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Kurt Sansone
Curiosity killed the cat, the saying goes, but in the case of the Mqabba primary school curiosity displayed by kindergarten children on the white trail left by an airplane flying at high altitude kick started a whole learning exercise by which children sought out lines, shapes and patterns in their surrounding environment.
The exercise was part of a wider school effort that involved all primary classes in a practical educational experience that mobilised students, teachers and parents alike. All group and individual projects were on display last week in an open day at the Mqabba School with each class displaying a different theme ranging from night creatures to geography, traditional Maltese cuisine to herbs and insects and sports.
In the words of headmistress Bernardette Azzopardi, the aim of the month-long exercise was to put into practice the perspectives spelled out by the new national curriculum, which considers children to be active participants in the learning process.
“The projects have enabled children to learn in a fun way, at their own pace and by sharing information. They have discovered things and in the process taught other students and teachers. I myself have learned quite a lot of things thanks to them. The event has given our students a sense of pride in their work,” Azzopardi told MaltaToday.
And pride was more than evident as students walked up to visitors including the journalist from this newspaper, asking them to listen to their explanations. Parents were led into a class room transformed into a cave with hanging bats where students dressed in black gave presentations on night-time animals. Six-year olds explained the transformation of seeds into fully fledged plants with informative presentations on herbs and potatoes. Another class room was transformed into a jungle with students dressed up as animals for the occasion.
Year four students talked about different cultures with a strong message against racial discrimination. And with the Olympics just round the corner, Year five students displayed their talent in adapting ancient Greek stories (the Olympics started in Greece) into fictitious dialogue and plays.
The open day was an exciting display of imagination and enthusiasm and teachers who spoke to MaltaToday concurred that students not only enjoyed the experience but also learned a lot by way of research and group work.
The all-encompassing approach also meant children from different classes knew what others were doing. “This helped students understand that the project was a school project rather than simply a class project and so they could experience a sense of belonging to the school,” the headmistress said.
The children were no less enthusiastic. Children speaking to this newspaper talked of the hours they spent doing research including meeting in groups at their respective homes.
It was a fun experience and an innovative way of learning.
The good work carried out at the Mqabba Primary School put into practice a cardinal principle of the curriculum; shifting the emphasis from a one-way teacher-student learning experience to a dialogue that values students, their opinions, abilities and aspirations.
The school’s philosophy is to acknowledge children’s distinctive ways of learning, promote thinking, problem solving, communication skills and a positive attitude.
The school’s initiative to make the curriculum work for children, something, which unfortunately is still very missing in the education system, has given the small Mqabba community what to be proud of.
One can only hope the experience is contagious and more primary and secondary schools veer away from the traditional academic curriculum and venture into a holistic educational approach that values the children’s personal development.
kurt@newsworksltd.com
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