Students upward bound at Jakarta International School<\/p>\n
By Jim Plouffe<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): For most Jakartan junior high school student, a
\nchallenge is getting to the final level of the latest Super Mario
\nor Kickboxer video game. Although there is no doubt that many
\nstudents at North Jakarta International School (NJIS) would still
\nfind that fun, they would rather dangle from a eight meter high
\nwall by their finger tips.<\/p>\n
It isn't a fantastic new punishment, but a climbing wall. The
\ninnovative teaching technique was introduced to NJIS by social
\nstudies and physical education teacher Markham Connolly. He
\ndesigned and built the wall at the five-year-old school in Kelapa
\nGading to give his students a chance to experience things that
\nare sadly lacking in the city of Jakarta.<\/p>\n
Connolly, an avid rock climber from the United States,
\nimmediately thought of the idea when he saw the school's
\ngymnasium over two years ago. "It has this beautiful high ceiling
\nand plenty of width for different routes," Connolly explained. He
\nadded that convincing Headmaster Michael Dougherty was his main
\nobstacle. Once he explained the goals of the program --
\novercoming fear, building self confidence, developing trust and
\nlearning to solve problems -- the headmaster backed what Connolly
\ncalls the "21st century classroom" the entire way.<\/p>\n
The width of the far end of the gym and has been divided into
\nthree distinct sections, the most outstanding being the one meter
\n"roof" on the far right. On the left is an overhang and in the
\nmiddle is a straight rock face. The sections were built in
\ndifferent phases over the past one-and-a-half years, the middle
\nfirst and then the left and right respectively. The rocks are
\narranged in individual routes, varying in difficulty, and are
\nmarked by colored tape. The aim is to make it to the top by
\nfollowing the route. The rocks can be arranged in an countless
\nvariety of ways so there is no way the students could ever get
\nbored.<\/p>\n
The rock climbing class is one of the "outdoor exploratory"
\nelectives that NJIS students can take. The program understandably
\nhas a long waiting list. There is also an after school class,
\nthis term it is filled with 14 girls. The students, from grades
\nsix to nine, go through a week long in-class training period
\nbefore attempting the wall. They learn about the equipment, how
\nto take care of it, technical skills like knot tying, and safety
\nregulations. After passing a visual test, they are ready to move
\nto the wall.<\/p>\n
Although the classroom training is very important, the
\nstudents get the most out of climbing the wall. Here Connolly
\nsays they begin to develop team work, trust, ethics and problem
\nsolving. Skills that can't be taught on a blackboard.<\/p>\n
Jenny, a 14-year-old in one of Connolly's elective classes,
\nhas been climbing since August and says that she often thinks
\nabout the best way to the top of a given route -- sometimes while
\nstaring out the window during a less exciting class.<\/p>\n
The reverence the students have for the wall, dubbed Mt.
\nConnolly, is evident as they study the route they are about to
\nattempt at the beginning of each class. After traversing the
\nentire width of the wall, which includes getting around a tricky
\noutcrop, the students automatically pair off, check each other's
\nharnesses and knots and begin to climb. As one climber edges
\nthemselves upward, their partner belays them from the floor and
\noffers advice. As you cling to a rock with one hand, while one
\nfoot is up near your ear, your partner's suggestion to just move
\nyour other foot to a rock that seems kilometers away can be taken
\nwith mixed feelings. Its all part of team work.<\/p>\n
Most of the students make it to the top with what seems to be
\nlittle effort. Twelve-year-old Yen sped her way along a route
\nthat her partner said was difficult. She has never climbed a real
\nrock face, but takes her climbing seriously. "I love it because
\nit is a really good workout and gets my blood pumping," she
\ncommented after unhooking herself at the bottom.<\/p>\n
To prove to his class that anything is possible, Connolly took
\na student up on a wish he overheard the student pondering.
\nMichael, the student, wanted to have lunch at the top of the
\nwall.<\/p>\n
Undaunted, Connolly put in his food order, a healthy pasta
\nsalad, and rigged up a suspended table. They both then climbed to
\nthe top, tied themselves in and enjoyed a leisurely meal. Michael
\nhad opted for fried chicken and French fries.<\/p>\n
It is all part "of allowing them to explore their own limits,"
\nConnolly explained, adding that, "Success can be achieved by each
\nand every student."<\/p>\n
Although the headmaster is understandably proud of the
\nproject, he has one slight problem. "There is only one serious
\ndrawback, and that is that I have not been able to get to the top
\nyet. The other day I saw a young girl wearing a blindfold fly up
\nas if she were in an anti-gravity chamber," Dougherty joked.<\/p>\n
Other teachers at the school don't share the headmaster's
\ndilemma and make it to the top with little effort -- at least up
\nsome of the less difficult routes. Connolly beams with pride as
\nhe tells of the tremendous support and enthusiasm his colleagues
\nhave given him.<\/p>\n
Safety is of course uppermost in everyone's minds. The wall
\nitself is made from quality plywood and is bolted through the
\nconcrete wall into an outside supporting frame constructed by Pak
\nRudy, the facilities manager. All the equipment, the harnesses,
\nropes, carbiners, shoes and the rocks, are the best available and
\nwere bought in Bandung. Connolly's many years of experience is
\nthe guiding factor and he passes his knowledge on to his
\nstudents. He makes them responsible for each other's safety,
\nanother aspect of the unique educational tool.<\/p>\n
The climbing program has been so successful that NJIS is
\nbeginning to develop it further. Last year they integrated
\nclimbing into the school's inter-house contest and Connolly plans
\nto have a competition in February between some of the
\ninternational schools in the region. The wall is also open to
\nparents on certain nights. As an extension of his program,
\nConnolly conducts a yearly field trip to climb real rock faces
\noutside of Bandung and hopes he can one day arrange for some of
\nhis students to enter climbing events in the U.S.<\/p>\n
The wall is the envy of many other schools and Connolly has
\nbeen busy explaining the program to other international schools
\nin Southeast Asia. Jakarta International School is reportedly
\nlooking into the possibility of building a wall at their campus
\nin South Jakarta.<\/p>\n
According to the headmaster, the wall has become a dynamic
\npart of the students day. Instead of sitting in front of the TV
\nblasting away intruders from space, these kids are using there
\nminds and muscles to discover a novel, exciting, emotional and
\nchallenging activity which presents them with real problem
\nsolving situations. No wonder the students don't mind that their
\nteachers have them literally climbing the walls at NJIS.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/students-upward-bound-at-jakarta-international-school-1447893297",
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