University visit - Wednesday 26 September 2018
Wilfrid Laurier University and the University of Waterloo (Canada) will interact with DP students between 2:30-3:30pm at the Student Lounge.
Idah Khan O'Neill: Playing a Vital Role in Teacher Effectiveness and Enhancement
Always an innovator, Idah and a colleague at the school incorporated playful learning in the school’s rigorous International Baccalaureate (IB) curriculum in their Primary 2 classrooms. According to the school’s newsletter, this pioneering method created “a rich environment where playful learning flourished in the school’s IB Curriculum.”
Reflecting back on a play unit in her classroom on family finances, Idah said what made it such a successful unit was that the children were not only learning curricular concepts and skills but were also deeply engaged in the process and were motivated to learn more. She added, “I think inquiry is most powerful when it is current and instant. So, when kids have an idea and you are feeling that idea, you cannot quite wait for next week for it to happen. You have got to give it your all for it to really take hold.”
Idah’s involvement as an educator started in Singapore where she was a Montessori school teacher for a number of years before moving to Jakarta, Indonesia where she opened a Montessori school. Having run the school for four years, Idah decided to move back to Singapore to work at the German European School as a Kindergarten teacher. Here she was assigned the role of PYP Coordinator for Kindergarten and was part of a guided management and teaching team.
Armed with a Bachelor’s degree in Early Childhood Studies from the University of Monash in Australia and an advanced diploma in Montessori Education, Idah is currently pursuing a Master’s Degree in Education at the online University of the People.
Highly self-motivated, Idah is fluent in English, Malay and Bahasa Indonesia. Additionally, she has good conversational proficiency in Mandarin and Danish. Now that she is in Mozambique, Idah says she is looking forward to learning Portuguese.
She relishes the IB programme and cherishes its effectiveness. She is a member of the International Baccalaureate Educator Network, a PYP School Visiting Team Member, PYP Curriculum Connections Service Provider, a PYP Curriculum Reviewer, and a PYP Workshop Leader.
Her volunteer work reflects her compassion and her caring for others. She was a volunteer teacher in Sumatra, Indonesia, and the United Kingdom. She also travelled to rural India looking at water conservation projects under the Aga Khan Foundation and developed a Unit of Inquiry On Water Use in the Aga Khan Academies and also in local schools.
Idah feels that with her new appointment at the Academy, she is getting closer to attaining her “reason for being” or her Ikigai. Ikigai, she explains, is a Japanese concept that is usually used to indicate the purpose in one's life or the things that make one's life worthwhile. She states that she would very much like to be part of His Highness the Aga Khan’s vision of the Academies, who on June 2004 said in Mozambique, “above all, it is my hope that these schools will stimulate creativity, intellectual curiosity and honest inquiry so that their students can adapt and thrive in a world of rapid change; can make informed judgments on life’s daily challenges, and place those judgments in an ethical framework.”
She feels she is very fortunate to be given this opportunity. “It is my mission, in my capacity as a Teacher Coach, to be able to help realize this goal through play and creativity with regards to the way we teach and learn.”
AKA Dhaka Campus Construction Diary
Construction of the Aga Khan Academy Dhaka's award-winning new campus is underway. Visit this page regularly to see how construction is progressing.
July 2019
Click here to see the July 2019 construction photo gallery.
June 2019
Click here to see the June 2019 construction photo gallery.
January 2019
Click here to see the January 2019 construction photo gallery.
December 2018
Click here to see the December 2018 construction photo gallery.
November 2018
October 2018
Click here to see the October 2018 construction photo gallery.
September 2018
Click here to see the September 2018 construction photo gallery.
August 2018
Click here to see the August 2018 construction photo gallery.
July 2018
Click here to see the July 2018 construction photo gallery.
June 2018
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APPENDIX
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AKA, Hyderabad Student Featured in IB Global News
AKA, Hyderabad student Khushboo Khoja is highlighted as the featured student in IB Global News.
Meet the Students: Barbara Nasila, TIP Aga Khan Mombasa
HALI Access Network profiles Aga Khan Academy Mombasa student, Barbara Nasila (Class 2015).
