Active learning is a process whereby learners engage in activities, such as reading aloud, creative writing, communicating,  group discussion, or problem-solving, instead of sitting quietly and listening. Active learning is the opposite of passive learning, and it is much more effective when developing experiential lifelong learning. We firmly believe that children learn more when they are part of the learning. In BCCI, we adhere  to the practices of learning by doing through active learning as follows:

• Journal Writing/Reflection Journal – A reflective journal is a personal record of educational experiences, improving writing skills and aiding in information retention. It involves documenting events, experiences, and thoughts to facilitate learning and growth. This process enables students to analyze experiences, identify learning patterns, and foster self-assessment. Reflective journaling empowers students to control their academic development and enhances metacognitive skills, promoting lifelong learning and personal success. Overall, it encourages introspection and self-directed learning, making students active participants in their educational journey.
• Book Report/Review – A book report is a written summary of a book’s content with students’ analysis of it. It includes an introduction, plot summary, interpretation, and conclusion. A book report is typically assigned to students in middle or high school, but it can also be assigned as an advance learning pace to Primary students. Book reports are typically 250–500 words long. This type of active learning develops students’  critical thinking, creative writing, comprehension skills and of becoming a vocabulary wizard.
• Spelling Bee – Spelling Bees/Games offer valuable educational experiences and promote healthy competition. They foster team building, improve grammar, and instill a competitive spirit. Students also gain knowledge of word origins and develop cognitive skills, including handling pressure. Most importantly, these events help to boost a child’s confidence level as they gain self-assurance through learning to speak in public. It is our goal to provide a supportive environment where learners can improve memory and public presentation skills through learning and competition.
• Creative Writing – At BCCI, creative writing is an active learning method that involves crafting original and imaginative pieces of literature, poetry, prose, or scripts from the God-given talents of our students. It transcends conventional writing, encouraging individuals or students to delve into language, structure, and narrative storytelling. Creative writing fosters self-expression, communication, empathy, imagination, and creativity. It also enhances writing skills, builds confidence, improves reading comprehension, sparks curiosity, and develops research skills among students.
• Inquiry based learning – a constructivist approach where the overall goal is for students to derive meaning. While teachers may guide the inquiry to different extents (externally facilitated) and establish parameters, genuine inquiry springs from internal motivation. This approach encompasses various learning methods like project-based learning and design thinking, adapting to factors such as topic, resources, ages and abilities of students and other variables. Inquiry can be defined as the pursuit of truth or understanding, is fundamental across all aspects of life. Specific inquiry processes, such as the scientific method, play crucial roles in knowledge acquisition across different learning domains. This active learning encourages critical thinking, fosters curiosity, and promotes independent research skills.
• STEM Connection – Understanding the correlation between NGSS and STEM begins with grasping the functioning of each practice. STEM education primarily addresses the demands of the STEM workforce by identifying and nurturing students interested in science, technology, engineering, or math. A good STEM education focuses on problem-solving: identifying the source of a problem, exploring various solutions, and then crafting and implementing the solution akin to real-world scientific endeavors. It’s real-world science as real-world scientists experience it, designed to allow students to experience the satisfaction that comes with the successful implementation of a solution. NGSS, on the other hand, adopts a broader approach, emphasizing scientific inquiry, nurturing curiosity, and problem-solving. It aims to make science engaging and accessible to all.
• Science Process Skills – as the students are given the opportunities to develop these skills, they begin to gain confidence in their ability to think for themselves, reason, build connections, make representations and communicate their ideas to others.  The science process skills that are emphasized are, observing, comparing, classifying, predicting, experimenting, recording, and communicating.
• Game-based Learning – It is a cutting-edge approach that incorporates games into the curriculum. Unlike traditional methods, it leverages game mechanics to captivate students, fostering interactive and enjoyable learning experiences. By harnessing the inherent appeal of play, educational concepts are transformed into engaging challenges. This active learning method not only enhances student engagement but also makes learning enjoyable and promotes long-term knowledge retention.
