Harriet Chadwick: Committed to students’ success
Before we enter the 2019 – 2020 academic term, we would like to spotlight a few staff from AKA Mombasa who are going on to pursue new adventures in the upcoming academic year. Here, we take a look at Harriet Chadwick, who worked in the Humanities department, and her time at the Academy.
Harriet Chadwick is from Wakefield in West Yorkshire, England and has worked at the Aga Khan Academy Mombasa for three years as a Global Politics, Integrated Humanities and Theory of Knowledge teacher.
During her time at the Academy, Harriet said she has had a positive experience in her professional and personal life.
“I have learnt a lot about my subject, the IB Diploma Programme and the Middle Years Programme,” Harriet said. “I have enjoyed living in Mombasa and learning more about the local history and culture. I have also enjoyed some of the supportive relationships I have had with colleagues and support staff.”
As she will move on to new opportunities, Harriet said she will miss many things about the Academy and Mombasa in general.
“I will miss the best students who I have ever worked with; they are kind, hardworking and charming,” Harriet said. “I have thoroughly enjoyed learning more about the African continent through the curriculum I have taught and developed in both DP and MYP. I will miss the beautiful, tropical sites of Mombasa, such as the palm trees and beaches, minus the sweaty weather.”
As a teacher at the Academy, Harriet said she was able to help students appreciate Humanities with different learning resources.
“In year 7 I have embedded more creative and interactive learning approaches into the curriculum and contributed new resources,” Harriet said. “I have upheld and improved the popularity of Global Politics across the Academy and supported students to achieve their potential in their assessments. Some of the new approaches I have embedded in my DP teaching are to encourage continuous self-reflection, openness and communication from students about problems they are facing, as I believe mentorship is a key ingredient of good teaching, and the importance of collaboration, as opposed to competition, as a way to succeed.”
Although Harriet was teaching the students on how to succeed in Humanities, she said the Academy was also teaching her on how to succeed and become a better teacher.
“The Academy has taught me how to have more confidence in myself as an educator, that teaching involves multiple roles that I have learnt to balance and how to deliver concept-based, rather than content-based learning,” Harriet said. “Moving to another IB school, I will also feel more equipped to deliver the IB programme and I am very grateful to the Academy for providing me with this opportunity to grow.”
Harriet said she will begin a new teaching position that will help her plan her future better. However, she will be dearly missed by her colleagues, according to Susan Abuto, the head of department for the Humanities department.
“Harriet is one of the most passionate teachers I have ever interacted with in all of my teaching life,” Susan said. “She has a strong commitment towards the students and the lessons she has to deliver. She takes a lot of time and consideration into the quality of work she produces, whether it is a write-up, an assessment, a lesson plan or even departmental duties. She works very well with minimal supervision. While observing her lessons, you can see the student engagement and enthusiasm in the lessons. She motivates students to strive for the best they can achieve. To her students she is a darling. She cares about their welfare - feelings, engagement, performance, association, among other things. We will miss this commitment in the department and I know her students will miss her too.”
Aleesha Suleman (Class of 2012): Dedicated and determined
At UCL- Qatar, Aleesha is completing a Master of Arts Degree programme in Museum and Gallery Practice. This programme, Aleesha says, “brings together my many loves – art, museums, culture, education, development and social justice.”
Aleesha also has a Bachelor of Science degree in Foreign Service from Georgetown University in Qatar. She notes that whenever she was studying, she never lost sight of her connection to Kenya.
“For one, whatever classes I took, I would find ways to connect my research back to Kenya, its history, its politics and its socio-economic issues. University classes related to the African continent would light a spark in me that made me realise how passionate I was about making a positive social change to the continent in whatever way I could,” she states.
Being admitted to the Academy was the beginning of a transformative journey for Aleesha. Coming from a more conservative background, it was a culture jolt initially. “I distinctly remember feeling the shock of a co-ed classroom for the first time and feeling like I would never be comfortable in the Academy’s school uniform.”
However, as Aleesha began to be exposed to a plethora of experiences, she adjusted quickly to her new life. She engaged in a number of extracurricular activities, including singing and playing musical instruments for the school band, hiking and mountain climbing through the President’s Award Programme. She also took on a leadership role within the growing residential programme as a Dorm Captain.
Following her graduation from Georgetown University, Aleesha returned to AKA Mombasa to become an Academy Fellow for two years. During this time, Aleesha worked as a mentor and residential parent to students, while also working in the Communications Department. Once her fellowship ended, Aleesha became the Communication Department’s official Communications Officer.
