Year 7's Wellbeing Choice Morning during International Week

As part of International Week, Year 7 had a Wellbeing Choice morning this Tuesday. Students were given the option of five international activities to gain an understanding of activities from other cultures.

We celebrated all things Mexican in the Art Department, where the children learnt about and created hojalata art (tin art). We also listened to Mariachi music; ate tortillas and picco de galo; and the children took home an embossed, cut and painted piece of Hojalata art.

In dance, we transported ourselves to Broadway to learn about the iconic show ‘Stomp’ and all of its incredible dancing polyrhythms. We used our hands and feet, basketballs, and even recycled bags to explore movement and sound performances.

During the introduction to European languages, students tried five popular European snacks, learnt 12 ways to say hello from 12 different countries, and did a treasure hunt around the school, finding out fun facts about different countries in Europe. Students worked in teams of 4 and showed excellent teamwork skills to try and complete the treasure hunt.

During the world sport activity, Year 7 were introduced to flag football. This is a non-contact game derived from American football, which is played in the USA. Pupils had to collaborate with their teams in order to create set plays that outwitted their opponents. By the end, not only had their ability to identify space and analyze how to create it improved, so had their communication skills, most notably their active listening and giving and receiving feedback.

Finally, students were given an opportunity to attend an 'International Film Club.' Here we got to watch and discuss a number of short films from lots of different cultures and backgrounds, all in their native languages. Students enjoyed a Turkish animation about a man and his robot exploring space and a Ghanaian story of two siblings dealing with the death of their family. Students had a range of expressive opinions about the film, and it was fantastic to see them be so vocal with their points of view.

All the workshops were a fantastic success and we look forward to more Wellbeing Choice mornings throughout the year.

Emily Brawn

Head of Year 7