Action – how do we want students to act?

Ms.Anuradha Sawhney

Grade 1 & 2 Coordinator

In PYP, it is believed that education must extend beyond the intellectual to include not only socially responsible attitudes but also thoughtful and appropriate action. Opportunities are created for learners to understand and choose to act; to decide on their actions; and to reflect on these actions in order to make a difference in this world. In the primary years ACTION begins at the most immediate and basic level; with the self; within the family; within the classroom, the corridors & the playgrounds.

On 6^th of December Grade 1 teachers, were motivated to come up with an initiative for the learner’s to take responsible actions based on their classroom inquiries. We put up an ‘Action Tree’ with just a trunk and 8 dry branches on our corridor soft board. The students were explained and encouraged to use their learning’s at school and at home and comeback to report it. When students reported any such action taken by them, class teacher would affix a leaf with student’s name on the branch of the action tree.

This encouraged students to take and report actions. No sooner than a day we saw the foliage beginning to cover the branches of the action tree. We had a grade 1 child asking his sister to use the backside of paper for drawings and not waste resources rather reuse them. Another 1^st grader stopped his mom from having junk food and helped her to make the right choice. One child explained to his mother not to buy leather purse as it is made of animal skin and many more such actions are continuing to take place.  

I feel proud to state that it’s just been a few days and the tree is nearly half filled with foliage. We’ll be celebrating action of our young learners and will be glad to see your participation as well.