Academy Junior School – Super Saturday and Teacher’s Day

Super Saturdays for our Academy Junior School epitomise out-of-class, experiential learning. Two weeks ago, all students from grades 1–5 and their teachers went on a day trip to Shilparamam – the arts, crafts and cultural village in Hyderabad.

Students took an enlightening walk through the craft village and its outdoor installations, stopping intermittently to watch master craftsmen at work. Mini workshops followed, during which students learnt how to make ‘cheriyal’ masks from 100% natural products including tamarind seed powder, coconut shells and clay. They were then painted using turmeric and plant dyes.

A tour of the Rural Museum allowed them to experience an archetypal Indian village – one of the main attractions at Shilparamam. Clay models of villagers in and around life-sized, traditional huts depict rural and tribal lifestyles. Students were able build their awareness of how people lived and worked in the past, and had a glimpse into their religious and social lives.

In between these activities, students caught a Rajasthani puppet show. The trip exposed them to different experience, giving them a better understanding of how art is integrated with heritage, culture and ethos. 

It wasn’t just the students who got to explore local arts and crafts. The following week on Teacher’s Day (celebrated in India on 5 September 2016), artisans from Shilparamam visited the Academy to take workshops for grade 1–5 teachers.

While the teachers made their own masks and took painting workshops, International Baccalaureate (IB) Diploma (grades 11 and 12) students supervised younger Academy Junior School students as part of their CAS (Creativity, action, service) contribution. Teachers became students for a couple of hours and let their creative juices flow. They all learned new skills, thus exemplifying an important part of the IB learner profile: life-long learning. All in all, a rewarding Teacher’s Day!