The future holds exciting promises for our learners. It is a time when innovative thinking is nurtured and celebrated, with a drive for all of us to challenge ourselves, and traditional conventions, as we stand at the forefront of preparing our students for the future. At the American School of Creative Science (ASCS), we see science as the art of learning.
Embracing technology is paramount, and we acknowledge the importance to equip our students with the accurate skills required to succeed in this digital economy. However, at ASCS, we challenge them to think beyond computer science lessons and tech utilisation. With our upcoming Innovation Month, we have designed cross-curricular projects, inspiring students to see innovation as re-thinking, re-designing, and re-establishing, rendering it as a vehicle through which they can work to understand global issues, identify viable solutions, and simultaneously motivate and prompt a call-to-action, making an impact in their class, school, and the wider community.
With a holistic, global learning aim, we measure the emotional, social, physical, and mental growth of our students.
We all know how important it is that young people are fully prepared for real-world success. Making the connection between their current studies and future goals, motivates students to engage and plan for life after school. Another aspect to consider is the key qualities that our students possess, as we aim to transcend nurturing future-ready learners and build an aspirational culture.
As future leaders in their careers, one needs to possess a strong character that will enable them to make good decisions. With a holistic, global learning aim, we measure the emotional, social, physical, and mental growth of our students as successful learning, developing core traits, such as integrity, courage, compassion, and tolerance, along with key skills, such as collaboration and communication.
We will be adding dedicated social and emotional learning lessons for our K-8 students, and community service sessions for our Grade 9 students, with a framework that inspires and empowers, with practical skills and knowledge, providing opportunities to act, and reflect, as well as share thoughts. Embedding programmes like these and through our Virtues in Practice programme, we actively work to build a culture of kindness, gratitude, and resilience, in our learning community, which in turn enables our students to be well equipped with coping skills, to manage their emotions in a healthy way, and instill lifelong learning skills, enabling them to pursue their ambitions, and drive their learning, in the present and the future.
Willingness to accept differences with an open mind and to be of service to their community, coupled with the ability to research and think critically are some of the qualities we foster in future-ready learners, who will be able to apply these skills to examine, analyse, and make informed decisions in a career of their choice.
The writer is Principal, American School of Creative Science, Nad Al Sheba
