Round Square Exchanges

A number of senior Markham College students participate in exchange programmes every year with students from other Round Square schools. Visiting students attend classes and participate in school life while living with a Markham family, usually for a period of one to two months. At the end of their stay, a Markham student will have a similar experience back at an exchange school, either with their exchange partner’s family, or in the school’s boarding facilities.

This exchange programme has been working successfully for three years and continues to grow. More and more Markham students are keen to participate. Since 2005, we have had exchanges with students from such countries as: United Kingdom, Germany, France, New Zealand, Australia, Canada, USA, India and South Africa.

There are great personal rewards for the students that participate in the exchange programme.  We also believe that the school itself gains from the opportunity to meet and share ideas in our classrooms with students from other countries.

As a school community we gain an insight into the perceptions, beliefs, values and customs of our visiting students. These, together with the direct experiences of the visiting students themselves, enrich our understanding and enable us to be better prepared as citizens of a global society. There is great wealth in diversity.