Open Day
What to expect:
- Campus tour led by students: Explore our state-of-the-art campus and get a firsthand look at our classrooms, laboratories, and recreational spaces.
- Meet our educators: Engage with our passionate and experienced faculty who are committed to fostering a love for learning and nurturing each student's potential.
- Curriculum insights: Gain a comprehensive understanding of our globally recognised International Baccalaureate curriculum and innovative teaching methods that prepare students for success in a rapidly changing world.
- Student showcase: Witness the talents and achievements of our students through various showcases, exhibitions, and interactive displays.
- Q&A session: Have your questions answered by our admissions team, providing clarity on the admission process, scholarships, and any other queries you may have.
We look forward to welcoming you to our campus and providing you with an immersive experience that showcases the excellence of the Aga Khan Academy Mombasa. If you have any immediate questions or concerns, please contact our admissions team at mba-admissions@agakhanacademies.org
Register for Open Day:
To ensure a seamless experience, kindly fill out the registration form here.
Interview with Alison Hampshire, Head of Academy in Mombasa
Students Cinzia Torriani (year 10) and Alisha Doshi (DP1) interviewed Alison Hampshire, the new Head of Academy at the Aga Khan Academy Mombasa. They discussed passions, dreams, important themes in education and life lessons.
Hello Mrs Alison. Could you please share a brief background of yourself?
Hello girls! Of course! Well, I was born in Leeds, North of England, and I lived there until I was 17. I left home to attend the University of Sussex in Brighton, which is on the south coast of England. I studied for a music degree and was even a musician for a period of time! I then decided to train to be a teacher and started my teaching career in Brighton. After a little while, I got involved in theatre and became involved with a theatre group. I then ended up in Africa teaching, went back to England, ended up in Hong Kong, then Malaysia, and now back in Africa – Kenya more specifically.
If you were to describe yourself in a sentence, what would it be?
I think in a sentence I would describe myself as honest, passionate about education and protective. I am like a lioness and will protect the people that I am looking after, and that would include my students, my staff and my own family. My birth sign is actually a Leo, and my animal in the Chinese culture is a tiger, so I could see myself as a tiger and a lion – both loving yet protective animals.
Those are very important traits in a person. Similarly, what are the two things that you are not?
I know that I am not a mean person. I am not a very sporty person either!
Can you please tell us a little more about yourself and your family, for our readers to get to know you better? Is there something about yourself (a few interesting facts) that you would want students to know?
One of the things that perhaps people don’t know about me is that I really, really like heights, which is why I have done many activities that involve taking the risk of jumping out of an aeroplane, abseiling or even paragliding. I have done a number of things that require me to take a risk. And so, although I am sometimes hesitant, every time I have a birthday ending with 0, I like to give myself a new challenge and do something that is very difficult for me. There is nothing greater than accomplishing your goals.
The other thing is that I really like spicy food, so if I’m ordering a curry and the option is mild or hot, I would go for the hot one!
What is the most valuable life lesson you have ever learnt that you feel has had the biggest impact on you as a person?
One of my most valuable life lessons was when I was only 15. It was the first time that I ever felt that I had failed. When I was young, I played the flute and I received a distinction on every exam that I took, until I did my grade 6 (bronze level) exam where I got a merit. In the scheme of things, that’s not terrible, but it was devastating for me, and the life lesson I learned was that you have to pick yourself up, brush yourself off and try harder next time.
I was not prepared to proceed to grade 8 (gold level) until I was convinced that I was going to get a distinction, and so I worked and worked and worked and eventually that’s what happened. But the feeling I got when I was disappointed in myself was really hard, and the lesson I learnt was that sometimes you just have to forgive yourself and carry on.
What made you choose education as a profession? Is it a calling, a service, an agency or a love?
I started out as a musician and then realised that it wasn’t what I wanted to do with my life. It was selfish in a way – it was about being the best you could be, it was a very competitive environment. Also, while growing up at school, people had always said to me that I was such a good teacher. And so when the music didn’t work out as a profession, I looked to other options and tried many things out before deciding to be a teacher, but when I finally did decide to be a teacher I knew it was the thing I should have been doing from the beginning.