Always a champion of social enterprise and progress, Aleesha started an organisation called Kreatives Konnect when she became a part of the Academy staff. The focus of the organisation is to provide opportunities for creatives in the coastal city of Mombasa to showcase their talents, network and collaborate with others, while also co-creating opportunities for development. Not only did the staff at the school back her in this endeavour, but the Academy students and the wider AKA community also helped her make this vision a reality.
“It made me feel very privileged to be part of such a community,” Aleesha recalls proudly. “I realised that just as the Academy supports students in making their ideas come to life, the school also supports all projects that impact the broader society.”
What does Aleesha envision she will do for Kenya?
“My long-term goal is to build high quality, accessible creative spaces in Kenya, specifically in my hometown of Mombasa. I hope to establish start-ups around this idea, incorporating the ground-work already started through Kreatives Konnect.”
A firm believer in the power of good art bringing about social change and moving communities forward, Aleesha says her goal is to work with artists to raise the level of development of the country in a sustainable manner. “I would like to work on creating cultural policy and instituting cross-cultural collaborative programs that would revolutionise the creative industry, not just at a local level in Mombasa, Kenya, but also at a regional and international scale.”
Aleesha recently worked on an interactive online exhibition with her Museum and Gallery Practice colleagues. It is titled Umoumah: Becoming a Mother and takes the visitor on a journey through pregnancy and motherhood, especially focusing on how the mother can be supported by loved ones and most importantly, herself. Aleesha sees this project as a crucial learning experience in how support and positive social change can be achieved through digital platforms. “Especially now with COVID-19, we’re all having to find alternative ways of communicating and connecting with others, and having a fully online exhibition is simply a testament to that. It opens up a lot more cross-border avenues for the future that transcend physical constraints.”
Aleesha has fondly come to regard the Academy as her second home. Reminiscing about her period at the Academy, she offers a bit of advice to current Academy students.
“Be highly proactive. Do your research. Learn about yourself. Keep your options open and stop letting other people define the next steps of your life. Don’t be lazy about this process because it defines the next few years of your life. No one is going to just hand you things – you have to work for it. There are lots of amazing young people around the world who are deserving (especially if you’re looking for scholarships) You have to show the admissions team why you are unique, but there has to be evidence to show this. This evidence comes through your active and consistent participation in the activities and causes you truly care about.”
News
Pages
News
Pages
Partnerships
Each Aga Khan Academy benefits from the combined experience of the network of Academies as well as from partnerships with other global networks and institutions. These linkages enable the development and support of world-class standards of excellence.
Aga Khan Development Network
The Aga Khan Academies are one of the key education programmes of the Aga Khan Development Network (AKDN), whose institutions are engaged in a wide array of development initiatives.
AKDN draws on over a century of experience in education from pre-primary to tertiary levels, and includes more than 240 schools and two universities. Students and faculty at each Aga Khan Academy are able to access the intellectual and programmatic resources of AKDN institutions, including the Aga Khan University, the University of Central Asia, the Aga Khan Education Services, the Aga Khan Foundation and the Aga Khan Trust for Culture. The Academies also work in close partnership with AKDN institutions and programmes around the world to provide practical experience opportunities through internships for students and alumni.
Other leading institutions
The Aga Khan Academies have established formal partnerships with governments, universities and other leading organisations to ensure high standards of practice and foster innovation. Some of the areas that Academies’ partnerships support include best practices in teaching and learning, innovative approaches to teacher education, development of quality campus facilities, supplementary education opportunities for students and access to higher education for talented Academies graduates in need. The Academies have also established partnerships with Ministries and Departments of Education to help strengthen education provision in the countries where our schools are located. Current partners include:
Agencies of the Aga Khan Development Network | International Baccalaureate | Government of Ontario, Canada | Agence Française de Développement | The University of British Columbia Concordia University | California State University, Northridge | Ryerson University | Ministry of Education, Science and Technology, Kenya | Ministry of Education and Human Development, Mozambique | Department of School Education, Telangana, India
In addition, the Academies collaborate with a number of schools and other organisations locally and internationally in areas of mutual interest and to share knowledge and experience.
The IB network
AKDN has a formalised relationship with the International Baccalaureate (IB) through a Memorandum of Understanding between the two organisations.
As IB World Schools, the Academies are closely linked to a network of dynamic IB institutions in over 125 countries, united by a common vision for education and global standards. Guided and facilitated by the IB, this network uses face-to-face conferences and workshops as well as technology to enable teachers and school leaders to gain from each other's experience and to share projects and initiatives.
