Children from Ky Quang Pagoda visit F3

This term, the children in F3 had their first visits from our community partner, Ky Quang Pagoda which is located in Go Vap district. It provides a school for over 100 underprivileged children in the area and it has an orphanage for both disabled and able-bodied children and young adults. The pagoda offers support from parents, nuns, monks and volunteers.

Over the last three weeks, the children from Ky Quang Pagoda have visited BIS to experience a range of activities around the school with the children in F3. We plan to provide an even broader range of activities, from the roof to the playground, for our upcoming visits. “I feel excited because they come and see us” commented one child. When we discussed their visit from the Ky Quang Pagoda children, children predicted: “Some people from the pagoda, I think some people from the USA.” Considering similarities and differences between themselves and others, and among families and communities, is an important part of the curriculum in F3.

The children shared our ELC learning space, classrooms and the splash pool. The children climbed together on the climbing frame in the ELC; F3 enjoyed showing their new friends how they hang upside down. One of our children explained, “I'm happy because I like it in the climbing frame with my friend from the pagoda.”

We would like to say a big “thank you” to the F3 parents who donated swimsuits for us to use with the pagoda children. This enabled the children from the pagoda to have a completely different experience. Everyone had lots of fun splashing, swimming and experimenting with the different cups, pipes, buckets and other toys.

Not only do these visits from our community partners help build links between BIS and the wider school community; they also give our children at BIS an opportunity to learn something different about the people and communities around us.

We look forward to our next visit from the children and support staff at the Ky Quang Pagoda.

Ms Fiona Yard, F3 Teacher

Learn more:

• Supporting our community partners at the BIS Spring Fair 2019
• Animal, Rescue and Care in F2