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.