Ensuring world-class standards
Being connected to these global networks and institutions enables the Academies to test and validate their standards of excellence. These partnerships contribute to the quality of the curriculum and professional development programmes, and ensure that the Academies maintain and enhance their high international standing.
Titus Mutemi: A transformative educator
In 2015, Titus Mutemi joined the Aga Khan Academy Mombasa as part of the Teacher Preparation Programme (TPP), which aims to train teachers to become transformative International Baccalaureate educators in their communities. This became a turning point for Titus' career as he has since further developed his extensive knowledge and skills and forged a pluralistic view of the world.
For Titus, the priority has always been to ensure that students have the best learning experience. As a result, he reviewed and vertically aligned the mathematics programme to ensure that there were no existing gaps between mathematics knowledge, concepts and skills across all the grade levels in his role as a Homeroom teacher. This step brought about a significant improvement in the students' performance of the subject.
Titus’ proudest moment at the Academy was to see the students he taught from Year 1 successfully complete their Primary Years Programme (PYP) Exhibition. “It was my pride to see them demonstrate their understanding of the world around them; to make more informed choices and confidently express themselves. In their projects, they engaged in discussing issues that require deeper and critical thinking skills, in the effort to make the world a better place.”
As the new PYP Coordinator, Titus looks forward to collaborating with the teachers to continue to develop effective teaching practices, which will give students the best learning experiences. He also plans to continue supporting students to help them realise their full potential.
Expressing her pride and excitement for Titus, Junior School Principal Annia Dear said, “Titus has come into his new role in an exciting, albeit challenging time, but has without hesitation accepted and moved forward with all that his role demands. His knowledge and understanding of the needs of students and teachers at this crucial time has been invaluable. His calm nature, positive attitude and commitment to achieving ongoing success with students, parents and teachers is an asset.”
Having been a part of the Academy for over five years now, Titus appreciates being part of a supportive community that is united by a common mission and vision to develop the leaders of tomorrow. As he expresses, “There is no greater joy than nurturing young learners and witnessing them grow into more responsible, reflective and increasingly independent individuals.”
Aga Khan Academy, Bishkek
The Aga Khan Academy, Bishkek, part of an integrated network [JMC1] of schools located in Africa, South and Central Asia, and the Middle East offering girls and boys an international standard of education from pre-primary to upper secondary levels with a rigorous academic and leadership experience.
Bishkek is targeted as one of the first four complete Academies (in 4 different regions) serving as a test bed of the network of Academies. The first Academy opened in 2003 in Mombasa, Kenya and is the first school in Kenya authorised to offer all 3 IB programmes (PYP, MYP and IB diploma
The project is progressing...
The market study was completed in September 2008, The Academies Unit and land planning teams have visited two sites and specific parcels of land have been identified and negotiation is underway to establish land ownership.
The initial site visits to the land review zone have provided an important and initial opportunity to
assess the zone in relation to site programming and planning needs. Among these needs to which the land must be evaluated to provide a positive response are:
• Long-Term Expansion
• Access and Accessibility
• Infrastructure Support
• Urban Context
Whilst the evaluation of academy site will include the assessment of the development programme and the ability of the site to physically accommodate the programme in practical terms, design criteria inevitably embrace issues that are more subjective in nature but have important impact to the evaluation process.
• Environment: or the ability of the academy and its surroundings to facilitate the creation of a living and learning environment. In this regards the emphasis is on the quality of the site and not just the adequacy of size.
• Identity: or the potential for the creation of a special “sense of place”. The physical complex of architecture and landscape that will embody an inspirational environment, tangible to the students, faculty and visitors, is in many ways also affected by the surrounding land forms and uses.
• Position: or clarity of location within the surrounding landscape or community.
AKA students get offers from top world varsities
The Hindu reports on the successful offers received by Aga Khan Academy graduates from top universities around the world.
India's Best Schools of 2015
The Aga Khan Academy, Hyderabad has improved its ranking from the sixth to the third best day-cum-boarding international school in India by the leading education publication Education World (EW). The recognition was part of EW’s ranking of the best Indian schools for 2015.
This is a tremendous achievement for the Academy, which opened only in 2011 with its first group of Junior School students and was formally inaugurated by His Highness the Aga Khan in 2013.
The Aga Khan Academy, Hyderabad is one of the few schools in India that offers the full International Baccalaureate curriculum, and its students are already achieving excellent results
Congratulations to all at the Aga Khan Academy, Hyderabad!
Talent Identification..
The Academy Admissions Team is conducting Talent Identification evaluations for merit based Academy Scholarships from 15th – 17th May in Musaffarpur and Samastipur, Bihar.