What values do you promote in terms of a learning environment?
I find that English literature provides all sorts of scenarios by which students can engage with issues and also aids in developing empathy. And I think that, as an English teacher, the important thing you need to develop is for students to be able to step inside another world and think about the lives of others.
And so the novels that I choose would possibly be about those that have challenging themes. I remember teaching To Kill A Mockingbird in a school which was entirely white, to help a rural British community understand the challenges of the themes in that novel. It was a very interesting experience. I also find that this is what literature can do – it can help us to see other people and other people’s worlds, and help us develop our understanding of different perspectives and ideally empathy for others.
I completely promote pluralism – it is also one of the main things literature can do. I remember having read the Chinua Achebe trilogy, and it was the beginning of my love for stories, literature and the love for Africa as well.
Why the Aga Khan Academy Mombasa?
Mostly because of the vision and the mission of His Highness. I completely believe that education is about empowering young people and that it is about change. I have always felt that I have gone into education to make a difference, not necessarily one that I can make but one that can be made through the lives of others through young people. And so, when I came across the mission and the vision of the Academy, it really seemed to synchronise with my own values. The other attraction was that having lived in Africa for my very first posting outside of Britain, the thought of returning was very exciting.
The community of students here is one that I felt was interesting to join. To be honest, in the past I have never worked in a situation where there were local teachers in an international school – it has mostly been expatriate teachers, and I found that to be a very exciting prospect.
What is something you have never done before and you may be able to do here in Mombasa?
I have never eaten a whole lobster! Actually, I would love to learn how to kite surf over the next few years. I would also really like to go and find some great African music and spend a whole night dancing!
What is your take on the students at the Academy, based on your interactions with them thus far? Do they measure up, in terms of mindset and potential, to those you have experienced in the west?
I think it is really hard to generalise a whole student body, especially with the regard to the fact that I have mostly taught in the east in Asia rather than in the west, but there is definitely a big difference between students in England and students I have taught in an international setting.
I have found that students here are really open and really social, very welcoming, and they seem quite interested in the adults in their lives. They are polite and also seem to be inquirers. My most intense experience was when I went on the DP1 trip, and I felt that the level of interaction the students had with each other showed great compassion with one another. They asked great questions, seeming to be very interested and open-minded, which are very good traits.
Is there a favourite quote or saying or aphorism – a thought that you live by, a statement that encapsulates your personal view?
There is a quote by Gandhi which I live by, and it encapsulates my personal view. It is basically about self-esteem and states that nobody else is in charge of your happiness, other than yourself. It is “Nobody can hurt me without my permission”. I think that how you react to a situation is in your control, and over time I have learnt that it is nobody else’s power to do anything to you; physically they can, but emotionally how I react is how I am – which is the lesson I have learnt.
Finally, is there anything else you’d like our readers to know about you?
The really important thing that I would want to let everyone know is that I am having a lot of fun so far, and I am really enjoying my time here, and I hope that carries on.
Muskaan Bhaidani (Class of 2020): Journey to university and the Academy's impact
Muskaan Bhaidani is an alumna of the Aga Khan Academy Mombasa who was in the Class of 2020. Graduating with an impressive International Baccalaureate (IB) Diploma Programme (DP) score of 44 out of 45, Muskaan is now attending McGill University in Montreal, Canada.
Read on to see what Muskaan says about university life and how her time at the Academy contributed to who she is today.
Can you please tell us about yourself, Muskaan?
I did the IB DP from 2018 to 2020 and took economics, geography and English at higher levels and mathematics, biology and French at standard levels. At the time, I took these subjects purely out of interest, and I really enjoyed what I did. However, I’ve always wanted to work in the development sector, so I think geography and economics played into that really well. I also did my extended essay in French since I wanted to improve in it, but now that I am studying in Quebec, it’s been really helpful.
How did you manage to narrow down your interests to zone in on a career path finally?
