I was in the school at the weekend and, as usual, it was a very busy place. The “weekend” started after school on Friday, when teachers usually sigh, tidy up and go home to put their feet up, but this Friday all of Year 2 and 3 teachers stayed in school to help with the Key Stage 1 Film Show. That was great fun, a shared experience fuelled by kilos of pop-corn.
Then, on Saturday the Korean school was operating out of several classrooms, as it does every week, but there were also various competitive events on. I saw a boys’ basketball match in the gym, the girls were playing their match in the American School. The girls’ football team is usually on the football field on Saturday but now the weather is miserable they’ve moved to an indoor hall. There was also the annual Chess Tournament last weekend, which was held in the Dining Hall. This was a whole school event with competitors ranging in age from Year 2 all the way through to Senior School students taking part. You can find a report about this written by the organiser, Przemyk Budzinski, in another part of the Newsletter.
I could spend the next two paragraphs praising the teachers who organise these events. But, even though they come into school in their free time to make these special experiences for the children, what really impresses me the most is the way the school and the parents work together to make them successful. Look at the list again, Friday Night’s Film night was organised by teachers but run by the parents. The PTA brought in the pop-corn machine and entertained the children for a memorable event. The Korean School is run by parents. Saturday’s teams were supervised by teachers but accompanied by ‘supporters clubs” of parents cheering their teams on. The chess tournament organised by a teacher but supported by lots of parents and the PTA. The PTA donated cash to buy prizes and medals so that all of the competitors received something to remind them of a special day.
We, at school, are experts in education but education is not just about academics. We all want to raise healthy, thinking individuals with good attitudes towards each other and towards life’s challenges. That is a job for all of us, and it’s great to see us sharing this (delightful) task at The British School.