cosi Basile with children in Ethiopia.
They visited East Adama Secondary School in Adama, which has a staggering 4,195 pupils.
The school has to operate on a shift system so all pupils get an education.
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The visit was reciprocal after teachers from the Ethiopian school visited Hull.
Mr Taylor, who is vice-principal of the west Hull academy, said: "We went there to deliver new and inspirational games and physical activities."
Classes at the school had between 70 and 100 children in them, so the teachers had to take out games that could accommodate large numbers.
Mr Taylor said: "We taught them dodge ball, ultimate frisbee, touch rugby and rounders. Their eyes just lit up. They loved them."
Mr Basile, head of PE at Sirius, and Mr Taylor were shown the PE facilities at the school.
"They were very basic," said Mr Taylor. "We took them some games equipment and also some lesson plans to support the teaching staff.
"We were the first two white people they had ever seen or spoken to.
"It was a very humbling experience. We felt very privileged.
"They all had this common goal and bond to make Ethiopia better, which was genuinely humbling."
The school sent 30 pen-pal letters to pupils at Sirius and are a partner school for the three-year programme.
Mr Taylor said: "That was a spin-off from the programme, when they came here Hull City and Hull FC allowed them to visit the KC Stadium and gave them a full team's worth of shirts."
The teachers now plan to return next year so they can deliver sports leadership programmes to 24 of the school's teachers, who will then pass the skills down to others.
Comments
by haboge
Sunday, June 24 2012, 3:46PM
“Keep up the good work Mr Taylor and Mr Basile!! Im very proud to say my kids are students at sirius, great staff, fantastic facililities and every opportunity for our young ones.”
by piddsta
Sunday, June 24 2012, 10:49AM
“Never has a school name sounded so much like a glitzy 70s disco group.”
by harryoffdock2
Saturday, June 23 2012, 11:32PM
“I thought these junkets were being stopped. Just goes to show that cutbacks obviously don't affect the British Council. A complete waste of money.”
by Owain55
Saturday, June 23 2012, 2:03PM
“Reminds me of a failing school in east Hull where the head and his hangers-on all jetted over to New York to see how discipline was administered there. There was of course no improvement in the school when they returned but they'd had "a very instructive visit" Ha.”
by Timberline
Friday, June 22 2012, 9:38AM
“I cannot believe that a teacher actually said, "We went there to deliver new and inspirational games and physical activities." I would let the recipients of the games say whether they were inspirational or not.
Otherwise well done to Sirius and the two teachers involved.”
by Stepehn
Friday, June 22 2012, 9:33AM
“That's just what the poor devils in Africa need another visit from pampered westerners. I thought education was in crisis in Hull? Teachers should teach and aid agencies do the aiding. Is that Bono I see on the horizon?”
by Mickey_Luv2
Friday, June 22 2012, 9:23AM
“Some years ago I had a very enlightening conversation with a student who was from Congo. She told me that Africa will never sort it problems out because of tribal hatred.”
by yogurt_truck
Friday, June 22 2012, 8:44AM
“What a waste of money, if we want to help them, send them some money or a water purification system.”
by ghjghjghjghjg
Friday, June 22 2012, 8:06AM
“Teachers from Sirius Academy visit Ethiopia on a tax payer funded jolly to patronise poor people in order to feel good about themselves.”