That’s such a big question to answer! Honestly, I still don’t think I know for sure what I want to do. I think that the path that I’ve chosen to take is just to keep going ahead with doing what I like, which right now is international development with a focus on food insecurity. In fact, I did my personal project at the Academy around food insecurity, and passion has definitely stuck with me over the years. I’ve also taken an interest in social entrepreneurship, which I could potentially see myself pursuing in the future. Right now, however, I’ll be going with the flow and figuring things out one step at a time.
How did you find the university application process? What did you find challenging, and how did you choose between all the universities you got into?
The university process is definitely difficult and scary because of the uncertainty it entails. I applied to the US, UK and Canada. I personally felt that applying to Canada was a much easier process since you don’t have to send in any standardised test scores or personal statements. Their supplementary requirements, if any, are very minimal compared to the UK and the US. And since a lot of Academies students end up coming here, it’s nice to know that you have an established system to fall back on if you need to. I think the main reason I got accepted to the universities I applied to was because of my academic performance and extracurricular activities that I took part in at the Academy which have carried me to university. As for how I decided on McGill in the end, it was mainly a lot of research and making pros and cons lists. I tried to compare universities in terms of the course I’ll be studying, what I want to do in the future, opportunities I would get while still studying, acceptance rate, etc., and McGill stood out to me in all these aspects. Montreal is a great city for students, and I am glad it worked out!
What have you done since you joined university that you are most passionate about?
I have been a part of multiple clubs. One, in particular, is IYAD (IRSAM Youth Advisory Delegation), a youth advisory delegation to the United Nations, where we write policies and present them at the UN Headquarters in New York every year, and it’s been something I’m really passionate about as I used to participate a lot in Model UN. I am now an executive in the club! I also took part in Enactus, a social entrepreneurship club where we mainly try to help local businesses thrive, and it has been a rewarding experience. Lastly, I am also a member of the varsity artistic swimming team – I used to do a lot of swimming at the Academy till COVID-19 happened, and this was the perfect way to get back into it in an artistic form I had never done before!
How has university life been? And how have you been preparing yourself for this upcoming exchange programme you are participating in?
Life at McGill differs a lot from person to person, but it mainly consists of class in the morning, followed by any extracurriculars you may have taken up. I also have a student job as a student advisor, so I have that in my routine as well, besides swimming and clubs. Going into your third or fourth year in university also means you have to cook for yourself and run your own household of sorts – this actually makes up a substantial portion of a student's schedule. I don't find it to be incredibly different from the high school experience, it’s just more diverse in terms of what you study within your specified subject. I will be going on an exchange to UCL in London next semester. Of course, I’m nervous, but I’m looking forward to immersing myself in a new culture since I’ll only be there for three months. I do consider Montreal home now that I’ve lived here for three years, and going away from home is daunting. I hope it feels as welcoming as Montreal. But from what I understand, London is very diverse, with lots of things to do, and I know I need to put myself out there and be open-minded.
How has the Academy helped shape you and prepare you for university?
The Academy has taught me how to put myself out there confidently by never limiting me and assuring me that I can do anything I set my heart to. It has a way of boosting your self-esteem and shows you your strengths and uniqueness. I engaged in a lot of communal activities and opportunities at the Academy, so I don’t find it difficult to do the same at university, whether that’s applying for a challenging course, position or an exchange programme.
How important do you think it is for students to reach out to Academies alumni?
I think it’s very important. We all leave school and make great friends at university, but the friends you make at the Academy are just different because it is so easy to spend time with them for hours and feel surrounded by a sense of community and warmth. In fact, my roommate now at McGill is a good friend of mine from the Academy. It is easier to reach out on an established Academies-centric network if and when you need help, especially because all of us who have been through the application process are always willing to help whenever we can. Having an alumni community only makes it more accessible and convenient to reach out.
Do you have any advice for students going through the university application process right now?
Work on your predicted grades, those are very important. Build good relationships with your teachers and they can direct you on how to constantly get better at your subjects. And, this might sound cliché, but be authentic in your applications. You never know what a university wants in its essays, and in a pool of incredibly smart and talented applicants, the only way to truly stand out is to be your unique self. So, focus on what you are interested in as opposed to what you think others might find interesting.
Interview conducted by DP2 student Samhitha Paruchuri from the Aga Khan Academy Hyderabad.
