SEK Qatar in WISE Summit 2019: An experience to reflect on

With the slogan “UnLearn, ReLearn: What it means to be Human”, the WISE Summit 2019 saw masses pass by Education City last week. From November 19th to 21st, adults and children eager to learn focused on why and how individuals, societies and ecosystems can unlearn, learn and relearn to become lifelong-learners in our rapidly changing world.

Our participation in the event began with PYP students performing a cheerleading and gymnastics routine, as well as an upbeat dance show for the Doha Learning Days event that served as introduction to the summit -special thank you to Ms Natalie and Ms Alex for their hard work in preparing them! The girls rehearsed and performed at school before the big day so teachers, staff and many other students got a chance to support them and enjoy their efforts. 

Later on, at WISE Summit, almost seventy SEK Qatar students from grades 7, 8, 11 and 12 engaged actively in sessions and learning labs that offered a wide array of relevant topics to this day and age. Conferences and hands-on experiences that sparked conversations around artificial intelligence, mindfulness, technology, ethics and sustainability, amongst many others, gave our students plenty to reflect on.

We’re excited that all the newly acquired knowledge will pass on from the attending students and teachers to their peers, helping to accomplish the goal of strengthening the curiosity and collaboration skills we try to encourage in our learning community every single day.

Grade 5 and 8 students become part of “Farm Your Country”

Al Faisal Without Borders Foundation, a non-profit organization founded by Sheikh Faisal Bin Qassim Al-Thani, came to SEK Qatar this Wednesday November 20th to begin with the execution of the program “Farm Your Country”, an initiative dedicated to spreading agriculture and preserving the environment as part of the implementation of Qatar National Vision 2030.

The Foundation cooperates with the Department of Public Farms and the Ministry of Education to reach the goals of educating students on how to cultivate and produce healthy foods, as these actions represent a way to care for the environment -think about buying less, consuming less plastic and overall producing less waste, some of the reasons why we’re excited that students from grades 5 and 8 are taking part in this initiative.

An engineer came to our school and guided the students in how to plant some vegetables and decorative plants. Our students will now need to water the plants and study the process, as the engineer will visit us periodically and students will meet with her to talk about their observations and insights.

The program enhances the cooperation and collaborative skills of students, as they need to work together to do tasks such as mixing soil and periodically caring for the plants, increasing the student’s sense of responsibility towards others and the planet.

Cyprus Trip 2019

Fourteen students from grades 6 and 7 took off to a 5-day field trip to Cyprus this past November 10th, and we can say they have learned, enjoyed and grown so much from this short yet enriching experience!

The trip focused on exploring the island, visiting its breathtaking coasts and mountains, and on learning about the geological history of Cyprus and its traditions. Along with teachers Riadh and Harang, the boys and girls hiked more than 20 km in total, allowing them to put into practice their navigation skills by using a compass, and planning and following maps and trails for the hikes, which took them through beautiful forests and waterfalls. The stunning island and The Youth Development Agency provided a true education without limits.

Students also had a very meaningful reflection time talking about their emotions and personal growth throughout the trip, highlighting empathy, resilience and their desire to explore.

We feel grateful and proud that all of them are developing into adventurous learners.

Innovation Camp 2019

Today our Grade 10 students had the opportunity to participate in the Innovation Camp (I-Camp) led by Injaz Qatar, as part of the Doha Learning Days taking place during the World Innovation Summit for Education (WISE). The half-day program allowed the students to learn about entrepreneurship, collaborative work and identifying business opportunities focused on improving the environment.

From 8am to midday the participants had a motivational experience that culminated in a competition for the best business proposal. The group was divided into 5 teams that competed against each other -games and dynamic activities included. Each team chose an environmental issue and developed a business proposal. After doing a brief presentation about their idea the jury selected the best project, with the winner being a system to reduce food waste.

We’re convinced the I-Camp equipped our students with new entrepreneurial and team building skills.

DCMUN 2019

Over the weekend of 7th-9th November, SEK International School Qatar participated in the 15th annual DCMUN conference here in Doha. Our students represented the delegation of Morocco and spent many of hours trying to find effective solutions for global work problems. Some of these topics included protecting journalists’ rights to speech and distribution of information, taking measures to prevent an arms race in outer space and overcoming the long-term impacts of the Gulf War in Iraq and Kuwait. Students completed research, openly shared their ideas with others and collaborated with each other to find plausible solutions for current global issues. We are happy to congratulate Najah Al-Resheq on receiving an honorable mention for her efforts in the International Labor Organization Committee and commend all students on their efforts.