Colleen Westerman works at Taupo Intermediate where she is a Year 8 classroom teacher and teaches French to other Year 7 and 8 classes. Colleen is a passionate French teacher who started teaching French at Taupo Intermediate in 2007. Students at Taupo Intermediate have active links with French-speaking students from New Caledonia through a sister school partnership with College Jean Mariotti in Noumea. Students can participate in a yearly school tour to New Caledonia and Taupo Intermediate...

C'est une date exceptionnelle pour le programme Shared Histories! Un groupe de 16 élèves du Collège Jules Ferry de Conty, dans la Somme, est arrivé en Nouvelle-Zélande le 23 octobre pour un séjour de deux semaines, nous les acceuillons au Nga Tawa College à  Marton. 

Au cours de ce séjour, nous allons pouvoir travaillé ensemble sur notre projet commun, Cheval de Guerre, lié au thème de la Grande Guerre que nous avons commencé virtuellement depuis le début de l' année.

La délégation du Collège...

C’ est il y a 10 ans déjà que Patrick Poudelet, enseignant dans une petite école rurale du Morbihan, et ses élèves ont écrit et composé une chanson en hommage aux combattants de la Grande Guerre.

Depuis cette date, Patrick et ses élèves successifs ont eu l'occasion d'interpréter ce chant à plusieurs reprises devant différents Monuments aux Morts, lors des cérémonies du 11 novembre.

Qu’est ce qui motivait Patrick alors et qui est tant d’actualité aujourd’hui? Composer cette...

This is how Steve Watters*, senior historian and educator, describes the Shared Histories programme:

"I recently had the opportunity to work with a group of teachers in Auckland and Wellington who are involved in the Shared Histories project. The teachers gathered represented a number of curriculum areas representing the potential for a whole-school approach and also demonstrated a strong emphasis on inquiry based learning. Shared Histories offers a meaningful way to explore the New...

As the second call for project is been launched, I catch up with Hilary de Joux, Waimea College Nelson, to ask her about her recent involvement with the Shared Histories programme.

When did you find out about the Programme Hilary?

I was aware of it since its launch late 2013, information had been sent via the French teachers listserve. It caught my attention then but it is not until the NZALT conference in July that I got the chance to learn more. 

What made you decide to get involved?

At...

Take 11 Young Ambassadors - Gather in room - Give 15 minutes - et voilà!

Quiz Q&A for you and your students

- Q: How many men in the Otago Regiment died on New Zealand's bloodiest day, during the Battle of Passchendaele, on 12 October, 1917, winning them the name 'The Unlucky Otagos'?
A: nearly 200, with more than 90 men from Dunedin.

- Q: How heavy were New Zealand soldiers' packs?
A: around 30kgs

- Q: When did Kiwi soldiers start to return home to New Zealand after the Armistice was signed...

What is Shared Histories?

An online school partnership programme, where schools meet and explore the Commemoration of World War 1, and develop a common understanding of the Duty of Remembrance.

Why join the Shared Histories programme?

Do you want your students to be involved in the Commemoration of WW1? Do you want them to meet others in the process, from different countries so that they experience different backgrounds and geographical settings? Do you want them to use and develop an...

Following the success of the initial phase of SharedHistories, now is your opportunity to join this French Embassy/NZAFT programme commemorating the centenary of World War One.

Shared Histories creates framework in an authentic setting for your students, yourself and you community to develop lasting relationships with a French speaking partner.
 
Thirty two schools have already teamed up and launched into historical explorations, capturing the process of their findings on their blogs on the...

Samantha's dream of joining in the history trip organised by Baradene teacher Brent Coutts within the SharedHistories programme is one step closer to reality.

The courageous teen, diagnosed with a blood system cancer late 2012, has not let her condition deter her from her love of history.

While being "relatively well" as she describes herself, Sam will need extra conditions to ensure all can be taken care of if the need of medical emergency arose.

To fulfill her dream, that will lead her to...

We have made a start at St Dominic's College!
With the interest of at least 30 girls, we have begun to plan a video introduction of our school, ready to send to France.
They are really excited by it – seeking out relatives war records etc.

Onward and upward!

En avant!