Global Connections Program
Lucie Dickens, Global Connections Program Director
Last year, our aim was to resume individual tours to France and Japan. Over the summer, a number of Kilvington students were able to take part in these tours.
For any new families and staff, our Global Connections Program has developed six school partnerships: one in China, three in Japan, one in Indonesia and one in France.
As part of this program, Years 10 and 11 students can take part in individual tours of three to five weeks duration. During the summer, any Kilvington family can host guest students from our partner schools when opportunities arise. Information about the 2023-2024 individual tours and the application process will be available in Term 2.
We also run Years 7 to 12 virtual forums on Microsoft Teams to meet with students from our partner schools and discuss global issues. Information about virtual forums are usually posted in the Bulletin on KCEE or emailed directly to students at different times during the year. Some curriculum projects run between schools too.
I hope that the following student reflections might inspire our Years 7 to 10 students to take part in individual tours in the future. These unique experiences allow our students to not only improve their French and Japanese skills, but also to gain a real appreciation of different cultures and perspectives.
STUDY EXCHANGE WITH PARTNER SCHOOL - SAINT JOSEPH LA SALLE, TOULOUSE, FRANCE
Charlotte Westaway, Year 12 French
Participating in an exchange over the holidays was the culmination of my French language studies and a childhood dream come true.
I felt extremely fortunate to be immersed in French culture, community, and language for five weeks. Moreover, being surrounded by historic architecture and offered a new type of cheese every day was definitely a highlight!
Primarily, this trip gave me the opportunity to travel independently and improve my French skills. But perhaps more importantly, my lovely host family and their friends opened my eyes to the value of appreciating the simple joys in life.
My host family was incredibly nice, warm, friendly and welcoming. I found my place within about a week as they treated me like another family member. Sarah and Inès were like my siblings and I think we meshed very well.
I was also able to meet their extended family who were equally friendly and accommodating. I call my hosts my second family, as it was like living with a long-distance aunt, uncle and cousin(s) for five weeks.
STUDY EXCHANGE WITH PARTNER SCHOOL - TODOROKI HIGH SCHOOL, TOKYO, JAPAN
Ruby Wilson, Year 11 Japanese
My 2023 Japan trip (together with Anthea Diplaris) was by far one of the best trips we’ve ever been on. Because Japan is such a different society to Australia, it was interesting to learn about the culture, the celebrations, the people and the language.
In Japan, students wake up at 6.00am or earlier to get to school. At the Japanese Todoroki High School, it was standard for students to stay at school until 8.00pm to study. My highlight at school was definitely the club activities. Outside of school, Disneyland and Shibuya were my favourite places.
It was an experience I will remember for life and for which I'm incredibly grateful. I made lots of new friends (who I miss a lot) and also got a chance to improve my Japanese skills.
Anthea Diplaris Year 11 Japanese
For three weeks during January, Ruby and I went on an exchange to Tokyo, Japan, where we took part in a home stay and attended Todoroki High School. It was such a valuable experience, which allowed me to really immerse myself into the culture and language.
While it was quite different from my life in Australia, I feel it makes the experience that much more special. The memories I made and skills I learnt there will stick with me forever.
STUDY EXCHANGE WITH PARTNER SCHOOL - SEIRYO HIGH SCHOOL, OGAKI, JAPAN
Sofia Semechko, Year 11 Japanese
At Seiryo, we were given a timetable where we would visit a different class each day. By the end of the trip, we had visited almost all of the classes (if not all)!
The classes were interesting. We participated in calligraphy, a class to do with computers, basic English, a more advanced English class, Math, Science and some specialist classes like handicrafts.
I most enjoyed the handicrafts class as we got to make bear plushies and bags. In calligraphy, we learnt how to use the brushes and experimented with various stroke weights and ink concentrations. In the computer class, we started off with speed typing and then making a table on Google word which looked cool.
The English class was easy as the students learnt basic grammar patterns. The advanced English was more interesting as the students were more fluent and could hold a conversation with us.
In Science, I could understand the concepts as the teachers often played videos to explain them, but there were too many kanji (Japanese writing characters system) for me to even remotely understand what the notes said! Maths class was pretty easy to understand as there weren’t any worded equations.
Our afterschool activities included meeting the mayor, a tea ceremony, a small party and a tour of Ogaki. I also chose to go to a computer club with my host sister on most days. The club involved speed typing, where we got a text and had to see how much we could type of the text in 10 minutes. Overall, it was pretty fun. We also appeared in the newspaper a total of three times, which is something I found quite amusing.
Tomoki Harvey, Year 11 Japanese
Personally, going on this trip has taught me so much about the language and culture in Japan. I would like to thank everyone involved for giving me such an amazing opportunity!
Eri Tomita, Parent (Tomoki Harvey)
Tomo is very happy about this experience. They had a chance to go to many different classes and do many cultural activities. Also the principal drove them in the snow to Kansai Airport, under very tough conditions. His support for them is greatly appreciated. Thank you for giving this opportunity to Tomo.
2023 guest students from Japan and France
For Kilvington students not travelling overseas, the Global Connections Program offers opportunities for developing intercultural understanding skills and cultural enrichment by enabling meetings with students visiting from our partner schools.
This Term, we welcome Aki Koshiishi and Kentaro Arakawa from Todoroki High School, Tokyo. They will attend Year 11 classes but will also visit and help with Years 7 to 11 Japanese classes.
In Term 3, we will host seven students from France. The arrangement with our partner school in France is reciprocal, therefore Kilvington students will travel to France for five weeks in December and throughout the summer break.
If you have any questions regarding our Global Connections Program, please contact me on dickensl@kilvington.vic.edu.au