In the past fortnight, TISPC students were seen in action all around the school with the most impressive IPC Exit Point presentations. We were happy to have parents from all the different year groups coming to the school to be part of our children’s learning. There were students performing different roles to articulate myths and legends of the past, folklore and songs taking the audience back through time. Some students were in an ‘aeroplane’ in the classroom taking off on a holiday to an island, were ‘stranded’ and worked together to figure out survival skills. There were children visiting different year groups to share their learning and there were also very young learners in Early Years who were interviewing adults who hold different occupations around the school.
I am amazed at how quickly students have adapted themselves back into the school routine. The skills that they have worked on to acquire since attending physical school have been phenomenal. They are steadily rising in their collaboration with each other and learning to socialise in bigger groups again. Working together is an integral part of the IPC, and the first letter of TISPC’s RECIPE spells ‘Respect’, an attribute so vital for teamwork.
Respect is a broad term, and although we know that it is linked to a positive action or gesture, respect means differently to different people belonging to different societies. Societies introduce the culture of respect early on, from respecting elders to respecting neighbours and the community that one feels accustomed to. However, how do we instil respect in a diverse global community of different races and cultures?
A big part of the IPC is teaching children to be more internationally-minded with a greater understanding of other countries and cultures. Each unit has intercultural awareness built into its theme, so children begin to develop global awareness. By introducing the concept of global citizenship, learners understand how interdependent we all are in the world. Respect then comes naturally when children learn to understand other views and the different ways that people live.
The future generation would be one with increased intercultural societies on a global scale. According to The Economist, education is the most crucial factor now to prepare humans of the future to be competent in intercultural communication. With purposeful education, we can then instil acceptance, respect, understanding and the embracing of differences, without compromising on one’s identity. Multinational firm KPMG predicts that empowerment and employee flexibility would dominate the future workplace, with more acceptance, collaboration, connectedness and productivity from different global locations. This would mean that a deeper understanding of differences is needed, and instilling a sense of respect would be a good way to start.
At last week’s assembly, the students listened to a story called “Do Unto Otters” read by our new Assistant Head, Ms Shusan. It was about respecting differences and treating others how one would like to be treated. The children loved the story, as a family of otters moved into an area where a rabbit lived, and the animals accepted differences in appearance, likes and dislikes. Till our next communication; have a great weekend.
