Sports day is always an exciting time, all of the students are wearing their sports attire, dressed up in their team colours. The children are bouncing with excitement even before the activities have started!
While Sports Day is an exciting day for the students of Poornodaya Vidyanikethan, it is also a great opportunity to encourage some of the holistic aspects of their education. Children are challenged to use teamwork and corporation with their classmates, that will benefit their studies and sports in the future. The students are also encouraged to try a range of new and difficult movements that will help their physical strength and also test their mental abilities and patience.
Firstly, the Pre-KG class showed off their skills with small balls, racing from one side of the room to the other with the ball between their knees. Next they were climbing over chairs and collecting badminton birdies to place in their bag. Laughter could be heard echoing around the school, as the teachers encouraged the students, and noted which teams preformed the activities the fasted and most accurately.
The UKG and LKG students were up next as the tired Pre-KG rested and enjoyed some water. Teamwork was required for most all of the next activities. Students in pairs carried a ball over a wide set of chairs, relying upon each other to not drop the ball. Next, students created two teams and relay raced around a small course while balancing a badminton birdie on the strings of a badminton racket. Some students were fast, some were slow and cautious, but all were cheered on enthusiastic by their classmates.
Lastly the Standard 1 and 2 classes took their turn after patiently waiting and watching their younger classmates. The difficulty of activities went up again for the older students, and no activity could be won by the merit of any single student, only by the collective team. Students whizzed around a small course in ‘wheelbarrow’ races, where one students is on her hands, while her partner carries her legs, and they have to match each other’s speed to successfully move forward. Standard 1 and 2 also showed off their speed and agility in a playground obstacle course that they had practiced for all week. They finished by crawling ‘cammando style’ through a set of ropes so low that they couldn’t rely on speed, but had to move slowly and carefully to make it through safely.
Lastly, the students and staff enjoyed a medal ceremony finished by a refreshments party. The students also said farewell to Alena, their sports leader for the last month. The integrated and experiential learning on Sports Day was amazing to not only watch, but to see the happiness and excitement on the students faces. No doubt the students enjoyed a day they won’t soon forget.
Charlie Drummond
International Faculty Canada
Poornodaya Vidyanikethan
