One School One Country 2009

 By Debra Stark, WorldSkills Calgary 2009

The One School, One Country program will give young students in Calgary the opportunity to learn about other countries’ values, traditions and cultures, providing students a look to their future and the possibility of a career in skilled trades or technologies. One School, One Country is designed to be a program that teaches international awareness to youth. WorldSkills Calgary 2009 wants to encourage creativity and ownership for each individual elementary school so they have the flexibility to adapt their curricular program.

WorldSkills Calgary 2009 is working closely with the Calgary Board of Education and the Calgary Roman Catholic Separate School District to include their elementary and middle schools with this unique project. Between these two school districts, we have a total of 238 elementary/middle schools who will have an opportunity to learn about WorldSkills. Both boards are adapting their school curriculum so students will be taught about the WorldSkills International Member countries/regions and about the 45 skill categories. It is very exciting to see that our Calgary schools are looking forward to learning about WorldSkills and we trust the experience will be memorable for both the students and the competitors. 

On the first day of the WorldSkills Competition, September 1, 2009, selective schools will have the opportunity to meet the Competitors of their adopted country. Each Member country/region team will be bussed to a preselected elementary school that has learned about their country/region over the past school year to complete the One School, One Country program. There will be some mandatory components in this program which each school will need to include, ensuring there is some general consistency however, flexibility and creativity is still encouraged. The Competitors will have approximately one hour to visit with the students at the school. Schools will be required to have a welcoming assembly and students will be given the opportunity to show the Competitors what they have learned about their country/region, share what they know about our country and provide a fun and learning atmosphere for all attending. These schools will be selected at the jurisdiction system level. 

Through our education website (www.worldskills2009education.com), there will be a variety of resources available for teachers to use as they wish. Each download will also suggest the appropriate age group to which it should be directed. The resources are meant to be used as a guide or as suggestions to use in the classroom. One School, One Country will educate Calgary’s youth about international awareness, the need and importance of skilled trades and technologies and provide a memorable experience for the WorldSkills Competitors.

For more information please visit: www.worldskills2009.com