The links and partnerships that we are able to foster and grow help us to broaden and deepen our children’s awareness of the world they belong to and will ultimately be responsible for. This week we celebrated our partnership with Tanzania. I am pleased that we have been able to re-establish our trips to Tanzania as the threat of COVID subsides across the world.
The partnership with Arusha is a special one. Students who get the opportunity to visit in the later years of school life, experience the rich contrast of this location. They not only experience seeing game animals in their natural habitat and the surrounding beautiful environment, but more importantly, they get to connect with another community.
For a short period of time, they become a partner. They are welcomed into the community and become part of it, helping one another to learn and grow together. It works on mutual respect and trust.
The relationship is one that leaves a lasting mark on those who visit. In the past, I have been heartened when talking to students who have taken part, on the impact this leaves on them as individuals. It helps build compassion, empathy and an understanding that we all have a responsibility to one another and where we can help, we should.
This week we have seen our students across the school take part in raising money for Tanzania. From the youngest to the oldest, we have all had a chance to know a little more about Tanzania and play a small part in our partnership with this community. It’s been great fun, from the bake sale, to the scavenger hunts, to dodgeball games, face painting and the many other activities children have been doing their part. It might not mean much to some of our youngest students, but as they progress through the school their awareness and understanding grows. For those who do get to visit, it will leave a life lasting memory that reminds us of our joint responsibility to work in partnership with one another to make our communities a better places.
In 2014 Mrs. Lowe arrived to teach at the British International School Abu Dhabi, excited to work with the Physical Education Department to implement and embed Dance within both the curriculum and the CCA programme. Schemes of work were created for FS1 to Year 9 and all PE teachers received professional development training to understand the fundamentals of Dance, to discover the importance of Dance and how movement can be creative and powerful.
Last week, Mrs. Stanier, our Head of Humanities, had the pleasure of accompanying three of our amazing students: Tia and Renad from Year 12, and Turkan from Year 10, to Houston, Texas, to take part in the NAE UNICEF summit. We were thrilled to be hosted by one of our Nord Anglia schools, The Village School in Houston, the first Child-Friendly City in the US recognised by UNICEF. The Village School is a boarding school, so the students got to experience what life was like as a boarding student there for the week.
The British International School Abu Dhabi
