As I’m writing this on a Wednesday afternoon there are a number of TIS students walking around barefooted on the campus. It’s not that suddenly we have changed our dress code but seven students of DP1 decided to this as part of their CAS initiatives. Through this they are trying to create awareness of the fact that not all children in our world actually have shoes.

This is a great initiative, showing the engagement of our students in Service Learning and willing to face a challenge. One of our staff, Ms. Clara Burgess, responded with sharing the website of the Growing Shoes Project (https://theshoethatgrows.org/the-shoe.html) yet another great opportunity putting service into action.Grade 7 students have been working on the unit A Giant Shoe in art for the last weeks.

Above is a picture of one the artworks created by Cyrus King Wuaku showing his shoe in a landscape. As an arts project we have been focusing on drawing a shoe by observation and how you can create a spatial landscape in colour using pencils, covering Criterion B/ Developing Skills. For Criterion A, Knowledge and Understanding, they have been looking into the evolution of the shoe and how aesthetics, fashion and health are combined in the shoes that are made nowadays.

Following in the footsteps (almost literary one could say) of our DP students I am now going to extend the unit with a Service and Action part to see how the Grade 7 students can make a difference and help the needs of others through exploring the website of Growing Shoes.

Ate Hemmes

MYP Coordinator