With
Spring firmly in motion and Holy Week celebrations a week away, we
began to celebrate early here at CEIP Salvador Allende through a
GYMKANA
held
on Tuesday, April 9th, 2019. Led by AMPA
or the Association of Mothers, Fathers and Students, in collaboration
with BILITRAMS,
they created a real Easter delight for our first cycle students (1st
and 2nd grade), as well as inviting those same age groups from CEIP
Rectora Adelaida de la Calle, CEIP Tierno Galván and CEIP Los
Morales. With beautiful decorations displaying the Easter Bunny and
thoughtful prizes like designing their own easter egg, glittery
bunny pins, masks and much more, the students participated in an
active and engaging morning celebrating all
things
Easter.
We
had four fun groups for each school and we badged the kids with the
symbol of their assigned group such as The Bunnies, The Chickens, The
Chocolates and The Eggs. Each child wore that badge with a pride and
giddyness that was great to see. In order for the children to meet
one another and mingle amongst school groups, we divided them all
into eight groups of twelve, making sure every three children were
represented from the schools present. It was wonderful to see the
groups, although almost strangers, actively working together at each
station to complete the challenge in order to win their prizes.
From
challenges like putting together a tangram of a bunny, a 5-hole
Easter obstacle course that students must go through hopping like
rabbit, rabbit masks race, a bunny scavenger hunt and much more, you
could see each group of children thoroughly enjoying themselves and
ready for the next challenge, the next prize. At my station the
challenge was to determine the answer to three Easter Riddles, the
most challenging being the following;
I´m
brown.
I´m
round.
Put
your eggs
in here.
NOT
on the
ground.
If
you guessed basket, you would be correct!
With some repetition and again outstanding team work, the children
guessed all the riddles and were rewarded glittery bunny pins. I was
happy to be a part of this GYMKANA,
as it allowed me to help the children practice their English in a fun
and engaging way learning about such a globally recognized holiday as
Easter. Although we had some trouble organizing station rotation and
teams in our first round of students, by the second time, we had it
down! Ending on a high note after all teams completed their
challenges, AMPA,
students and teachers gathered to dance to energizing Hippity
Hop Easter Bunny.
This
Easter activity goes to show just how important collaboration between
parents, teachers and schools ultimately affect students development
in engagement in such a positive, fun way. I want to thanks AMPA,
BILITRAMS,
and of course, my lovely school and students at CEIP Salvador Allende
for allowing me to be part of this.
- Jeydelyn Martinez
Auxiliar
de Conversación,
CEIP Salvador Allende
