Qatar Academy teacher Sarah Lofton sat on the sidelines as her 22 students made their way through the catwalk, proudly showing off not just the clothes they have chosen for today but the result of their hard work in putting up a fashion show.
“This was actually the children’s idea,” the veteran teacher says. “One of the students came in last week wearing a tie and they all thought it was a fancy tie. So they started clapping and cheering and it was just like a fashion show. So they asked if we can do a fashion show and I agreed but told them that they have to organise it themselves”.
Fresh from a conference on play-based learning, Lofton was on the lookout for opportunities where children can learn through play and her students’ idea was certainly the perfect chance for them to learn while having fun. The students wasted no time and started planning. According to Lofton, the students did everything themselves. “They listed everything they need then grouped themselves into different committees. We worked together on the invitation, they had a ticketing committee, and they had a group that asked permission for all the facilities and equipment that was needed.” The class also invited a resource speaker from VCU Qatar who talked about fashion shows and design.
The preparation that went into the fashion show was a learning process for the students and falls under their current unit of inquiry under the Primary Years Programme curriculum. “It’s actually related to two units: Who We Are and How We Organise Ourselves,” says Lofton. “The clothes that they were wearing represents who they are at this moment, it represent their personality. They also had to explain why they chose to wear a particular outfit”.
“They also get to experience how to organise an event and understand that everybody has a role here in school. As their teacher, I was just a facilitator. I just guided them, prompted them and then see how they would come up with a solution to the problem. But it was important for them to understand that if you want something to happen; you have to make it happen yourself.”The Peninsula
