Together or apart - exploring approaches to educating twins
- 7 years ago
This episode of Learning World looks at approaches to schooling for twins and multiples. We visit both Bosnia and the UK to explore two very different approaches – and also to gain insight from an expert at the forefront of research into educating twins and multiples Professor Pat Preedy
Bosnia: ‘Town of Twins’
Can you imagine a class where all the pupils are twins? In the Bosnian municipality of Buzim this is far from rare – in fact, it is fairly commonplace.
There are some 20 pairs of twins at the Buzim elementary school alone, and in the entire community there are around 100 pairs of twins.
“Being a twin is awesome. See, she’s better at school than me. So when I don’t know something, she always helps me at home. We do homework together, but we also share many other things,” says Merjema of her twin sister Merisa.
Teachers and parents agree that educating twins is not an easy task.
“It is a real challenge to educate twins. You need to be the Mum, the best friend, and the psychologist. Oh, and the doctor as well. And all this much more than than for those Mums that don’t have twins. But it is a very beautiful task,” says mother of twins Sefika Aldzic.
Bosnia and Herzegovina, Buzim “Town of Twins” by REUTERS/DadoRuvic http://t.co/EmdOfsagEx pic.twitter.com/qG6ailDhRA— Reuters Paris Pix (ReutersParisPix) 24 avril 2015
Science has not provided a definitive answer as to why there are so many twins in Buzim, but genetics surely play a role. Buzim is a small community of around 20,000, where people often marry among themselves.
‘They like to be together’
Buzim teacher Emina Alesevic says: “They (twins) like to be together. They may not insist on this but we usually know their needs quite well and this includes being in the same class together. They usually share schoolbooks and other school equipment, and they like to study together at home,” says teacher Emina Alesevic.
Buzim has discovered the potential its twins might have for the small community’s development. Mayor Agan Bunic is determined to establish Buzim as an international centre for twin meetings and research.
“It’s our task to promote Buzim as the ‘Town of Twins’ and we plan to organise meetings of twins here, both on the domestic but also on the international level. We hope that through this we can attract people to come here, including scientists, which would be beneficial for everyone,” says Mayor Agan Bunic.
Whether it is sports, mathematics, or other classes all twins in Buzim tend to be in the same class, in elementary school and later in high school. Sometimes, it can lead to opportunities for pranks and trickery.
“Let’s say if they are very similar, be it two twin sisters or two twin brothers, it does happen that they simply change places, and one of them answers a question twice because his or her twin does not know the correct answer,” says Emina Alesevic.
Buzim is one of the few communities in Bosnia with an increasing birth rate.
UK: Bett
Bosnia: ‘Town of Twins’
Can you imagine a class where all the pupils are twins? In the Bosnian municipality of Buzim this is far from rare – in fact, it is fairly commonplace.
There are some 20 pairs of twins at the Buzim elementary school alone, and in the entire community there are around 100 pairs of twins.
“Being a twin is awesome. See, she’s better at school than me. So when I don’t know something, she always helps me at home. We do homework together, but we also share many other things,” says Merjema of her twin sister Merisa.
Teachers and parents agree that educating twins is not an easy task.
“It is a real challenge to educate twins. You need to be the Mum, the best friend, and the psychologist. Oh, and the doctor as well. And all this much more than than for those Mums that don’t have twins. But it is a very beautiful task,” says mother of twins Sefika Aldzic.
Bosnia and Herzegovina, Buzim “Town of Twins” by REUTERS/DadoRuvic http://t.co/EmdOfsagEx pic.twitter.com/qG6ailDhRA— Reuters Paris Pix (ReutersParisPix) 24 avril 2015
Science has not provided a definitive answer as to why there are so many twins in Buzim, but genetics surely play a role. Buzim is a small community of around 20,000, where people often marry among themselves.
‘They like to be together’
Buzim teacher Emina Alesevic says: “They (twins) like to be together. They may not insist on this but we usually know their needs quite well and this includes being in the same class together. They usually share schoolbooks and other school equipment, and they like to study together at home,” says teacher Emina Alesevic.
Buzim has discovered the potential its twins might have for the small community’s development. Mayor Agan Bunic is determined to establish Buzim as an international centre for twin meetings and research.
“It’s our task to promote Buzim as the ‘Town of Twins’ and we plan to organise meetings of twins here, both on the domestic but also on the international level. We hope that through this we can attract people to come here, including scientists, which would be beneficial for everyone,” says Mayor Agan Bunic.
Whether it is sports, mathematics, or other classes all twins in Buzim tend to be in the same class, in elementary school and later in high school. Sometimes, it can lead to opportunities for pranks and trickery.
“Let’s say if they are very similar, be it two twin sisters or two twin brothers, it does happen that they simply change places, and one of them answers a question twice because his or her twin does not know the correct answer,” says Emina Alesevic.
Buzim is one of the few communities in Bosnia with an increasing birth rate.
UK: Bett