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Distance shrinks as festivity soars
A timely interaction.
IT WAS a unique experience for a group of students of the Le Chatelier Matriculation Higher Secondary School, Madurai, when they interacted with students of the King Edward VII School, Leicestershire, U.K., through video conferencing at the Fortune Pandiyan Hotel.
Video conferencing is not new for people of the Temple City, as institutions right from big business houses to hospitals regularly interact with their foreign counterparts.
The exposure the students get and the confidence they gain through such programmes are immeasurable.
The topic of discussion for this lively programme was Christmas celebration.
"I conducted many video conferencing programmes for business houses. But when I came across the web site, www.global-leap.com, I saw many international schools in the U.K. and the U.S., calling for an interaction with Indian schools. After a chat with Lynda Wade of the King Edward VII School, I called on Michael Chatelier, correspondent, Le Chatelier MHSS, and he immediately agreed to the programme," says R. Ashok Kumar, Chief Executive, Park Impex Inc, who organised the programme.
"Initially I thought of approaching the Kodai International School, but changed my mind and chose the Le Chatelier School," he said.
The programme was for students of 11 to 14 years of age. The Le Chatelier students gave a good presentation on how Christmas was celebrated in the city. They also talked about dressing, food habits and Christmas cards and the spirit of sharing. Their British counterparts were more casual. Though the Le Chatelier students were a bit formal at the outset, they were at ease as the conversation gained momentum.
When the King's students learnt the temperature that prevailed in the Temple City in what the Madurai students called winter season, they were amazed, as the temperature in Leicestershire hovered between three degree Celsius and 0 degree Celsius, said Ken Walsh, head teacher of the King Edward VII School, who also gave an introduction of the school to the Le Chatelier students.
Dasarathy, English teacher of the Le Chatelier School, who coordinated with the students, says: "It is a good opportunity for us to learn about their life during Christmas." "I hope similar interactive programmes will be held in future," says Reshma Rajagopal, a Standard X student.
"This programme has given us a good platform to develop friendship," says R. Deepthi, a Standard X student.
The Le Chatelier students posed queries ranging from the Boxing Day to dresses.
"Though our students are used to chatting through mail, this is a unique experience for us to take part in a video conferencing programme. Our children are thrilled to be part of this programme," said Mr. Michael Chatelier.
In between the programme, the students sang carols. Teachers of the King's School distributed the gifts sent to their students by their counterparts in the Le Chatelier School.
From Saravanan T
Photo: S. James
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Life
Bangalore
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