Integrated Creative Enquiry Programme at Vidya School, a beneficiary of KPMG’s CSR initiative
Through the year of 2017–2018, we implemented a uniquely designed integrated programme for class 8 of Vidya School, a beneficiary of KPMG’s CSR initiative.
The year long programme, focussed on the ‘out-of-classroom’ learning topics of Art, Heritage, and Social Studies and was built around a core of 3 Creative Enquiry Units that embed future learning skills.
The programme was based on our core Creative enquiry process that ties curriculum units into a project-based programme of study.
- It emphasizes creative practice, language development, motivation and self-awareness.
- It also uses engagement with the real world — our heritage, our environment, our art and society as a starting point of learning.
- It allows us to ask big questions and gives meaning to our research, creativity and wondering.
Module 1: Trading our Way Across the World
Trade has historically played an important role in the expansion and survival of human civilisation. It has fostered economies, encouraged the exchange of ideas and inventions as well promoted cultural exchanges. Most importantly, it has created deep and meaningful human connections that have changed the way we live and think. Trading your way across the world introduced students to the history and impact of trade through time from the Indus Valley civilisation to the Age of Discoveries to its relevance today as we saw objects of the past and debated on the present at the National Museum, Delhi.
Module 2: Fibre to Fabric
The story of Indian textiles endures from the Indus Valley [5000–3500 BCE],to India’s independence struggle in the mid-20th Century and today stands at the crossroads of regional traditions and globalized connections.
Increase in investments, higher consumption and growing exports indicate considerable growth for the industrial textile sector. With such large-scale development however, are we leaving behind the hands that have woven and given shape to Indian textiles? Who are these people who turn fibre to all the beautiful fabric we all identify our Indian traditions with? The ‘Fibre to Fabric’ programme helped students to explore the history, economics, and science behind Indian textile traditions through an engaging set of activities and an equally enthralling visit to the Crafts Museum, Delhi.
Module 3: Art of the Indian Subcontinent
The art of India is an important cultural expression of India. The history of Indian art is mixed with feelings of nationalism, the idea of modernisation and westernisation, and a wish to preserve the cultural heritage of India. Who were the main artists and schools behind shaping of the Indian art practices?
What were the subjects being represented in some of the key art pieces from India? The ‘Art of the Indian Subcontinent’ programme focussed on exploring the history and politics behind Indian art traditions through a visually impacting visit to the National Gallery of Modern Art, Delhi.
The programme was also accompanied by the Flow India teacher workshop to enable educators to incrementally develop their skills and simultaneously apply their innovations to the classroom.
Through a range of games and collaborative excercises the teachers were introduced to a repertoire of teaching techniques to include open and high-order questioning, introducing enquiry and research into everyday classroom sessions, peer learning approaches, for use in and out of the classroom.
This year long journey of exploring topics throught the many cultural sites of Delhi, with the curious and creative students of Vidya School has left us with a lot of food for thought!
