Holistic Learning That Makes an Impact - Holistic Learning That Makes an Impact
WRITTEN BY
Chantal Gamble
Communications
07 December, 2022

Holistic Learning That Makes an Impact - How a Maths Project Enriched Our Community

Holistic Learning That Makes an Impact - Holistic Learning That Makes an Impact
Building important life skills and developing a community mindset are both important goals for our students at BIS HCMC. When lessons come together so holistically to combine these elements, magic happens and one prime example of this is Enterprise Day. 
 

Holistic Learning That Makes an Impact - Holistic Learning That Makes an Impact

 

At BIS we feel it’s important to nurture a generation of responsible global citizens, who feel empowered to make positive differences in their communities. That’s why we integrate social impact projects into our students’ learning experiences.
 
Our Junior students were challenged in their math lessons to think of profitable product ideas with a starting capital of 500,000VND. Students would then develop their product, create advertisements and sell them on Enterprise Day with the aim of raising money for our community partners. 

 

Preparations

 
There were many steps that went into the preparation of this day, and a multitude of skills learned along the way. 
 
Step 1: Conception
 
Our world-class teacher’s introduced the project, sparking creativity and ideas to fly. Students brainstormed their ideas whilst considering their target audience (their peers), and making considerations about costs and profit, keeping in mind the end goal - our community partners. Empowering our students to imagine their own business ventures allows space for more personalised learning whilst building an engaging and inspiring learning experience. 
 
Step 2: Design and production
 
Working in their teams to create something from scratch and using their design mindset, our entrepreneurs got to work creating their products and services. 
 
Step 3: Advertise 
Each team then made a video advertisement to build interest in their product building their confidence with video editing. 
 
Step 3: Set up their marketplace
 
What posters and decorations do they need? How will they display their products? 
 
All of these steps help to develop an entrepreneurial mindset in our students, encouraging them to think outside of the box and learn the mathematics behind the business.
 

 

 

Come enterprise day the Junior Campus became a bustling market, filled with budding entrepreneurs and high energy. 
 
A range of different items from mindful colouring books and handmade harmonicas to Keith Haring-inspired birthday cards and bubble tea were on offer. Not to mention the entertainment businesses where students got to live out their dream of throwing a wet sponge at their teachers! 
 
Working on their stall, students used their social skills to persuade others why their product was worth spending their money on. Handling money and giving change allowed for students to practice quick mental math. When they were not interacting with their customers, students became the shoppers and had a chance to browse the stalls and practice making informed purchasing decisions.
 
But of course, this event is not just about practising some real-life math applications, but about the social impact and collaborations within our community.

 

Creating Opportunities

After a busy day of sales, our entrepreneurs raised an incredible 34,117,000 VND and chose for these funds to be donated to two of our community partners Free The Bears and Thien Phuoc Foster Home. 
 

 

With the goal of “creating opportunities” in mind, some of the money was used to purchase a laptop for children at Thien Phuoc Foster Home. The children have been receiving regular graphic design lessons from a volunteer twice a week. Their teacher has expressed how the children have a natural aptitude which can be developed over time, allowing them to generate an income in the future. Their new laptop will allow them to practice between lessons and further enhance their knowledge of this 21st century skill. The children are making great progress, despite some of the challenges they face on a daily basis. 

 

 

The remainder of the funds were then donated to Free the Bears, an organisation that works across Asia, including the Cat Tien Bear Sanctuary to rescue and nurture bears that were victims of the bear bile farming industry. These bears have been kept in horrendous conditions so that their bile could be extracted for use in traditional medicines and unfortunately, they would no longer be able to survive in the wild. Thanks to Free the Bears they now get a second chance at life and spend their days at the sanctuary within Cat Tien National Park. To further enrich their quality of life at the sanctuary, the money raised by our Junior students was also allocated to create toys and hammocks to aid their recovery and welfare. 
 

It is magical learning moments like this that make a difference not just for our students but for children and animals across Vietnam that enable us to develop a better future for all.