Beyond the Flames
03/10/09 14:59
Being involved in a project like "Schools for Life"
has been a life changing experience.
It was a unique source of inspiration
and motivation and a porthole into a very special
eco-system. A doorway into an energy field that
has gone back and forth across the world and
connected one school to another for a number of
years.
The adventure that
we embarked upon this year very
quickly became something much bigger and more
meaningful than I had ever imagined it would. I knew
that this was definitely going to be an experience
that had the potential to open up the minds of our
“privileged students” because they would learn
firsthand about the community work taking place
within Northern Thailand at “School for Life”.
However, to my amazement and pleasure the true value
of this cultural exchange or volunteering experience
has become much harder to pinpoint or define.
But I will try……and I think the best way of doing this really means going back to the monument that the pupils from both schools constructed. It became our symbol of friendship, the fire pit, which the pupils named “Beyond the Flames” and this title really does sum up the real essence of this experience. The chemistry that was very quickly established between the students from both schools definitely went beyond anything that can be actually seen. Above all else this experience highlighted the powerful effect of the human spirit and this was illuminated within us all. Reflecting back upon this experience, the main learning outcome was the awareness of our likenesses and how true connections can be made despite language or cultural barriers. We all became teachers and learners simultaneously. The pupils from both schools learnt from each other by being given a mixture of time, space, trust and responsibility. The connections and learning that took place between these two very different but at the same time similar groups of young people really reaffirmed many of my own ideas and philosophies about what creates amazing teaching and learning experiences.
As a teacher myself I am, of course, very passionate about the activity of teaching and learning and after many years of studying and practicing this discipline, in a range of cultural settings, I now truly believe that education, as W.B Yeats puts it, is not just about “filling a bucket, but lighting a fire" which funnily draws a close parallel to the idea behind our pupils’ monument. I also believe, very strongly, that our role as teachers is not to just fill up young minds but to draw out the knowledge and understanding that our pupils already possess.
We do this by providing them with experiences,
questions, confidence and independence and in turn
this helps them to develop and grow as lifelong
learners, who own their learning
experiences. Learning of course does not only
take place within a school or within a classroom as
pupils cannot be expected to perform within a
vacuum. So as you may gather the
philosophies behind the teachings at "School for
life" really did fit perfectly into every area
of my own philosophy towards teaching and learning.
As a teacher that holds these beliefs, I really did
love watching and being a part of a process that
transferred the responsibility of learning from the
teacher to the learner. I enjoyed the way in which
every activity bonded and deepened the pupils’
understanding and active involvement in the project
and I was infused while observing the real education
taking place. We all naturally moved away from
the culture of accountability and into one of
co-responsibility.
the students who volunteered to embark upon
this project thoroughly enjoyed their time in
Thailand. They all came away full of lots of
enthusiasm, motivation and a deeper understanding of
the true meaning behind our international link with
Chiang-Mai. They are all keen to continue on with the
relationship that we have and promote this project
and the spirit of service, further at our school.
Talk of fundraising events and such like have already
begun.
I would also like to add to this report something that I feel is very important to address at this point in time and that is the scepticism and sometimes harsh judgements that are occasionally passed upon privileged groups of children who go away on volunteer projects like this. It is very easy to just see the many ways in which the children from ISS made gains socially and emotionally from this journey but what concerns a lot of people is the question, what real benefits did this trip bring to the students at “School for Life”?
My hope is that there were many gains and that like us the children from “School for Life” were ultimately moved by the wonderful friendships, connections and teaching and learning opportunities that took place. I also hope that they too discovered that we are all at the end of the day just people who can share, appreciate and learn from each other. The young generation naturally enjoys learning, they are inquisitive, they like to explore, discover and they want to grow, develop and dream. This reason alone is why I myself love my job because this is the true essence behind teaching and learning. So my hope is that this trip did promote and ignite a great learning exchange for them as well.
The “fire” that, I hope, has been lit in our
students now most importantly needs to be kept
alight. It is time to work, as the students cleverly
entitled it, “Beyond the Flames” and I feel that this
would be a good name for the next stage of our
project work here in Norway. I have been thinking a
lot recently about how we can move this link on
further and after speaking to many members of staff
at both of the schools I think it would be good to
have a specific project that we can fundraise and
work on here in Stavanger. This would help us to
focus our energy and also it would be really good to
know that what we are doing is going to be of real
value and use to the education and lives of our
friends in Chiang-Mai.
I am very excited about being a part of this work and continuing this relationship with “School for Life”. Thank you once again for all that you did for us while we were with you and I look forward to hearing from you soon.
Kind regards
Emma Jones
But I will try……and I think the best way of doing this really means going back to the monument that the pupils from both schools constructed. It became our symbol of friendship, the fire pit, which the pupils named “Beyond the Flames” and this title really does sum up the real essence of this experience. The chemistry that was very quickly established between the students from both schools definitely went beyond anything that can be actually seen. Above all else this experience highlighted the powerful effect of the human spirit and this was illuminated within us all. Reflecting back upon this experience, the main learning outcome was the awareness of our likenesses and how true connections can be made despite language or cultural barriers. We all became teachers and learners simultaneously. The pupils from both schools learnt from each other by being given a mixture of time, space, trust and responsibility. The connections and learning that took place between these two very different but at the same time similar groups of young people really reaffirmed many of my own ideas and philosophies about what creates amazing teaching and learning experiences.
As a teacher myself I am, of course, very passionate about the activity of teaching and learning and after many years of studying and practicing this discipline, in a range of cultural settings, I now truly believe that education, as W.B Yeats puts it, is not just about “filling a bucket, but lighting a fire" which funnily draws a close parallel to the idea behind our pupils’ monument. I also believe, very strongly, that our role as teachers is not to just fill up young minds but to draw out the knowledge and understanding that our pupils already possess.
So what happens next?
Well as I said before it has been very hard to really describe and pinpoint the many benefits that we gained from this experience. The learning that took place was very special and I know for certain that all of
I would also like to add to this report something that I feel is very important to address at this point in time and that is the scepticism and sometimes harsh judgements that are occasionally passed upon privileged groups of children who go away on volunteer projects like this. It is very easy to just see the many ways in which the children from ISS made gains socially and emotionally from this journey but what concerns a lot of people is the question, what real benefits did this trip bring to the students at “School for Life”?
My hope is that there were many gains and that like us the children from “School for Life” were ultimately moved by the wonderful friendships, connections and teaching and learning opportunities that took place. I also hope that they too discovered that we are all at the end of the day just people who can share, appreciate and learn from each other. The young generation naturally enjoys learning, they are inquisitive, they like to explore, discover and they want to grow, develop and dream. This reason alone is why I myself love my job because this is the true essence behind teaching and learning. So my hope is that this trip did promote and ignite a great learning exchange for them as well.
The “fire” that, I hope, has been lit in our
I am very excited about being a part of this work and continuing this relationship with “School for Life”. Thank you once again for all that you did for us while we were with you and I look forward to hearing from you soon.
Kind regards
Emma Jones