Reach out to help out: students engaging beyond themselves – Totty Aris

A while back, Verdala International School (VIS) took a conscious decision to offer a more holistic approach to its philosophy of education. This concept can sometimes be perceived as a bit wishy-washy, so we spent some time as a community unpacking the issue. We asked our students, our parents, our board and our staff to identify what worked for them as learners, what they currently see as positive experiences at VIS and what they see in the future of education.

The data collected showed that parents wanted successful career pathways for their children but wanted them to be happy in the process. Parents were also acutely aware that people change jobs more often than before, and employers expected their workforce to be able to collaborate and undertake project work.

Our teaching staff looked closely at the skills required, recognising that changes in education mean they themselves need to adapt and learn as part of the process. The students overwhelmingly asked for a toolkit that will prepare them for the future. All stakeholders emphasised that well-being and coping mechanisms for an ever-changing world needed to be addressed. Thus, the ‘VIS Definition of Learning’ was born,...