This week at the Elementary School’s Flag Parade one of our Prep Senior students who was born in Malaysia, proudly wore a bindi, a batik necklace, and a Canadian t-shirt whilst waving an Australian flag. Her mother is Canadian, father Australian, and this young learner identifies as being Malaysian.
Her story is representative of so many students in our diverse community with 68 nationalities from Malaysia and around the world. It is also representative of the new norm of global citizenship being experienced in society based on connections through shared values and beliefs, and less because of shared ‘nationality’. Global citizenship is an integral goal in ISKL’s mission and an essential component of our curriculum, but what does it truly mean for our students, their learning and their lives? Our goal is for students to live their lives with empathy, respect, and an understanding of the complexity of global connections, and to be empowered by, and equipped with, the knowledge and skills to take action on a personal and social level to make the world a better place.
In helping our global learners become global citizens we focus on four key attributes:
Understanding the interdependence and connections of global and local concerns.
Empathy for the perspectives of others.
Communicating with respect for geographic, linguistic, ideological, and cultural differences.
Responsibility for improving conditions for self, others, and this place.
Our students experience global citizenship in many different ways, both in and outside the classroom. Events like tomorrow’s International Fest, which sees students from every grade level involved and engaged in celebrating our diversity, embodies global citizenship at ISKL. We know we are successful as a school when our differences are celebrated and our commonalities are understood and valued. I thank everyone on the International Fest Committee, in particular, Ms. Putri Razita Rahim who has been the Committee Chair for the past two years, for their amazing work in creating this wonderful opportunity to unite as a community and share the diversity of our cultures. I very much look forward to seeing you all there tomorrow and to celebrating our unique community of global citizens.
Yours in collaboration and learning,
Rami Madani
Head of School
