Students upward bound at Jakarta International School

Students upward bound at Jakarta International School

By Jim Plouffe

JAKARTA (JP): For most Jakartan junior high school student, a challenge is getting to the final level of the latest Super Mario or Kickboxer video game. Although there is no doubt that many students at North Jakarta International School (NJIS) would still find that fun, they would rather dangle from a eight meter high wall by their finger tips.

It isn't a fantastic new punishment, but a climbing wall. The innovative teaching technique was introduced to NJIS by social studies and physical education teacher Markham Connolly. He designed and built the wall at the five-year-old school in Kelapa Gading to give his students a chance to experience things that are sadly lacking in the city of Jakarta.

Connolly, an avid rock climber from the United States, immediately thought of the idea when he saw the school's gymnasium over two years ago. "It has this beautiful high ceiling and plenty of width for different routes," Connolly explained. He added that convincing Headmaster Michael Dougherty was his main obstacle. Once he explained the goals of the program -- overcoming fear, building self confidence, developing trust and learning to solve problems -- the headmaster backed what Connolly calls the "21st century classroom" the entire way.

The width of the far end of the gym and has been divided into three distinct sections, the most outstanding being the one meter "roof" on the far right. On the left is an overhang and in the middle is a straight rock face. The sections were built in different phases over the past one-and-a-half years, the middle first and then the left and right respectively. The rocks are arranged in individual routes, varying in difficulty, and are marked by colored tape. The aim is to make it to the top by following the route. The rocks can be arranged in an countless variety of ways so there is no way the students could ever get bored.

The rock climbing class is one of the "outdoor exploratory" electives that NJIS students can take. The program understandably has a long waiting list. There is also an after school class, this term it is filled with 14 girls. The students, from grades six to nine, go through a week long in-class training period before attempting the wall. They learn about the equipment, how to take care of it, technical skills like knot tying, and safety regulations. After passing a visual test, they are ready to move to the wall.

Although the classroom training is very important, the students get the most out of climbing the wall. Here Connolly says they begin to develop team work, trust, ethics and problem solving. Skills that can't be taught on a blackboard.

Jenny, a 14-year-old in one of Connolly's elective classes, has been climbing since August and says that she often thinks about the best way to the top of a given route -- sometimes while staring out the window during a less exciting class.

The reverence the students have for the wall, dubbed Mt. Connolly, is evident as they study the route they are about to attempt at the beginning of each class. After traversing the entire width of the wall, which includes getting around a tricky outcrop, the students automatically pair off, check each other's harnesses and knots and begin to climb. As one climber edges themselves upward, their partner belays them from the floor and offers advice. As you cling to a rock with one hand, while one foot is up near your ear, your partner's suggestion to just move your other foot to a rock that seems kilometers away can be taken with mixed feelings. Its all part of team work.

Most of the students make it to the top with what seems to be little effort. Twelve-year-old Yen sped her way along a route that her partner said was difficult. She has never climbed a real rock face, but takes her climbing seriously. "I love it because it is a really good workout and gets my blood pumping," she commented after unhooking herself at the bottom.

To prove to his class that anything is possible, Connolly took a student up on a wish he overheard the student pondering. Michael, the student, wanted to have lunch at the top of the wall.

Undaunted, Connolly put in his food order, a healthy pasta salad, and rigged up a suspended table. They both then climbed to the top, tied themselves in and enjoyed a leisurely meal. Michael had opted for fried chicken and French fries.

It is all part "of allowing them to explore their own limits," Connolly explained, adding that, "Success can be achieved by each and every student."

Although the headmaster is understandably proud of the project, he has one slight problem. "There is only one serious drawback, and that is that I have not been able to get to the top yet. The other day I saw a young girl wearing a blindfold fly up as if she were in an anti-gravity chamber," Dougherty joked.

Other teachers at the school don't share the headmaster's dilemma and make it to the top with little effort -- at least up some of the less difficult routes. Connolly beams with pride as he tells of the tremendous support and enthusiasm his colleagues have given him.

Safety is of course uppermost in everyone's minds. The wall itself is made from quality plywood and is bolted through the concrete wall into an outside supporting frame constructed by Pak Rudy, the facilities manager. All the equipment, the harnesses, ropes, carbiners, shoes and the rocks, are the best available and were bought in Bandung. Connolly's many years of experience is the guiding factor and he passes his knowledge on to his students. He makes them responsible for each other's safety, another aspect of the unique educational tool.

The climbing program has been so successful that NJIS is beginning to develop it further. Last year they integrated climbing into the school's inter-house contest and Connolly plans to have a competition in February between some of the international schools in the region. The wall is also open to parents on certain nights. As an extension of his program, Connolly conducts a yearly field trip to climb real rock faces outside of Bandung and hopes he can one day arrange for some of his students to enter climbing events in the U.S.

The wall is the envy of many other schools and Connolly has been busy explaining the program to other international schools in Southeast Asia. Jakarta International School is reportedly looking into the possibility of building a wall at their campus in South Jakarta.

According to the headmaster, the wall has become a dynamic part of the students day. Instead of sitting in front of the TV blasting away intruders from space, these kids are using there minds and muscles to discover a novel, exciting, emotional and challenging activity which presents them with real problem solving situations. No wonder the students don't mind that their teachers have them literally climbing the walls at NJIS.