The COVID-19 pandemic crystallized a realization many years in the coming: the world as we knew it, has changed. While schools of the yesteryear were designed to set children up for fulfilling careers, schools of today have an additional role: to prepare children and young adults with the conceptual toolkit that will allow them to succeed and lead in times of rapid evolution.
The move to whole-child development
At FPS, we believe that a focus on whole-child development is the key to the way forward. Alongside academic excellence, our students must have the social-emotional and conceptual skills required to stay ahead of the curve, stand out amongst the crowd, and pursue their dreams. Some of these skills include agility, resilience, social-emotional intelligence, technological imagination, and moral leadership.
Whole-child development occurs both within and outside of the classroom. We design co-curricular activities as an extension of students’ learning, complementing but also expanding the horizons of their gains within the classroom. This enables the creation of learning pathways that equip students for the skills needed for lifelong success.
A personalized learning pathway
Students at FPS have the opportunity to create a customized learning pathway that enables them to explore their passions and learn about new opportunities, while gaining important experiences that will help them succeed post-graduation.
The Spark program in junior schools allows students to expand their interests, and gain valuable knowledge. In the past, Spark has offered courses rooted in recognized extra-curricular such as athletics, STEM, arts, and medicine.
The Alt-Ed program in senior schools offers courses in fields such as robotics, theatre, music, and rowing, preparing them for the next phase of their journeys.
FPS A Level offers the Breadth Curriculum, which lies at the intersection of the liberal arts and STEM disciplines, fostering critical thinking, intellectual curiosity, and interdisciplinary education that prepares students for university placements and career exploration. In the previous years, the Breadth Curriculum has given students a foundation in product design, robotics, media studies, film and photography, public speaking, and hotel management.
Laying the foundation for next-generation leadership
At FPS, we believe in empowering our students with the technical and social-emotional toolkits required to be next-generation leaders, whether as scientists, artistes, entrepreneurs, managers, coders, thinkers, or academics.
Each campus offers a host of positions that allow students to experience leadership and initiative at an age-appropriate level.
Student-run Clubs in the senior schools provide students hands-on experience in planning, organization, marketing, communication, collaboration, stakeholder management, and leadership. They enable students to identify and leverage their unique strengths. Students have the chance to pitch and work on their own ideas, which cultivates confidence and creativity.
The Next Generation Leadership Training Program is offered to students of Grade 10 to prepare them for transformational leadership in a rapidly changing era. Students go through coursework and exercises in areas such as public speaking, creative thinking, communication, influential leadership, and moral imagination, arming them with the essential skills required to navigate some of the most foundational areas of their lives with support, resources, confidence, and courage.
The role of parents in the transformational leadership journey
Parents and guardians are essential partners in a child’s transformational leadership journey. FPS offers a myriad of opportunities: encouraging your children to step out of their comfort zone and sign up for them is the first step in leveraging them.
It has never been more important for children to be well-rounded individuals who can think critically, tackle uncertainty with resilience and emotional intelligence, foray into rapidly emerging new domains, and lead from the front.
Encourage your child to begin now: volunteer for an assembly, enroll in a co-curricular course, participate in community service, pick up a sport, attend an afterschool event, or pitch an idea. It is by taking that first step that our children can take control of their learning pathways and lives.
Encourage your child to voice their interest in leadership and learning.
Encourage your child to show up, take initiative, and expand their dreams.
Together, we can jumpstart our children’s journey of transformational development, equipping them with the courage to see the world as it is, and the audacity to envision the world as it could be.
Together, we can provide our children with a learning pathway that will unlock their potential, and provide them with the conceptual toolkit to succeed in life.
By: Kashaf Ali, Associate Manager, Student Development
