Sehra Aggarwal, Grade 12
UWCEA Arusha Campus
One thing I have realised is that in a UWC, regardless of the lesson you are in there is always more than one opinion, one answer, and one method to approaching a problem. As a student your perspectives are constantly challenged and being a critical thinker is part of the experience. This is exemplified in all our classes at UWC East Africa, Arusha Campus, but the one time this stood out to me was in one of our economics classes whereby we discussed the repercussions of the Russian invasion of Ukraine.
Economics is one of the most popular subjects in my school, and it is also one of my favourite classes. It takes place four times a week for an hour in our infamous library annex which was an extension made to our school library back in 2018 (pictured above). Immediately as you walk into the economics classroom there is an aroma of excitement in the air, the black chairs and the wooden tables arranged so you can face the whiteboard which is filled with roughly drawn production possibility frontiers and aggregate demand curves. As all 22 of us got settled in our unassigned seats our teacher emerged from the door, coffee in hand ready to enlighten us about the global economy.
After our usual greetings, he walked to the board and quickly noted down a few figures and faced the class. He then explained that the numbers represented different financial aspects of the Russian economy, such as its daily revenue from its fossil fuel trade with Europe, the value of its offshore holdings, and the value of its oil reserves. I believe we were all a bit underwhelmed as this had been the topic of discussion in our lessons for quite a while and we had end of year exams coming up. However, as we began to break down the true magnitude of those figures it was as if all of us underwent a metamorphosis of some kind as there was an instant spur of intrigue in the room. The conversation evolved from one discussion about macroeconomic objectives to the global effects of this attack. It was interesting to hear the input from European nationals as well as those from other backgrounds. One discussion that stood out to me was a debate about neo-imperialism and underlying white supremacy in the portrayal of the situation. Although a controversial opinion it was fascinating to hear a different contribution to the discussion that may have been shadowed by another circumstance. I remember the whole classroom going silent, patiently considering this argument. This moment in particular, highlighted the beauty of learning in a diverse environment as beliefs are constantly being questioned whilst still being mindful of alternative points of view.
Our class lasted sixty minutes, which usually feels like an eternity, but that day it felt like far too little time. It was as if we only got to dip our toes into an ocean of debate. Luckily, the conversation followed us in our subsequent lessons and even during lunchtime, making it one of the most fruitful discussions I had in a while.
Economics is one of the most popular subjects in my school, and it is also one of my favourite classes. It takes place four times a week for an hour in our infamous library annex which was an extension made to our school library back in 2018 (pictured above). Immediately as you walk into the economics classroom there is an aroma of excitement in the air, the black chairs and the wooden tables arranged so you can face the whiteboard which is filled with roughly drawn production possibility frontiers and aggregate demand curves. As all 22 of us got settled in our unassigned seats our teacher emerged from the door, coffee in hand ready to enlighten us about the global economy.
After our usual greetings, he walked to the board and quickly noted down a few figures and faced the class. He then explained that the numbers represented different financial aspects of the Russian economy, such as its daily revenue from its fossil fuel trade with Europe, the value of its offshore holdings, and the value of its oil reserves. I believe we were all a bit underwhelmed as this had been the topic of discussion in our lessons for quite a while and we had end of year exams coming up. However, as we began to break down the true magnitude of those figures it was as if all of us underwent a metamorphosis of some kind as there was an instant spur of intrigue in the room. The conversation evolved from one discussion about macroeconomic objectives to the global effects of this attack. It was interesting to hear the input from European nationals as well as those from other backgrounds. One discussion that stood out to me was a debate about neo-imperialism and underlying white supremacy in the portrayal of the situation. Although a controversial opinion it was fascinating to hear a different contribution to the discussion that may have been shadowed by another circumstance. I remember the whole classroom going silent, patiently considering this argument. This moment in particular, highlighted the beauty of learning in a diverse environment as beliefs are constantly being questioned whilst still being mindful of alternative points of view.
Our class lasted sixty minutes, which usually feels like an eternity, but that day it felt like far too little time. It was as if we only got to dip our toes into an ocean of debate. Luckily, the conversation followed us in our subsequent lessons and even during lunchtime, making it one of the most fruitful discussions I had in a while.
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