How do you build good relationships with schools around sports when so many school teachers seem overworked, disinterested, uninformed and or sceptical? There are many great teachers and school administrators but it seems that many of us on the site have trouble making the case to the people who would benefit from our programmes. I know your project has had some success so I would love to hear some strategies.
Good morning Cameron, well- in fact it is a problem even with the very enthusiastic and interested teachers - they have a lot to do. ( this is what i know from my personal experience- many different projects includes social projects, church or a lot of other groups like to work with them and sometimes teachers even paint the walls in their schools)
If you show them, that with your work they have benefits in their own work and at least less work then it´s the first step- the second is- if possible - make it easy for them to work with you.
It is helpfull to ask them which way is the best contact way. And very important stay in contact with the director and inform consistently that he/ she knows what´s going on in the school.
If there is a social worker in the school- keep connectet with him/her. If you are happy to find interested parents- they can help to attach improtance to YOUR project.
Very often there is a personal connection to one of the teachers and that is why the project works.
Anyway- I think there schould be a change in the structure of schools and with the new education act in Berlin there is a beginning for a change. In my opinion there should be more free hours for teachers to organise the connection between neighbourhood and school.
I would be very interested in how other people see the connection from school to their neighbourhood and if they have ideas how this could be developed within a structure.
Hi Itong
Maybe the people running Sport4all in the states has some ideas. Try writing her she has had a lot of success with recess and lunch time programmes. I am sur ethe two of you could learn from each other.
I would have loved an initiative like this when I went to school. My basketball lessons were quite dreadful :). It struck me how you said that so many schools and teachers were disinterested - who wouldn´t want some free outside help with a great sports programme? Anyway, since you´re adressing the gender question: what´s your experience with girls and basketball? Are girls generally as interested as boys, and what do parents and teachers think about girls getting into the programme? Any problems with the boys claiming this as "their" sport? Do you run into difficulties with more conservative migrant families and if so, how do you deal with that?
Hey Jasper! as far as our experience goes-
in the school:
the girls are as interested as the girls if you adress directly to them
and if you build the general conditions
Outside school in the clubs- there are much more boys and it´s very hard
to build a constant team of girls in our neighbourhood-
I´m pretty sure that if we work more with girls in school there will be
a change outside of schools
For the boys- we do have lots of problems with boys and soccer- with
basketball not yet- but the girls hardly get space to play outside
school- the boys occupy the playgrounds and the girls can?t practice.
Until now we don´t have any negative experiences with conservative
migrant families - but we?ll see what happens in the future when the
girls grow older (the problems arise when they get older)
Our soccer Trainer told us, that for some girls is it forbidden to play
soccer and the boys tell it to the parents if they do. There are also
boys who like playing with the girls and the brothers and families are
very proud of their girl. There is no general statement for that. But
still- the girls do not have space to play whenever they want- the
playgrounds are full with boys.
For us: if possible we´d like to work with the families and convince
them- but we are still in the process how we get close to them. That is
one reason to work with schools-
and it´s much easier for the girls to join the class
This is a glamourous initiative: bringing high class trainers into Kreuzberg's schools and teaching the kids the skills of basketball. It looks like a very positive "changemaking" intitative to me, because learning to play basketball is more than just playing ball: it is about team spirit, creating success through training and discipline, learning about one's own body, and building self confidence rather than aggression or fear. It is also about actively dealing with diversity (e.g. with regards to different skills, age, culural or class backgrounds, gender etc.) and therefore it contributes to the creation of strong communities in which diversity is experienced as an opportunity rather than a hassle. This means helping kids from different social and cultural backgrounds to learn and play together, to built up respect for each other and to find fun in making progress together through high quality training is an amazing chance for progressive urban development.
I joint trainings with one of the kangaroo trainers quite some time ago and she is brillant: always exciting new exercises, good balance between training and playing, smart management of a highly diverse group. The kangaroos can be happy.
Related question: Does the glamour of basketball a la Michael Jordan still appeal to kids? In Germany? And who are your trainers? I don´t know a lot about basketball, but do the kids know and go like "Wow, it´s HER/it´s HIM!" ?
