International Visits

Visit One: February 19^th – 24^th February 2001
From the beginning, a great interest from the U.K. was shown in our Thinking Skills Programme. As early as February 2001, a group of U.K. educators were in Malta on a week’s visit to take a closer look at the introduction of Thinking Skills in Malta. This group, which included teachers, assistant heads and Ofsted inspectors from both primary and secondary schools, came from Nottinghamshire and Bristol. This and each International Visit was made possible with the collaboration between the British Council, the Education Division, the Edward de Bono Foundation (Malta) and Ms. Sandra Dingli from the University of Malta.
The visitors had the opportunity to meet with Mr. Lawrence Muscat (E.O.) P.S.D., Ms. Sandra Dingli and Dr. Paul Bartolo both University lecturers, Ms. Daniela Bartoli from the Edward de Bono Foundation, Mr. Charles Mizzi, Director General of Education, Ms. Mary Vella, Director of Curriculum Planning and Development and the Thinking Skills teachers among others.
Visit Two: April 2001
Due to the success of the February visit, another similar week was organised in April for another group of teachers from Bury. The group from Bury during a meeting with the Director General of Education, Ms. Pauline Apap, Ms. Sandra Dingli and Mr. Lawrence Muscat.
THe last group of UK educators at Brand A visit to Brandstatter (Malta) made it possible to watch the implementation of Edward de Bono’s Thinking Skills in an industrial setting. This visit is always included in the programme and always a success!
This photo was taken outside Erin Serracino Inglott Secondary School for Girls Cospiqua. The group together with the Maltese hosts was invited to sit in during Thiking Skills sessions implemented in the teaching of different subjects. The U.K. educators had the opportunity to sit in other Thinking Skills sessions in different Primary Schools around Malta.
Visit 3 March 11-15 2002
Another two groups of U.K. educators from East Sussex and Norfolk visited Malta in March 2002. Once again, their aim was to familiarise themselves with Dr. de Bono’s Thinking Programme and its implementation in Maltese schools. Several members of the U.K. group are currently involved in a project entitled Thinking Schools- Thinking children. Therefore they were particularly keen on learning the Thinking Tools and observing their application in order to be able to merge these skills within their own existing programme.
The first two days of the programme were dedicated to orientation and training in the CoRT 1 tools and the Six Thinking Hats. On the first day, orientation visits included a meeting with Mr. Charles Mizzi Director General, Ms. Mary Vella Dir. Curr. Dev. Imp. and Review, Mr. Michael King Assistant Director Special Needs and education officers involved in the Primary.
The day came to a close with a tour of the St. James Cavalier and a reception hosted by the British Council. On the second day, an intensive training course was delivered by the team of Thinking Skills teachers.
The last three days were allocated to visits in local State and Independent Schools. The UK educators had the opportunity to observe the direct teaching of thinking by the Peripatetic P.S.D. teachers in the Primary. Moreover, they also observed the direct teaching of the skills by the Thinking Skills Teachers both within the Primary and Secondary Schools. Independent schools were also visited on the last day.
Included in the programme was a visit to Fort Ricasoli, the proposed site for The World Centre For New Thinking. Fort Ricasoli, the proposed site for The World Centre For New Thinking.
The intensive week-long programme came to an end with a concluding session at Dr. de Bono’s residence in Haz Zebbug.
Our Visit to Nottinghmashire
Monday 8^th October - Morning Session The first meeting took place at the committee room, Nottingham County Hall. John Morris and Kirsteen McCrory presented the Maltese team with what has been happening in their respective areas since they attended the fruitful visit to Malta. Mr.Lawrence Muscat together with Mr. John Morris Every evening, evaluation sessions were held using the Thinking Tools to evaluate the day’s proceedings.
Monday 8^th October - afternoon Session
The next meeting was scheduled in the afternoon. The Maltese Team met the Assistant Director of Education John Berridge as the Director of Education, Pam Tulley, was on duty in London. The team also Met Richard Holloway, Director Lifelong Learning, and Cathy Lother head teacher Notthingham School. The group was split into two and proceeded to two schools: Holgate and Matthew Holland Secondary Schools. The Maltese team split into two groups again. One went to Manor School Mansfield Woodhouse – A Specialist Sports College. The other visited Holly Hill Primary School, Selston At Holly Hill
Wednesday 10^th October - MORNING SESSION Quarrydale School The Maltese group here split in two. One part of the group had a meeting with Rob Bailey and Martin Brooks about the IQEA project. The other attended a PSHE session. Eastbourne Centre The group then moved to Eastbourne Centre, where a talk was held by Phil Kirkland and Catherine Kirk about the operacy of the PSD team.
Literacy Consultant Yvette Pearse This then led to a talk by Literacy Consultant Yvette Pearse. The subject here was about the National Literacy Strategy. Wednesday 10^th October - Afternoon sessions Kirkby College At Kirkby College, PSHE teachers, Bev Blagden and Karen Bowers, welcomed us. The visit consisted of a tour of the school, a talk and exhibition of PSHE work carried out the year before, a mini talent show by the pupils and a talk with the school head teacher.
Lynncroft Primary The school is beautiful, homely, and comfortable for children and adults alike. The classrooms are interconnected and there are set corners and areas for reading writing and various crafts. At this school, the team watched a PSE session being held simultaneously in three different classrooms by different teachers. The pupils had a group task to describe each other in a positive way by writing a note to each other using a list of adjectives (positive descriptions only). Then they prepared name triangles and wrote the most appropriate adjective next to their name. The National Church of England school Another group went to the National Church of England school. This is a vocational based school with a lot of emphasis on vocational teaching.
Thursday 11^th October – morning AND AFTERNOON sessions Hagg Farm On this day, we were involved in two very interesting visits. Firstly, we went to Hagg farm, which is a Residential Education Centre. This programme takes place in a residential format. This centre is flexible to each group’s particular needs and plans and a program is organized around the need of the students/schools/institutions that are participating in the program. St. Michael’s Day Centre Complimenting this program is the St. Michael’s Day Centre, which we also visited later in the day.This program is run within premises in the village and caters for the younger students. This program runs on day and residential programs. The visits to these programmes were extremely beneficial and interesting to all of us. Both venues were set in a picturesque ambient which is typical of northern UK.
Friday 12^th October - MORINING Session The Sutton Centre Community College Today the whole group attended the Sutton Centre Community College. This college is the first of its kind in that it serves as a community centre, incorporating several other services to the community within its walls Friday 12^th October - Afternoon Session Friday afternoon was dedicated to an IQEA residential seminar held for heads and teachers of Special schools in the Nottinghamshire area. SATURDAY 13^TH OCTOBER – MORNING SESSION The IQEA residential seminar continued.