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I
t’s unconventional in some ways. Original to say the least.
Perhaps even shocking to retired teachers. But it works.
“We are seeing a change in our students,” said Lama
Khayr, the director of Preschool and Lower Elementary at Ain
Aar. “They ask many questions and they are thinking differ-
ently. We see a distinct change in them. We are seeing much
better results.”
Classrooms in the elementary schools have changed dra-
matically on both campuses. Individual desks have given
way to rectangular or horseshoe shape tables. Students are
no longer expected to solely listen to their teacher and si-
lently fill out the papers on their desks. They must think,
deduce, and analyze. And they can only do this through
discussions with classmates. In other words, they must
interact.
“Kids learn by talking,” said Khayr. “If they are sit-
ting in a row, when are they going to speak? How are they go-
ing to communicate? If they don’t communicate how will they
learn? How will they learn to listen to each other? How will
they practice the language they are learning?”
Hence the rectangular tables. Children consult with each
other and roam around as needed. Every table is equipped with
the necessary material: pencils, crayons, erasers, scissors, rulers
and felt pens. Students are expected to share and keep the mate-
rial in good conditions for the use of all the classmates.
“In real life, these students are going out to interact with
people,” said Khayr. “This is teaching them group skills.”
In CE1 in Ain Aar, the Arabic lesson was underway. The
tables surround a small carpet facing the white board. Children
gathered on the carpet to listen to their teachers’ instruction.
Each group then headed towards a different table and began
working – each on a different assignment.
Philippe Bou Habib, 7, looked hesitant and poked Mark Ba-
roudi, 7, sitting next to him. “Do you use all the words in this
sentence?” he asked Mark.
Mark looked pensive. “Let me think,” he replied.
“I will think too,” said Philippe.
After a few seconds, the two “thinkers” conquered and de-
cided that yes, they can use all the words. With that the two
boys set to work, sometimes stopping to consult each other on
one word or the other.
The approach is part of the Primary Years Program (PYP)
which focuses on children exploring their environment and
questioning their world. One of the aims is to encourage stu-
dents to have “transdisciplinary skills” meaning social, commu-
nication, thinking, research and self-management skills.
IC adopted the PYP system in 2000 and retrained over 180
preschool
and elementary
teachers school in both, Ras Beirut and
Ain Aar, campuses in the PYP approach to education.
As the structure of the classroom changed so did teaching
methods. “It’s no longer the case of you will sit and try to un-
derstand what I say,” said Khayr. “It is now ‘you work together
to figure out the answer yourselves.’”
Groups themselves are at times structured. Depending on the
project, there could be a group secretary, someone assigned to
get the needed material, someone who will ‘share’ the findings
with the rest of the class, etc.
“You are providing the kids with a tool to sit, share and listen
to each other,” said Khayr. “It’s very different from the tradi-
tional ‘turn to page 22 and do exercise 1 to 5’ method.”
Or as Aya Akil, 7, explained: “If I want to, I can ask my
friends a question. We can talk about it. But today I don’t want
to because I know all the answers. But they can ask me ques-
tions if they want to.”
Desks out…tables in
IC Features