The Känguru-concept looks quite convincing and well thought to me. What I like very much about it: It gives the chance to learn the great game of basketball to girls who otherwise might never see sport as an opportunity where they can find support, grow as personalities and have lots of fun - because normally girls here are ecpected to play at home or might learn an instrument. There are simply no or very few places, where they can learn a team sport - and all the public playgrounds are totally dominated by the boys.
I´m a basketball player myself and have been into team sport since an early age. I´m sure this effected my biography and my way of carrying myself in this world as a woman very very much. I´m greatful for the power and self-confidence I gained in sports. So I would love to see the girls from my neighbourghhood of Kreuzberg having the same chance, which I believe the Känguru-Team could give them.
Nadine Lange, Journalist
Why are we asking about the importance of the kangaroo project and it's team? Is it because we are not used anymore that people do things due to social reasons? We should not ask why, but rather when is the project going to be properly subsidized in order for it to have the impact it deserves. It is fantastic to have such high qualified and determined coaches, bringing the opportunity to girls to learn to respect others and be respected, to take responsibility for their doing and to get recognition for what they do and decide to do, and not only for what others expect them to do. Basketball is a highly adequate sport to learn this attributes.
The Kangaroo project is innovative because it recognizes the importance of sport for girls. In todays world, not just in Berlin Kreuzberg, but everywhere, girls have to become strong to endure life's challenges. Therefore the Kangaroo project can well be implemented worldwide.
I play Basketball myself and in my life it has always giving me the extra power on needs, especially when not everything works out the way we wish. It provides still for me today, the balance between strength and humbleness. I have witnessed both coaches in their responsibilities and am very impressed. I wish them all the luck and success - the girls deserve them. Go Kangaroos!
I really agree to that point that it is very important to give the girls something were they can feel and balance their power. Really important- we need to work for years to come to this point.
This is a financial problem all the times.
This initiative is perfect for girls of all cultures in berlin - it gives the opportunity to become a member of a group and at the same time develop personal qualities like trusting in yourself, finding out about own limits and widening these limits in the team, respect for others and yourself, taking responsibility but not standing alone.
I know the trainers for some time and think their concept fits perfectly to the objectives of the initiative. There should be more initiative of this kind!
I happened to watch a training-session of the "Kreuzberger-Känguruhs", when I waited to pick up a friends 12year old daughter. Admittedly, I was a bit annoyed at first, as the training had overrun time and I had to wait. But, watching, I got actually totally amazed! My friends daughter - whom I had so far got to know as very quiet and almost painfully shy - here, on the court, she suddenly seemed to be capable of acting with so much brilliant, calm confidence, that I couldn't help it, but think I actually had to gasp!
One could argue now, that this is what almost every team-sports in almost every club around the world does for you: help bringt forward your talents and build up confidence. But, after having talked to the coaches a bit, I do think that this project is more than just a little, committed basketball-club. The coaches seem to be able to teach these girls not just basketball. But show them that there is more to their days than just hanging around in malls, watching television or get bullied by boys.
I don't know, what it takes to transform a bunch of very different teenage-girls (from what is known as one of the more difficult and most macho-dominated quarters in Berlin) into a real team - but I do hope that the Känguruh-Concept will always get the support it needs to be able to keep up the good work.
Catrin, journalist
I'm a big fan of basketball and of providing early experiences for children in team sports to set them with healthy habits for life.
You might be interested in some of the initatives of Basketball Australia www.basketball.net.au. In Australia, the physical education system is quite different to Germany but there are some exciting initiatives that take basketball into Aussie schools. (Being an Aussie myself, I'm particularly impressed with the kangaroo theme!)
Have you come across any students with a disability wanting to get involved? I currently live in Kreutzberg and would love to come and check out this program.
Keep up the good work,
Jackie
Jackie Lauff
Free University Berlin
University Challenge
I am here to ask you about my favorite topic around this changemakers thing here. I didn´t know how to phrase it exactly, but cameron over at Boxgirls has nailed it with her Thoery of Change statement:
Care to respond on how you think about that in regard to your own project? The web, by the way, is full of resources on TOC, some of which I´ve linked here (btw, good opportunity to get you acquainted with some more Berliners in this competition):
Comments
How do you build good relationships with schools around sports when so many school teachers seem overworked, disinterested, uninformed and or sceptical? There are many great teachers and school administrators but it seems that many of us on the site have trouble making the case to the people who would benefit from our programmes. I know your project has had some success so I would love to hear some strategies.
