~ Kim Wang
Curriculum Coordinator, International Department
The ever-evolving world we live in presents us with a myriad of problems waiting to be solved. How do we nurture children to become caring citizens so that they may one day make a difference in their communities? In Kang Chiao’s projects, students are tasked with taking action as a way to cultivate a sense of social responsibility. In this article, we’ll take a look at some projects to demonstrate what students accomplished and learned as they took action.
● Building a Model to Support the Community
Creating opportunities for young children to care about their surroundings can be as simple as taking a walk around campus. In our grade two School Safety Project, students were given a mission to keep their learning environment safe. They brainstormed possible measures to prevent accidents that might happen at that venue. Then, they took the role of school safety keepers to help hall monitoring teachers maintain children’s safety using the tips they devised. Throughout the project, students not only developed problem-solving skills, but they were also highly motivated because they were able to personally carry out the safety tips they developed. Furthermore, they learned to see the issue of safety from an adult’s perspective.
● Becoming a Successful Leader in the Future
As students grow older, they reach out to explore the community. In the grade four KCIS Community Project, students delved into different jobs on campus. Students interviewed a school staff member, such as a security officer, janitor, etc., to discover the job requirements and how they complete every task to make students study in a safe environment. At the end of the project, students sent a thank-you card to the staff to show their heartfelt appreciation. In this project, students became much more aware of all the various occupations involved in operating our community. They were also encouraged to reflect on their interests and skills, giving them a glimpse of how they can contribute to the world. It also made them understand that learning is an investment in their own future.
● Raising an Advocate for Creating a Better World
As for our sixth graders, they aimed for global issues. In Taiwan’s Water Crisis Project, students were shocked to learn how little water people living in Taichung and Changhua had during water rationing. Students yearned to find out what caused water shortages in those cities and how people’s lives were affected. Finally, they played the role of a journalist, pitching the idea of the importance of saving water in the news. The chance of news broadcasting paved the way for students to learn how to deliver a heartfelt speech with solid evidence. It also helped them cultivate compassion towards less fortunate people and appreciate the privileges they have.
By encouraging students to take action, we are conveying a message that one small step can have a great impact. We want to plant a seed inside their minds and hope the desire to take actions to make the world a better place will one day blossom.
From the Editor
Take Initiative and Overcome Challenges
國際處主任 賴國宜
Very often we hear from parents, "My child doesn't take initiative. How can I motivate him?" Like adults, children encounter challenges every single day, however rather than waiting for adults to come to the rescue, learning to take initiative helps them believe in themselves and develop problem solving skills. Our project-based learning connects the curriculum to authentic issues either in the school, local or global community. After exploring multiple aspects of the issue, students became motivated to showcase what they have learned by taking action to develop solutions or advocating solutions for problems. We believe that the ability to take initiative is nurtured through internal rewards which enhances positive attitudes in children's lives and towards the world around them.
當危機或困難發生時，您的孩子是哭、愣在原地等待大人救援，還是主動想辦法解決？父母無法一輩子跟在孩子身邊，也無法預測孩子可能面對的所有難題，事先傳授絕招，因此，培養孩子積極主動面對挑戰，運用創新思維解決問題的能力，成為當今教育最重要的課題。在我們設計英文主題課程時，特別強調結合真實生活中的問題，在每個主題探究的最後階段，鼓勵學生運用習得的知識與技能，提出解決問題的方案，或採取具體倡議行動喚起更多人的關注。我們相信這樣的課程模式，不僅培養解決問題的能力，日積月累更能內化正向的性格，讓孩子成長得更積極、自信與主動。歡迎您閱讀課研組長Ms. Kim的文章，了解更多英文主題課程，如何培養孩子更積極主動面對挑戰的實例。
美麗的植物能帶給我們愉快的心情，也能美化環境。您也喜歡栽種花花草草嗎？想了解更多照顧植物的小撇步嗎？推薦您閱讀二年級小朋友的植物栽種專題報告，從種子到發芽、長葉子、開花，孩子們不僅記錄植物的成長過程，還省思自己的照顧方式，經過一個多月的實際種植體驗，每位孩子都成為小小植物專家，無論開花與否，已在心中留下自己曾細心呵護的美好回憶！