The EC department has been busy this term with students taking part in various activities. We started in September with a day of drama workshops held by Laura Sydonie, an instructor from the Big Foot Theatre group. Not only is Laura an accomplished actor who has performed around the world, but she is also the director of her own children’s theatre company, so our students were in good hands. Using a mixture of mime and drama games her objective was to encourage speaking and confidence within the students who, although apprehensive at first, soon relaxed and greatly enjoyed the sessions. As a result of the workshops, Drama has now been included in the English curriculum with the aim of equipping our students to be confident English speakers.
We have also played host to the Elmbridge Village table tennis club who, with an average player age of 80, challenged our students to a tournament. Thinking they would ‘go easy’ on the Elmbridge folk, our students were taken by surprise as, after a very competitive afternoon of doubles and singles matches, Elmbridge were declared the winners; a very good example of the English idiom, ‘Never judge a book by the cover’. We are already in talks regarding a re-match.
Recycling has been the topic of study for the H2 project class. The students have learned the fundamentals of recycling, and why it is important to reuse when possible rather than adding to landfill sites. As part of the project the students have learned how to weave a handbag from strips of old plastic and, with this new-found skill, they ran a workshop in English for volunteers from Elmbridge Retirement Village. The ladies and gentleman from Elmbridge thoroughly enjoyed the experience, and each left with a bag made from recycled materials.
Also, as part of their recycling studies, our students have interviewed Rebecca-Jane Eaton, a local ethical fashion designer who has a shop and workshop facilities not far from Rikkyo. Rebecca is a successful handbag and accessories creator who has spent time working alongside the head designer at Givenchy in Paris; yet again, our students were fortunate enough to have access to someone with considerable experience and expertise. Not only did they interview Rebecca, but they also attended one of her workshops where they made their own accessory from recycled leather jackets and vintage fabric.
The EC department has enjoyed the autumn term and is dedicated to providing each of the students with a positive and enjoyable experience of English. We are already planning ahead for next year in order to support our curriculum with appropriate educational and cultural events.
