The students of Grade I, class of 2019-20, The Shri Ram School (TSRS), India collaborated with Buckingham Browne and Nichols (BBN), USA school through the Round Square network. The theme was Exploring and Engaging with Food. BBN School selected to learn about herbs and TSRS chose carrots.
“Ubuntu” is part of the Zulu phrase “Umuntu ngumuntu ngabantu” usually interpreted as “I am because you are”. In the Postcard the students wanted to describe unique aspects of the South African culture and to compare and relate them to cultural input from delegates from around the world. In this way they hoped to discover some elements of common humanity.
We hosted a Zoom Around the Postcard event for students aged 10 – 12 years old that would focus on Adventure and Creativity as well as give the participants a little understanding of what life is like in Canberra, Australia.
Eight Riverdale Visual Arts students led a discussion entitled “Art Inspired by Our Home” with 130 students from 20 different schools based in the U.S., Brazil, Bangladesh, Korea, Germany, Oman, India, Japan, South Africa, Peru, Canada, and the U.K.
The project was initiated with an aim to create awareness about equity and inclusion. The delegation size of each school was 6 students with atleast 3 differently abled students. With this initiative, students with different abilities participated in a group, which helped them improve their confidence and self-esteem.
Sunbeam School Lahartara, Varanasi, India got an opportunity to take some of the Round Square members on a journey to unveil the ethos of Banaras. The Round Square Postcard call that was planned for 13-15 age range was a soul stirring experience with an inspiring keynote session, stimulating baraza discussions, meditative musical performances and was a great way to explore the vibrancy and chaotic pleasure of the oldest living city of the world.
Athenian and Chadwick organized a one-hour Postcard of California for other Round Square schools. The agenda for the event was the following:Welcome and introduction of leaders
Presentation about Athenian and Chadwick,
California history and culture
Breakout rooms to discuss 1) how your school is similar/different from the California schools and 2) what stereotypes do people have about people from where you live and how has that affected you
Kahoot questionnaire done in breakout rooms about California
Farewell
The theme “Multiculturalism” was chosen as it relates to the demographics of Dubai. Attendees were introduced to the topic by way of a video comprising of visuals of the country combined with examples of how the U.A.E is a melting pot of myriad cultures.
In times like these, with uncertainty surrounding our lives, what we truly need is something that brings us together – not by virtue of our nationality, religion or even language. But by virtue of our passions that shape our lives.Literature is where we must seek our objective. Literature is the medicine for distress. It is the channel for the voiceless. It is truly awe – inspiring, the power of art, to move people, to bring people together – like it has in the fiesta.
In September 2020 Chadwick International school in California, and Renaissance International School Saigon engaged in a cultural collaboration that saw our students exchanging emails, and creating Flipgrid videos that had them speaking about a wide range of age-appropriate topics in order to learn about students from across the globe. These emails and Flipgrid videos allowed our students to explore the diversity in our student body as well as hone their cross-cultural communication skills.
