Care High School Iqbal Town came to CCE looking for help improving their sixth grade students’ knowledge in science. They recognised a weakness in the current school curriculum and that students were lacking in engagement and motivation. They also wanted to encourage collaborative learning across the peer group, and particularly across genders.
These objectives were in line with recent national education policies in Pakistan which aimed at improving failing schools, as well as teacher competency and quality of learning experience.
We created a bespoke Creative Partnership programme for sixth grade students at Care High School, involving local artist Hamid Hassan to work with the school for a period of eight months, using creative arts-based interventions to stimulate the way science was taught.
Hamid worked with the science teacher to redesign the standard science lessons, using CCE’s established theories and practices. He identified the key learning objectives and mapped them to creative learning modes, enabling drama, visual arts and expressive learning to be introduced to the science lab – a new phenomenon for all involved.
Instead of learning about the topic of energy through a book, Hamid and the science teacher got the students involved in a series of physical games – demonstrating energy in a real world experience of each child. Lessons about the senses were amplified by using visual arts to teach the beauty of the sensory organs.
Importantly, feedback sessions were held with the children’s parents, communicating the benefits of collaborative, creative learning to parents and guardians.
After the programme had finished, the teacher noted a marked difference in his students’ behaviour. An improved knowledge and applied understanding of science was evidenced through a final exam in which more than 50% of the class obtained full marks. Additionally, the students showed a greater desire to learn across all subject areas, asking more follow up questions and expressing a general sense of their curiosity to learn more. When asked to reflect on the experience, both the students and their teacher felt they had become more inquisitive and collaborative, more disciplined and imaginative.
Working alongside an artist had distinct advantages for the teachers involved. They too were as curious to learn as the students, displaying an eagerness and openness to trying new approaches to teaching. Hamid and the teachers noted that because of the programme, there was more of an emphasis on learner-centred activities, moving away from the traditional classroom set up and engaging students to work in pairs/groups. During the programme, the artist and the teacher formed a firm partnership – working together to bring content, devised activities and learning behaviours together in new, engaging lessons – much to the benefit of their students.