• Math Matters in Everyday LIfe – Mathematics holds significant importance in our daily lives, facilitating various essential tasks. Here are some examples integrated into our math active learning:

• • Managing money, including budgeting and financial planning. $$$
  • Comparison shopping to find the best deal and prices
  • Utilizing math skills while preparing food such as measuring ingredients or adjusting recipes.
  • Calculating distance, time, and costs associated with travel arrangements.
  • Analyzing sports data, including player and team statistics, for strategic decision-making
  • Applying mathematical principles in playing musical instruments or understanding musical notation.
  • In baking, precision is required when measuring ingredients, adjusting recipes, and understanding temperature and time conversions.
  • Home decorating involves calculating measurements for furniture placement, estimating material quantities for painting or wallpapering, and determining spatial arrangements.
  • Sewing entails taking accurate measurements for garment construction, calculating clothing lengths, and understanding patterns for design.
  • Gardening and landscaping include planning garden layouts, estimating soil and fertilizer quantities and understanding measurements and schedules for maintaining plants’ health and growth.
• Social Emotional Active Learning – This approach focuses on educating students about emotions, relationships, and responsible decision-making. It goes beyond teaching methods to encompass a holistic approach that integrates social and emotional competencies into the curriculum. For example, it may involve activities like role-playing to understand and manage emotions or group discussions about empathy and understanding.
• Collaborative Learning Strategies – are teaching and learning models that highlight the strength of collective intelligence. Students in this approach collaborate in groups, utilizing each member’s strengths and knowledge. It’s based on the belief that collaborative processes result in deeper understanding and more meaningful learning experiences compared to individual efforts. This active learning promotes teamwork, enhances communication skills, and exposes students to diverse perspectives.
• Personalized Learning – is a teaching and learning method that customizes the educational experience to suit the distinct needs, interests, and strengths of every student. Instead of a one-size-fits-all approach, content, pace, and learning methods are adjusted for individual learners. This active learning approach caters to individual learning needs, encourages student autonomy, and can result in deeper understanding.
• Recording and communicating – encourages students to document their observations and gather information, forming opinions and conclusions based on their findings. By recording their observations, students become more precise in what they perceive and more attuned to environmental details. They also benefit from opportunities to share their discoveries verbally or through various mediums such as drawings, artworks, or models. These representations help others understand their findings and allow students to revisit their acquired knowledge. For instance, students might take photographs during a neighborhood walk to create a map, track the growth of a plant on a calendar, or build a bridge model after studying photographs or books.
• Outdoors Active Learning – involves students engaging directly with the natural world outdoors. It promotes physical activity and encourages students to freely explore using their natural senses and personal experiences. In this environment, students can enjoy the scent of flowers, the sounds of both traffic and birdsong, the sensation of soft grass underfoot, and the feeling of the wind on their face. Through activities like digging in soil or collecting rocks, they gain understanding about the Earth’s surfaces and concepts such as weight, texture, and size. These hands-on experiences stimulate curiosity, wonder, and a positive appreciation for the environment and lifelong learning.
• Diagrams and Graphic Organizers – Using diagrams and graphic organizers, such as flowcharts or Venn diagrams, is an effective strategy for helping learners understand sequences of events and changes. When visually representing processes like the life cycle of an animal or plant growth, learners can better grasp the progression and make sense of what they’re experiencing. This approach is particularly useful when there are numerous terminologies or new vocabulary to learn, as well as when identifying parts of animals, plants, or science tools. Drawing pictures of these elements aids in retention, and displaying them on boards or walls provides a visual reference for students to revisit frequently, supporting mastery learning.
• Using Print Media, Technology and Interactive Media – technology and interactive media can greatly enhance teaching and learning experiences. These tools, when carefully chosen and integrated into lessons in developmentally appropriate ways, have the power to promote effective learning outcomes. Examples of such tools include photographs, videos, movies, slides, television programmes, e-books, internet resources, software programs, applications/apps, and other computer simulations. By leveraging these resources, learners can actively engage with topics and themes as part of BCCI’s active learning to extend and expand their knowledge about the world and instill global awareness.