With the goal in the mind, to make experiences learner-driven and empower students to set their own learning pathways for the future, Leaders Private School, Sharjah organised the Annual Exhibition TeccEX2016 (Think, Explore, Collaborate and Create) on October 26 & 27, 2016. This annual exhibition, which is the brainchild of the Principal Ms Rafia Zafar Ali, provides opportunities for sharing new ideas that can create positive lifestyle changes within the society.
The Exhibition was inaugurated by Professor Manda Venkatramana, Dean and Adjunct Clinical Professor of Surgery and Consultant Surgeon at Thumbay Hospital, Department of Clinical Sciences, College of Medicine and Gulf Medical University.
Students from Kindergarten to Grade 12 participated in this exhibition held under the theme “Best Practices, Better Lives.”
On October 24th and 25th, students in each classroom were assigned different roles inclusive of organiser, manager, leader and team member. Students worked in groups, collaborating on designs for their projects that connected with the theme of the exhibition.
To make the project authentic, students employed different methods to access the information that they needed. They conducted surveys, researched on the Internet and used books to get additional facts and figures to support their topic.
Teachers facilitated the process by guiding students and providing the required learning environment. Students were made to move from Curriculum based learning to Competency based learning, by doing things at their own interest, while working towards achieving the learning outcome of the project.
During TeccEX2016, students integrated healthy lifestyles with key subjects such as Maths, Science, Social Science, Arabic/Islamic Studies and English.
Visitors were impressed by activities such as ‘Bed Time Maths’, which was practiced by students at the Kindergarten and Primary level. Students spoke confidently on how much they enjoyed doing the activity with their parents.
The school had introduced this as an action research to observe students who were doing it every week and thereby study their progress in maths scores through their assessments. It was observed that there was steady improvement among some students.
Students at the different levels demonstrated their understanding of the various projects that they were assigned.
- Primary Department students of grade 2 explained safety rules of home through a crossword puzzle.
- Grade 3 students showed visitors on Suryassan and its positions with their title ‘Yoga For Better Lives.’
- Grade 4 students learnt different geometrical shapes by constructing a geometerocity. Students created a city that uses 2D and 3D, practicing both plane and solid geometry. This project allowed students to practice and apply learned skills in geometry. Besides using geometry skills, students were challenged with problem solving, making inferences, collaboration, communication, and independent learning.
- Middle & Senior students integrated Healthy living with the main subjects’. Students of English department linked health factors in every area of their English projects, starting with proper pronunciation of the nutritional words, to the home remedies and nature poems that were created by the students.
- Middle school students creatively displayed their projects on Nano technology and the use of large and small numbers in everyday life. Maths and nature was connected through a factor tree. With the title Math and Food, students created symmetry and ratio with food items. Quite a number of mathematical concepts were used in explaining best practices that one can adopt in life to make it healthier and happier.
- The Heart of the Matter room had a lot of grey matter with its tagline ‘Perseverance is an accelerant.’ Music and Dance therapy activities showcased students’ talent of assisting people to reduce their stress levels and blood pressure. The ability of teachers to integrate student voice in developing these projects was visible.
- The Physical Education Department had the activity under the banner STEM in GYM. Students were able to explain the various subjects such as Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths and relate it with Gymnastics. Students’ knowledge was considered to be capital in building the projects for this exhibition. Rigor, relevance and relationships were seen among the students, when each played their part well, in explaining the connection of each key subject with the co-scholastic subjects such Physical Education, Music and Dance.
With the message ‘Begin Tolerance and Stay Healthy’ students were able to show different eye exercises and yoga activities for the body and mind, to remain calm and healthy. It was further connected with the Medical Department, where the students were able to explain the procedures to be followed to take care of eyes.
The heritage club showcased the heritage of India in different areas in its beautiful art form. The audience members were enthralled seeing the beautiful art pieces that varied from food/clothing /jewellery to monuments.
Visitors were treated to an impressive creative corner that was created by the art department. The department used the tagline ‘Creativity is the Muscle of the Mind’ as a guide. The corner featured an outline of a Peacock and the Dallah Coffee pot of UAE on a canvas. Visitors were encouraged to add to the design by putting their artistic stroke on the picture.
TeccEx2016 had many rich highlights and was thoroughly enjoyed by both parents and students. The outpouring of talent on display coupled with students’ clear understanding of the theme, made many parents proud.
TeccEx provided a wonderful learning atmosphere for students to identify, and combine tools, procedures and processes that were creative and innovative.
Students are Makers, as educators and parents, we have to trust and give them an opportunity to explore and produce. The enriching experiences enabled students to deepen their thinking and express themselves with courage and confidence.
At the end of TeccEx2016, there was a feeling of exhilaration and enthusiasm among the staff and students for a job that was well done.
– Leaders Private School Sharjah
