Education gets edible, TAWASUL, Tidal Wave, and sound bites with Sami the Shark.
The Sustainability and Edible Education Program at TKS is built upon the foundations of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals. These goals drive the decisions the program makes as our students, faculty and staff aim to create a more sustainable, resilient and responsible future.
Starting at the Kindergarten, I first connected with KG2 teachers to discuss gardening and helped each other select plants and seeds. The following day, our students and their parents had a fun-filled learning activity, realizing the importance of respecting life in the garden and how to move about the space, using their senses to learn about plants, insects, soil, and food. Each KG2 class selected a garden box to plant, care for, and monitor, making the space beautiful and personalized. Soon, all KG students will meet with me to explore the garden space, ask questions, and to create a list of “wonderings”. These "wonderings" will be a catalyst for student-designed robotic solutions, later to be showcased at the University Library during the #RobotoKAUST
The Edible Education Program has successfully reached many grade levels at GES. For example, Grade 1 had a Sharkshare where they explored this new idea of a “soil-food-web” and why healthy soil means healthy plants, which means healthy people. Each student received a pot and a variety of seeds to plant and monitor over the weeks. Grade 1 teachers are using tubs of clay, sand, silt, and loam to learn about the particles that make up soil, exploring texture and visual clues.
Another example is Grade 4, which is in the middle of Operation Green Thumb. This project revolves around using the edible garden as a learning space. Students met to discuss respecting the garden space, then formed small science groups which are now observing changes in specific garden boxes over the course of four weeks, gathering data to analyze and write a science lab report. Finally, I have been teaming with the STEM program at GES to pilot how the Edible Education program could be woven into the STEM curriculum. Students in STEM have explored worm farming, biochar, seed structure, and plant growth, using the garden space as a learning laboratory.
At the Middle and High School level, the EFFECT club has taken off. This dynamic group of students, ranging from Grade 6 to Grade 10, meet weekly to brainstorm and implement ways to bring positive sustainability measures to the TKS community as well as realizing how their actions affect the global community. Conversations with PhD students from the Center for Desert Agriculture and the Water Desalination and Water Reuse have inspired the EFFECT students to explore composting at our school, conserving water, waste collection, energy use, and how our food choices matter. EFFECT is teaming up with KAUST Sustainability to hold an event in March, focusing on World Water Day and the UNSDGs.
Finally, the Edible Education program is working closely with the Center for Desert Agriculture to host an amazing event - the KAUST First “Plant Science Family Night”- the evening of March 6. more information to follow!
See you in the Garden!
Ms. Mary MayProgram Coordinator
As part of Vision 2030, the field of education in Saudi Arabia is undergoing massive reforms that aim to upgrade the teaching profession within the Kingdom. This is being achieved by raising the professional level of teachers and improving the overall climate and quality of services provided to teachers. TKS has developed a reputation within the region as being the benchmark for high quality 21st century teaching and learning, and we are doing our part to contribute to these reforms by opening our doors to local schools.
TKS TAWASUL initiative offers a framework for professional learning and collaboration amongst teachers with the aim of inspiring change. Over the past two years, we have become a hub where local educators come to visit learning spaces, workshop with our staff and leave inspired and motivated to make changes in their teaching practices. This year alone, TKS has hosted over 100 educators from over 15 schools. Visits have also included Ministry of Education delegates and graduate students from Dar Al-Hekma University.
The Saudi Advancement Department aims to expand on the connections made this year to reach an even larger community of regional educators as we become a center for excellence in teacher training within the Kingdom.
Yasmeen Ghunaim TKS Saudi Advancement Lead
This year, TKS has introduced a new and exciting community event called the Tidal Wave, and it has made quite a splash!
The Tidal Wave brings our community together for a fun-filled event while celebrating our athletic teams, as well as our many talented students and clubs. In addition to several games and activities for all ages, the Tidal Wave features a High School athletic event, while our younger sharks cheer them on and imagine wearing the TKS jersey someday themselves!
In the Season 1 Tidal Wave, children and adults of all ages engaged in fun games centered around the three sports offered during Season 1; golf, swimming and volleyball. Live music led by student bands filled the air while children and parents played a variety of activities, enjoyed the BBQ and said farewell to the long-loved TKS Mascot, Sharky. The final event of the evening featured action-packed girls and boys volleyball games against the TKS teachers with raffle drawings throughout the games.
Season 2 Tidal Wave made another big splash while highlighting the Season 2 sports; badminton, football and netball, as well as student clubs. For the first time at TKS, we kicked off the U19 girls football match with a live performance of the national anthem, and followed by the U19 boys football game.
Perhaps the most exciting part of the Season 2 Tidal Wave came with the arrival of our new TKS mascot, Sami the Shark! Sami was instantly loved as fans crowded around for a high-five and photo opps!
Whether you just want to test the waters or dive deep, we hope you’ll hop on board and catch the wave of excitement for this new TKS tradition in the Season 3 Tidal Wave.
Leigh MartinDirector of Admissions and Engagement
Pictures by Naomi NasonG12 Senior
Our official TKS mascot, Sami the Shark, made his debut at the recent Tidal Wave event. He enjoyed mingling with our students, parents and staff, and had some encouraging words for our sports teams.
Annie Arif caught up with Sami for a chat about what it means to be a shark at TKS.
It was great to join such a fun community event, celebrating the TKS spirit. You know, Annie, the film Jaws has a lot to answer for. People tell me that sharks like being alone, but we’re actually very sociable creatures. We make friends and form large social groups. That’s why I’m so honored to be the TKS mascot. I loved meeting people of all ages from all over the world. And, of course, cheering on our talented Sharks. I feel at home here.
Like TKS, we have our own diverse community. Did you know there are over 500 species of shark, with various species in the Red Sea? My ancestors outlived dinosaurs and other forms of life on earth, so I like to think we’re resilient and adaptable to our surroundings. At TKS, many of your students are ‘Third Culture Kids’ – they’ve come from different cultural and geographic backgrounds – and demonstrate this same resilience and adaptability, which are fantastic attributes that set them up well for life at school and beyond, wherever it takes them.
We’re also curious creatures – I know TKS students have enquiring minds – and are agile and take risks. These are important characteristics for their IB studies and for on and off the sports field.
Embrace your own values, be true to yourself, respect each other and have fun! Go Sharks!
We are diverse.We are resilient.We are curious.We are agile.We are risk-takers.We are The Sharks.
Annie ArifCommunications Specialist
