Kathmandu English School (KES) from Kathmandu partnered with The Leys Primary and Nursery School from Stevenage UK under our Connecting Classroom through Global Learning (CCGL) Programme in the year 2016. Ever since they have partnered, they have been conducting various activities in collaboration with each other.
Mr Dinesh Khatiwada, headteacher of KES wanted adapt internationalisation into teaching and learning by project-based learning pedagogy and he is achieving it.
The schools were recently involved in activities exploring gender roles, influence, identity and rights. As a part of this activity, the students from both schools explored the similarities and differences in their family and communities regarding gender roles and identities. They compared the duties of men and women and later exchanged their gathered results with each other. This enabled them to briefly understand gender roles in their respective countries and the underlying reason behind them. They started raising questions on why such issues and why such differences prevail in our society. This helped the students and teachers to secure a strong and meaningful bond while addressing global issues.
Candila Adhikari, a grade 5 student from KES says, ‘Talking to friends from other countries and sharing my work with them is what I like the most. I really want this project to continue.”
During the project implementation period, teachers from both schools were equally enthusiastic about Climate Action and both countries ventured into exploring the need and importance to addressing climate change issues and exploring mitigation ideas. Their efforts were later presented in the climate change citizens panel organised by Stevenage Borough Council in the UK by Andrew, the cluster leader.
“Various projects conducted at the school has enhanced students’ critical thinking and problem-solving aspect of learning”. Maths teacher from KES- Nitesh Dhamala says. “Students were involved in percentage and pie chart making while using the gender data from the partnership project. This made me easier to teach them mathematics and make me realise students enjoy and learn faster with fun in project-based learning activities.”
Learning practically along with students from UK schools is equipping students from KES with various other skills, which rote learning hardly covers. The cluster now have their separate YouTube channel where they upload their activities. Their YouTube channel not only serves as a resource for the other end but also has helped to keep students engaged and encourage digital literacy.
For this partnership to work well, these two schools were in continuous touch. The schools shared teaching resources, which were encouraged to adapt into their classes. Both schools shared Teaching and Learning School Packs- Educational for Sustainable Development and Global Citizenship to carry out their activities.
Due to the pandemic and school closure, the schools were not fully able to execute their projects activities as planned. Despite this circumstance, this cluster has been performing very well and keeping students engaged through the scheduled virtual meetings between the UK and Nepali teachers. Their active participation has allowed them to continue their projects amidst the pandemic.
Mr Dinesh explained that this project has had a great influence on his career and expects to further strengthen the cultural relation of the two countries with activities on town twinning. He added, “The parents are well aware of the partnership and are supporting the CCGL program, which has led to wider positive changes in the school.”