The Association of International School Educators of Nigeria (AISEN) is committed to creating quality co-curricular experiences which prepare learners to meet the challenges of a diverse global society. The Association has a proud activity tradition and recognises the unique value of sports, creative and intellectual activities in our community.
We thus have activities divided into these three broad categories.
AISEN recognises that co-curricular activities are an integral and valuable part of a student’s experience at school. Students develop a variety of skills through participation including activity-specific physical and mental skills, team collaboration and sharing, discipline and other positive social values and behaviours which they can transfer to their lives now and in the future. Such activities, wisely selected, properly organised and well supervised, contribute to promoting a healthy, positive lifestyle, while, by extension, helping to improve students’ academic attainment.
As part of a broad and balanced education, our activities fill the need for students of member schools to encounter their peers from other AISEN schools in a controlled, collaborative and competitive setting. This is very fitting for education in the 21st century, which surpasses the four walls of the classroom and now seeks to go beyond academics and foster all-round development.
The standards of our Student Development and Engagement Activities are comparable to international standards, and the planning process in achieving these promotes assistance, networking, training, advice and collaboration between all AISEN member schools.
Student Leadership
In life, leadership occurs at all levels. If babies are left to their own devices in a playgroup, in a matter of minutes, one baby could start an activity, and soon enough the other babies could start to mimic the action of the first baby. Hence, we can say, the first baby has influenced the others for a brief period, and this is leadership at its most basic level.
Implicit in the example above is the neutrality of leadership, meaning the influence wielded by a leader could be for good or ill. This is why many leadership texts debate about whether Hitler was a good leader or not. We know he certainly had significant and pervasive influence; however, what he did with that influence appalled many of good conscience. So, in this piece, the type of leadership being referenced is strong and positive leadership, which brings out the best in others.
AISEN, the Association of International School Educators of Nigeria, has run a three-day Prefects’ Camp for over a decade. Most of the students that attend this residential programme are aged 15 or 16 years old and are close to completing Year 10 or SS2.
Previously the camp took place in the first term, and in one year it held in the second term. Nevertheless, last academic session, the camp took place in the third term, and henceforth, the AISEN Executive Committee has decided that all subsequent camps should hold in the half term break of the third and final term of the academic session.
This will equip newly chosen prefects with the requisite skills to excel in their new position. Indeed, some schools use the camp as part of the process for selecting new prefects or determining which position a prefect should hold.
The AISEN Prefects’ Camp focuses on introducing and inculcating leadership skills in the young participants by getting them to perform varied tasks, involving them in leadership simulations, and by engaging them in leadership by participation. Rather than overload the delegates with theory and case study, a practical approach is adopted. Prefects are placed in scenarios where good leadership would ensure a better chance of success in a competitive situation. Following each activity or exercise, which
many of the prefects see as games, there is the all-important debrief. During the debrief session, the theory is connected to practical, real-life examples of what has just been experienced and this makes the theory more understandable and applicable in similar situations where strong leadership can secure positive outcomes.
Three examples of the activities the prefects engage in over the long weekend include:
- Trust Walk: this develops non-verbal communication, planning and interpersonal skills
- Assault course: this requires energy, collaboration and the ability to resolve challenges efficiently
- A general knowledge quiz: this highlights the need for a leader to enhance their intra-personal skills,
to collaborate respectfully and efficiently, as well as have a keen awareness of what is going on in the wider environment
With a careful balance between participation, listening and note-taking, by the third day each prefect has enhanced their ability to listen carefully and assess situations before applying initiative, creativity and self-discipline to resolve a given challenge on schedule, especially one with tight timelines.
Also, following attendance at the camp, the prefects have a greater appreciation of responsibility, styles of leadership and gracious service – the type of service that is selfless and non-demanding of recompense.
Avi-Cenna International School emerged the overall winner in the 2017 edition of the AISEN Basketball competition among many others in the 4th February 2017.
Avi-Cenna International School is a government-approved co-educational British Curriculum school, located at the GRA part of Ikeja Lagos State. The school focuses on the “promotion of moral and ethical values” with the view of developing interpersonal and leadership skills” of her students.
It was registered that ten schools took part in the competition and while Avi-Cenna emerged first, Greensprings School Lekki came second and was followed by Greenspring School Anthony as the third position.
The Association of International Schools Principles in Nigeria, popularly known as AISEN, organised an annual basketball competition as part of their activity for member schools for the year. The event followed clear guidance and rules. This initiative has proven to be an incredible landmark in the history of international schools.