Experiential-learning for a Brighter Future

On Saturday, April 10, a wonderful group of students and parents visited Liaoyuan Bilingual School for a campus tour, info session, experiential learning activities, and Q&A session. 

While Principal Sun from LYBS English Division gave a detailed presentation on LYBS and our English Division High School Canada track, US track, and IB Diploma Programme to parents, Assistant Principal and IB DP Coordinator Ms. Prachi Gupta and University Guidance Counselor Mr. Martin McLaughlin introduced our school to the prospective students.  

Here at LYBS, we believe that learning should be fun and engaging, so we broke up our info session to students with two inter-connected experiential learning activities. Head of the Science Department, Mr. Duggins tested the group’s “engineering”, collaboration, and communication skills with the “Paper Tower Challenge” where students were divided into two groups and tasked with constructing a paper tower with 4 sheets of paper, tape, scissors to be as tall as possible and self-standing. 

Team 1 won the challenge with a tower standing approximately 60cm tall. Team 2 had their eye on the prize with a very tall structure but overlooked the importance of building a sturdy foundation, which prevented their tower from standing by itself. 

This activity highlighted the importance of planning, trial and error, time management, teamwork, and communication. We firmly believe that successes and failures are great opportunities to reflect on what went smoothly, was challenging, and how we might improve next time. 

After the paper tower challenge, we headed back downstairs to continue learning about LYBS, and experienced an English language activity with the Head of the English Department, whose name happens to be Mr. English. This interactive task helped students review vocabulary about structures and famous architecture around the world. 

Our paper tower challenge helped students analyze the structural integrity of famous architecture, often easily overlooked (one likened the leaning Tower of Pisa to their paper tower as it swayed). It also inspired a spur-of-the-moment discussion about students’ and teachers’ travel experiences in what eventually became an interdisciplinary learning opportunity in action.  

One prospective student reflected, “the paper tower building activity required teamwork and communication, things we rarely work on in my current domestic program. It was also fun and interesting, which made me want to learn.” 

These two activities gave prospective students a glimpse of the experiential learning-based curriculum LYBS students enjoy every day of the school year inside and outside the classroom.

Please click here to continue