“FMK can serve as an example for schools in Nepal who follow the child centered learning approaches. It can be very useful for young children to develop these skills with practical engagement”
Moin Uddin
Kathmandu
Just imagine the scenario, which the real world working station demands as a job, which you can only learn at colleges for specialization. If you can learn at the early age of life when at school then how much your time, money and resources will be saved?
Along with textbook subject matters, students need more of a moral and practical lesson that will build them to be stronger and independent in many ways. It is also a time to find passions, nurture it with love, and care to make it strong that later you can pursue independently.
Furthermore, it is also a time to install some good habits on students and give them a space to learn the realities of life. Some basic practical skills like cooking, team work, how to do business, leadership skills and interpersonal skills are integral daily matters that need to be taught and make students apply, as these are the things that will matter the most for living.
A mother of two and a PhD Candidate/Researcher at Monash University, Australia, Neeti Aryal Khanal, shared that her son Shubham Khanal who is studying in grade five at Clayton North Primary School (CNPS) is learning the real life lessons like cooking and many more along with his regular studies at his school. Aryal says, “As a feminist, I have always tried to teach my boys household work. I feel that everyone should know basic cooking, cleaning and other activities that are necessary for one's self care. In our home, at least facilitated by the reality of living in abroad, my husband does everything in the house as well. Usually when boys are just with their father, they cook meals together and Shubham already knew some basic cooking at home. But the value of this cooking heightened because of the course in school.”
When asked about her son’s motivation in learning this course she puts it in this way, “ My son’s motivation in learning this course comes from the fact that he understands that he is getting good working experience, which he thinks will be very useful when he will work part time in future.” In Australia, kids can start working part time right after they are 15.
“He has a strong sense of learning to be independent financially and have a job. Besides that, he really loves to cook, eat and talk about food,” says Aryal.
Ferntastic Mini Kompany (FMK) cafe teaches kids several skill that includes food preparation and safety, interaction with people: serving the customers, learning to work in a team (usually around 7/8 students work together in a café), and practical mathematical skills (understanding real concept of investment, sales and profit).
Laura Cartledge, FMK Café teacher of CNPS says that FMK was set up as a financial literacy program to teach and give students a more ‘real life’ approach to learn about money.
“The program started out in a classroom with the students making simple biscuits and selling them at play time. With time, FMK has now developed into a fully functional café,” says Cartledge. She is passionate about what she is teaching and how she is teaching it. “The FMK café is a teaching tool. I love teaching this program as I get to teach the students about manners, health, communication, work ethic, responsibility, respect etcetera.” Talking about her favorite lesson to teach she says is to teach about customer service. After discussing this at school, she asks students to go home and practice ‘good customer service at home’. “The students enjoy going home to help their families and love telling me about how good they feel to make their parents happy,” says Cartledge. When students complete each phase, they get a certificate. They are encouraged to keep their certificates and take them to their first job interview. 
Regarding Khanal’s experience of learning this course at school he says, “I learned to be a waiter and a cafe worker. I also learned about occupational health safety and food safety. I found it helpful as the certificate I will get would help me get a job when I will be 15 and be independent so that I do not depend on my parents too much for money.” He says with pride that not only he will be able to get a job but will also cook for himself and family in days to come.
Aryal has experience of enrolling her kids in both Nepal and Australia. She says that Nepali schools can learn so much from the Australian schools. “I think schools in Nepal have evolved a bit and some schools are already taking these kinds of approach. However, FMK can serve as an example for schools in Nepal who follow the child centered learning approaches. It can be very useful for young children to develop these skills with practical engagement,” concludes Aryal.
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