Sometimes the best lessons don’t come from textbooks. This term, our students got their hands dirty, spoke a different language, handled real money, and learned from the ocean – all while developing skills that will serve them well beyond their school years.
Getting Hands-On With Marine Conservation
In early October, our Eco School members spent two days at the Beau Vallon Community Centre for a workshop that was anything but ordinary. GAEA Seychelles and Educate to Connect brought together students from Bel Ombre, Beau Vallon, and Glacis Primary Schools for something our kids don’t get to do every day – learning traditional fishing techniques.
Watching a group of primary school students concentrate on weaving fish traps was quite something. The intricate knot tying required patience and precision, and you could see them working through the frustration when loops didn’t hold or patterns went wrong. But they stuck with it, helping each other figure out the techniques that their grandparents’ generation would have known by heart.
The storytelling sessions afterward connected these traditional skills to marine conservation in ways that made sense to the kids. Understanding why sustainable fishing matters becomes more real when you’ve spent the morning learning how fishermen actually work. These cross-school activities also gave our students a chance to collaborate with peers from other schools, which added another layer to the learning experience.
When P3 Becomes a Marketplace
Our Primary 3 class turned their classroom into a mini shop on September 23rd, and the results were better than expected. Students practiced real transactions – counting money, calculating change, and figuring out if they had enough for what they wanted to buy.
The best part? Watching them naturally incorporate courtesy into the exercise. They weren’t just mechanically exchanging money for items. They greeted each other, said please and thank you, and handled the social aspects of shopping alongside the mathematical ones. These are the kinds of lessons that stick because they’re practical.
Parents contributed items for the activity, which gave it a realistic variety that kept students engaged. Some calculations were simple, others required more thought, and figuring out how much change to give back proved to be a genuine challenge for many. But that’s exactly what made it valuable – they were solving real problems, not worksheet questions.
Clean Up the World 2025
September 12th saw our entire school participate in Clean Up the World, and we made it work for every age group. From our youngest Crèche students to Primary 6, everyone found a way to contribute to environmental action.
The activities varied by age and ability. Younger students focused on classroom cleaning and simple recycling pledges, understanding their role in keeping spaces tidy. Older students took on gardening projects, created awareness posters, and even worked on a mural that now brightens one of our common areas.
What made the day work was that it wasn’t just about cleaning – it was about understanding why we clean and what happens to waste. Students learned about recycling processes, discussed how their daily choices affect the environment, and made commitments they could actually follow through on.
The teamwork aspect came naturally. When you’re working on a shared project like painting a mural or setting up a garden bed, collaboration happens organically. Students from different classes worked together, shared ideas, and figured out solutions as they went.
Speaking French Through Games
The Cultural and Linguistic Olympiads on September 19th took a smart approach to language learning – make it fun, and students will engage. Our Francophone Club joined students from Persévérance, Bel Eau, Glacis, Anse Étoile, and La Retraite schools at Persévérance School for “à toi de jouer” (your turn to play).
Instead of formal French lessons, students played games from francophone countries. Pétanque from France and “claquettes” from Cameroon introduced them to cultural traditions while giving them reasons to speak French naturally. When you’re explaining game rules or strategizing with teammates, you’re using language in context rather than just reciting vocabulary.
The regional nature of the event meant our students interacted with French learners from across different schools, hearing different accents and approaches to the language. This kind of exposure helps normalize French as a living, practical language rather than just a subject they study.
Watching kids laugh while speaking a second language is pretty good evidence that the learning is working. They weren’t worried about perfect grammar – they were focused on communicating and having fun, which is exactly the point.
What These Activities Share
Looking at these four events together, a pattern emerges. Each one took learning out of the traditional classroom setting and gave students something concrete to work with. Whether it was fish traps, money, gardening tools, or game equipment, they had tangible objects and real challenges.
They also all involved working with others – peers from their own school and sometimes from other schools. These collaborative experiences teach negotiation, communication, and compromise in ways that individual work can’t match.
Most importantly, each activity connected to something beyond school walls. Marine conservation, practical life skills, environmental responsibility, and cultural exchange aren’t just academic concepts – they’re part of being an informed, capable person in the world.
Why We Keep Doing This
Programs like these take planning and coordination. They require partnerships with organizations like GAEA Seychelles and Educate to Connect, cooperation with other schools, and contributions from parents. But the engagement level from students makes it worthwhile.
When kids are weaving fish traps or calculating change or speaking French through games, they’re not wondering why they need to learn this. The relevance is built in. That’s the kind of learning that sticks.
Find Out More
At Bel Ombre Primary School, we believe education happens everywhere. These September and October activities are just a few examples of how we’re preparing students for real life, not just exams. Learn more about our approach at belombrepri.edu.sc
Gallery
