Grammar Gazette- Issue 2, 2017

/ 21

Grammar girls and other international students at a Philosophy on the Quad class with tutor, William Jefferson, at Pembroke College, Oxford

Annabel found the subject ‘freeing’ stating it felt good to be ‘creating and constructing’ while Mary was fascinated by the neuropsychology aspect of architecture — buildings evoke feelings. Both girls expressed humble awe at the depth and calibre of their teachers. Time for thinking, creating and responding, and collective sharing and review was what Maddie Facey (11G) and Nanda Soe (11G) valued in the creative writing class taught by published author and poet, Julie Bolitho. In a wonderful atmosphere of energy and honesty, Maddie and Nanda enjoyed the chance to devote time to extended writing, focusing on poetry in their first week. The students were also invited to read their poems to the class generating thought-provoking discussions about language and the arrangement of words. In the Medical Science class, Dr Christian Jones, a recent graduate from the University of Cambridge, taught students Asha Varghese (11H), Eloise Tam (11O), Amelia Mills (11B), Ranee Chu (11R), Zoe McSweeney (11W), Amaana Hussain (11O) and Edith Rodda (11R) skills in observation and diagnosis. The girls participated in a diagnosis activity where Christian first presented them with a patient’s symptoms which generated a group discussion, followed by an examination of the patient’s x-ray resulting in an animated conversation. Other classes incorporated ‘fieldwork’ including anatomy which was very exciting for the students — ‘We used a lot of skills that actual doctors would use in hospitals’, reflected Asha, ‘and that was really amazing’. The dynamic environment for the development of knowledge and values extended to the ‘optional’ lectures and performances. Every afternoon and evening there were opportunities for the students to learn more from accomplished experts about a variety of topics — from Brexit and global warming, to the changing face of terrorism and the young T.S. Eliot. With theatre visits and music recitals as well as lectures, the girls were seldom idle. From Oxford, I travelled further north to the University of St Andrews in Scotland where the richness of history and learning in one of the United Kingdom’s oldest universities provided the platform for the academic

growth of Harriet Reinhold (11L), Grace Fisher (11L) and Helena Gandhi (11O). I visited the girls in their final week of their four-week course at the University at the historic St Salvator’s Hall. All commented on the dedication of their teachers, the vibrancy of their classes and the great friendships that they had formed with other international students. There is so much to be gained from the exchange among students, educators and academics from all corners of the globe. Amelia Stacey (11B), who studied politics and economics at Oxford, commented that within her class, ‘everyone knows so much and there are so many different perspectives on the global issues, and this is both enlightening and stimulating’. I was fortunate to be awarded a Fellowship from Oxbridge Academic Programs to study Celtic Cultures and British Literatures at St Andrews. Our supervisor was Dr Katie Garner, a graduate of Cardiff University and expert in romantic and Victorian women’s writing. In my class, the diversity of literary backgrounds enriched our discussions. Our classes were enhanced by private viewings of rare and historic books housed in the St Andrews library’s Special Collections and visits from renowned poets and academics. I came home weighed down with a small collection of Scottish literature and a long list of books and anthologies to read. It’s these moments in life that resonate through the years and cannot be replicated. For many of our girls this incredible experience will be the spark to future careers, study and research. The love of learning is ignited and the illumination of deep knowledge and contemplation is a value that the girls and I now hold close — like a sacred book. Sometimes school can be so busy that we can forget to stop and remember what the learning is for. Why do we learn at all? Socrates reminds us, ’Education is the kindling of a flame, not the filling of a vessel’. I think the Oxbridge experience has given us some of that light.

REFERENCES oxbridgeprograms.com/Student-Journey

SPRING ISSUE / 2017