No one is born a good citizen; no nation is born a democracy. Rather, both are processes that continue to evolve over a lifetime. Young people must be included from birth. A society that cuts off from its youth severs its lifeline.” Former U.N. Secretary General and Ghanaian diplomat Kofi Annan
Today the world is inundated with feelings of protectionism, xenophobia and isolationism. It is rife with fear, anger, hatred and anxiety that form the bedrock of modern day discourse. This is a world I sometimes feel hesitant to engage with, but more so, this is a world I want to change! I believe today we stand at the crossroads of history: where each one of us has to take a vital call that will determine the world we create for ourselves and for posterity. As an Educator and a parent I feel the responsibility lies with the adult generation, to help the youngsters understand the complexity of real world and help them face and overcome challenges.
At Insight International School , thinking and acting ‘globally’ is ubiquitous to all grades and content areas as students develop critical thinking skills, gain empathy and the understanding that they can make a difference.
We firmly believe, "Education must be not only a transmission of culture but also a provider of alternative views of the world and a strengthener of skills to explore them" Jerome S Bruner. There is no doubt that this generation students need critical thinking skills, a level of self-awareness and confidence that will empower them to take on unfamiliar challenges. They need to be able to work on teams of diverse individuals, opinions and experiences. As they will most assuredly be faced with some of the world’s greatest challenges, they will need to ensure there are sustainable supplies of food, water, and energy; address the needs of more than seven billion people living on a planet with ever-dwindling natural resources. Whatever the challenge, they will need to innovate, work collaboratively and creatively, across borders and disciplines, and with ethics.
Everything done in school sends out messages, so we understand the need to exemplify the values we wish to promote. It is more important now than ever that we ensure that the learning experiences of our students are enriched with cross curricular activities which promote and facilitate global exposure. We know that learning processes, and relationships between pupils and teachers, reflect and reinforce the values like equality, respect for diversity and ethical pursuits of knowledge.
The Collaboration with schools in U.A.E., Kuwait and Qatar was the most exciting part of the ISA project last year . Students experienced video sessions and conversations through skype with loads of excitement. The students developed a sense of their innate identity as they began realising the added layer of responsibility in a globalised world. Activities like these have helped our students and staff grasp the new age issues in the chosen areas and understand them through the eyes of partner schools. The widened variety of participatory teaching and learning methodologies, including structured discussion and debate, role-play, ranking exercises, and communities of enquiry had staff and students researching , collaborating and significantly improve their digital skills.
Curriculum tempered with international exposure activities has developed the capacities of our students as successful learners, confident individuals, responsible citizens and effective contributors. I am mindful of the life-changing impact such an education has on its students. Via an international exposure, students have become aware of “how the world works.” I have observed that the exposure of Internationalism in Education has manifested in the student’s open-mindedness to new situations, their desire to strive for a world with equality and respect for diversity underscored with values.
By encouraging our children to share their opinions and explore their own values, while respecting the values and opinions of others, we believe we are creating a foundation for a contributing global citizen that lasts a lifetime. We are also helping to secure our planet for future generations by preparing our current one to take on the challenges that will undoubtedly lie ahead.
Principal