Section 2 : Motives

Activity 2.2My motives for partnering

Partnerships are more successful and sustainable if those involved have thought through their reasons for wanting a partnership before embarking on one. Involving and reaching consensus with colleagues about the motives for a new partnership is also a good beginning.

Why do you want to partner?

Question WrongCorrectWrongCorrect

Read the list of reasons for partnering and think about your own. Add any other reasons you may have. Select no more than three priorities.

I want to partner in order to:

  • CorrectWrong Challenge stereotypes

  • CorrectWrong Develop friendships

  • CorrectWrong Develop the curriculum

  • CorrectWrong Have fun

  • CorrectWrong Travel abroad

  • CorrectWrong Strengthen the local community

  • CorrectWrong Advocate on behalf of others less fortunate

  • CorrectWrong Enable learners in both schools to become active global citizens

  • CorrectWrong Make learning more meaningful

  • CorrectWrong Provide challenging and reflective learning environments

  • CorrectWrong Stretch myself and my students

  • CorrectWrong Get help for my school

  • CorrectWrong Provide learners with a good example to follow

  • CorrectWrong Raise the profile of my school

  • CorrectWrong Show learners they can do something practical to help others

  • CorrectWrong Challenge and improve my teaching

  • CorrectWrong Attract funding to my school

  • CorrectWrong Provide information for my geography classes about a distant place

  • CorrectWrong Give my students the chance to practice a foreign language

  • CorrectWrong Use computers to communicate

  • CorrectWrong Introduce my students to more diverse communities

  • CorrectWrong Learn more about Information Technology (computers and the internet)

  • CorrectWrong Motivate staff and learners

  • CorrectWrong Encourage openness to new ideas and ways of thinking

  • CorrectWrong Provide real audiences to practice communication skills

  • CorrectWrong Illustrate how local and global are interconnected

  • Add any other reason here:

Are your main reasons for wanting a new partnership about :

  • learning from or about your partner

  • learning together with your partner

  • helping your partner

  • being helped by your partner

What sort of partnership do your priorities support?

Are there any reasons on the list which discourage you from partnering?

Additional activity

Do this activity with your colleagues and compare their responses. Print out the list and make it up as a card set.

You may wish to include additional reasons.

Why do you want a partnership?

  1. Ask colleagues to individually select

    • their strongest reasons for wishing to partner (no more than six)

    • any reasons which discourage partnering.

  2. Now discuss the choices that colleagues have made and the level of consensus.

Click here for a printable cutout list of reasons.

Partnerships are more successful and sustainable if they involve a range of colleagues from both schools who agree with and support the partnership rationale and practices. If colleagues can reach consensus about the motives for a new partnership from the start then they will have a firm basis for a successful partnership.

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