Cute logo!
Heather Cameron
-Free University Berlin
Good morning Cameron, well- in fact it is a problem even with the very enthusiastic and interested teachers - they have a lot to do. ( this is what i know from my personal experience- many different projects includes social projects, church or a lot of other groups like to work with them and sometimes teachers even paint the walls in their schools)
If you show them, that with your work they have benefits in their own work and at least less work then it´s the first step- the second is- if possible - make it easy for them to work with you.
It is helpfull to ask them which way is the best contact way. And very important stay in contact with the director and inform consistently that he/ she knows what´s going on in the school.
If there is a social worker in the school- keep connectet with him/her. If you are happy to find interested parents- they can help to attach improtance to YOUR project.
Very often there is a personal connection to one of the teachers and that is why the project works.
Anyway- I think there schould be a change in the structure of schools and with the new education act in Berlin there is a beginning for a change. In my opinion there should be more free hours for teachers to organise the connection between neighbourhood and school.
I would be very interested in how other people see the connection from school to their neighbourhood and if they have ideas how this could be developed within a structure.
Hi Itong
Maybe the people running Sport4all in the states has some ideas. Try writing her she has had a lot of success with recess and lunch time programmes. I am sur ethe two of you could learn from each other.
hc
free university berlin
I would have loved an initiative like this when I went to school. My basketball lessons were quite dreadful :). It struck me how you said that so many schools and teachers were disinterested - who wouldn´t want some free outside help with a great sports programme? Anyway, since you´re adressing the gender question: what´s your experience with girls and basketball? Are girls generally as interested as boys, and what do parents and teachers think about girls getting into the programme? Any problems with the boys claiming this as "their" sport? Do you run into difficulties with more conservative migrant families and if so, how do you deal with that?
Looking forward to your answers,
Jasper Nicolaisen
Free University Berlin
Hey Jasper! as far as our experience goes-
in the school:
the girls are as interested as the girls if you adress directly to them
and if you build the general conditions
Outside school in the clubs- there are much more boys and it´s very hard
to build a constant team of girls in our neighbourhood-
I´m pretty sure that if we work more with girls in school there will be
a change outside of schools
For the boys- we do have lots of problems with boys and soccer- with
basketball not yet- but the girls hardly get space to play outside
school- the boys occupy the playgrounds and the girls can?t practice.
Until now we don´t have any negative experiences with conservative
migrant families - but we?ll see what happens in the future when the
girls grow older (the problems arise when they get older)
Our soccer Trainer told us, that for some girls is it forbidden to play
soccer and the boys tell it to the parents if they do. There are also
boys who like playing with the girls and the brothers and families are
very proud of their girl. There is no general statement for that. But
still- the girls do not have space to play whenever they want- the
playgrounds are full with boys.
For us: if possible we´d like to work with the families and convince
them- but we are still in the process how we get close to them. That is
one reason to work with schools-
and it´s much easier for the girls to join the class
This is a glamourous initiative: bringing high class trainers into Kreuzberg's schools and teaching the kids the skills of basketball. It looks like a very positive "changemaking" intitative to me, because learning to play basketball is more than just playing ball: it is about team spirit, creating success through training and discipline, learning about one's own body, and building self confidence rather than aggression or fear. It is also about actively dealing with diversity (e.g. with regards to different skills, age, culural or class backgrounds, gender etc.) and therefore it contributes to the creation of strong communities in which diversity is experienced as an opportunity rather than a hassle. This means helping kids from different social and cultural backgrounds to learn and play together, to built up respect for each other and to find fun in making progress together through high quality training is an amazing chance for progressive urban development.
I joint trainings with one of the kangaroo trainers quite some time ago and she is brillant: always exciting new exercises, good balance between training and playing, smart management of a highly diverse group. The kangaroos can be happy.
Christine
University of Leipzig
Related question: Does the glamour of basketball a la Michael Jordan still appeal to kids? In Germany? And who are your trainers? I don´t know a lot about basketball, but do the kids know and go like "Wow, it´s HER/it´s HIM!" ?
- Jasper Nicolaisen
Free University Berlin
The Känguru-concept looks quite convincing and well thought to me. What I like very much about it: It gives the chance to learn the great game of basketball to girls who otherwise might never see sport as an opportunity where they can find support, grow as personalities and have lots of fun - because normally girls here are ecpected to play at home or might learn an instrument. There are simply no or very few places, where they can learn a team sport - and all the public playgrounds are totally dominated by the boys.
