Saturday 24 February 2007

How it all began...


Forthview PS opened in 2003 as the merger of Craigmuir and Inchview Primary Schools in West Pilton, Edinburgh. Check us out at http://www.forthview.edin.sch.uk/. In 2004, the Dalai Lama visited Scotland and Forthview embarked with enthusiasm on a whole school study of Buddhism.

In June 2005, Dau Aung San Suu Kyi was awarded the Freedom of the City of Edinburgh. Forthview children sang at the ceremony and Dr Sein Win, exiled Prime Minister of Burma, visited Forthview, which was a great honour for the school. Chris Robinson, Anglo-Burmese artist, (http://www.chrisrobinson.org/) was displaying his collection of ink etchings of Burmese life in the City Art Centre and his etching of The Lady was chosen as the symbol of the Freedom Award. He came to work with Forthview children who made excellent etchings of Burmese people themselves.

In 2006 and 2007, Chris and the children and parents of Forthview recorded scenes of Pilton life on digital cameras, etched them on paper and material and Chris took these works to migrant Burmese worker and refugee schools in Thailand. The children in the Thai schools etched images of their life and Chris brought these back to Forthview.

Currently, the children of Forthview and Hle Bee schools are writing stories about the storytelling chair in the Scottish Storytelling Centre, which is made of Burmese wood. These stories will be made into a joint book. Spot the chair at http://www.scottishstorytellingcentre.co.uk/.
To develop this joint curricular work, Sheila Laing, Forthview HT will vist Hle Bee School and the Teacher Training Centre for Burmese Teachers in July 2007. Dr Thein Lwin, Principal of TTBT will visit Forthview in October 2007. This blog will tell the story of this part of our journey.

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