I´m a basketball player myself and have been into team sport since an early age. I´m sure this effected my biography and my way of carrying myself in this world as a woman very very much. I´m greatful for the power and self-confidence I gained in sports. So I would love to see the girls from my neighbourghhood of Kreuzberg having the same chance, which I believe the Känguru-Team could give them.
Nadine Lange, Journalist
Why are we asking about the importance of the kangaroo project and it's team? Is it because we are not used anymore that people do things due to social reasons? We should not ask why, but rather when is the project going to be properly subsidized in order for it to have the impact it deserves. It is fantastic to have such high qualified and determined coaches, bringing the opportunity to girls to learn to respect others and be respected, to take responsibility for their doing and to get recognition for what they do and decide to do, and not only for what others expect them to do. Basketball is a highly adequate sport to learn this attributes.
The Kangaroo project is innovative because it recognizes the importance of sport for girls. In todays world, not just in Berlin Kreuzberg, but everywhere, girls have to become strong to endure life's challenges. Therefore the Kangaroo project can well be implemented worldwide.
I play Basketball myself and in my life it has always giving me the extra power on needs, especially when not everything works out the way we wish. It provides still for me today, the balance between strength and humbleness. I have witnessed both coaches in their responsibilities and am very impressed. I wish them all the luck and success - the girls deserve them. Go Kangaroos!
Josefina Petrus, filmproducer
I really agree to that point that it is very important to give the girls something were they can feel and balance their power. Really important- we need to work for years to come to this point.
This is a financial problem all the times.
This initiative is perfect for girls of all cultures in berlin - it gives the opportunity to become a member of a group and at the same time develop personal qualities like trusting in yourself, finding out about own limits and widening these limits in the team, respect for others and yourself, taking responsibility but not standing alone.
I know the trainers for some time and think their concept fits perfectly to the objectives of the initiative. There should be more initiative of this kind!
Meike Söker
Scientist
I happened to watch a training-session of the "Kreuzberger-Känguruhs", when I waited to pick up a friends 12year old daughter. Admittedly, I was a bit annoyed at first, as the training had overrun time and I had to wait. But, watching, I got actually totally amazed! My friends daughter - whom I had so far got to know as very quiet and almost painfully shy - here, on the court, she suddenly seemed to be capable of acting with so much brilliant, calm confidence, that I couldn't help it, but think I actually had to gasp!
One could argue now, that this is what almost every team-sports in almost every club around the world does for you: help bringt forward your talents and build up confidence. But, after having talked to the coaches a bit, I do think that this project is more than just a little, committed basketball-club. The coaches seem to be able to teach these girls not just basketball. But show them that there is more to their days than just hanging around in malls, watching television or get bullied by boys.
I don't know, what it takes to transform a bunch of very different teenage-girls (from what is known as one of the more difficult and most macho-dominated quarters in Berlin) into a real team - but I do hope that the Känguruh-Concept will always get the support it needs to be able to keep up the good work.
Catrin, journalist
I'm a big fan of basketball and of providing early experiences for children in team sports to set them with healthy habits for life.
You might be interested in some of the initatives of Basketball Australia www.basketball.net.au. In Australia, the physical education system is quite different to Germany but there are some exciting initiatives that take basketball into Aussie schools. (Being an Aussie myself, I'm particularly impressed with the kangaroo theme!)
Have you come across any students with a disability wanting to get involved? I currently live in Kreutzberg and would love to come and check out this program.
Keep up the good work,
Jackie
Jackie Lauff
Free University Berlin
University Challenge
Hey fellow Kreuzbergers,
I am here to ask you about my favorite topic around this changemakers thing here. I didn´t know how to phrase it exactly, but cameron over at Boxgirls has nailed it with her Thoery of Change statement:
http://www.changemakers.net/en-us/node/2279#comment-3571
Care to respond on how you think about that in regard to your own project? The web, by the way, is full of resources on TOC, some of which I´ve linked here (btw, good opportunity to get you acquainted with some more Berliners in this competition):
http://changemakers.net/en-us/node/4193#comment-3574
Jasper Nicolaisen
Free University Berlin
University Challenge
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