Building A Better Tomorrow Through Service-Learning
A student group is gathered in the library on a Friday afternoon engaged in meaningful and reflective conversation around sharing cross-cultural perspectives on mental health. What’s noticeably absent? Judgement. Body language and expression from all the participants show their intent: to actively listen.
It has been months of planning, volunteering, and developing skills associated with photography, web design, media, and more. As part of the Middle Years Programme (MYP) Personal Project, a Grade 10 student partners with Heart to Heart to run a charity exhibition and raise funds while showcasing incredible talent. Her project brings a human element to a clear message: this matters.
During an Advisory session, the whiteboard walls of a common area are bursting with creativity. Student-led club ideas include gender equity in sports, interactive mapping of the community, debates on current events, art advocacy, and more. These leaders of tomorrow aim to motivate their peers to inquire, become knowledgeable, and ultimately make an impact.
The anecdotes above capture just a snapshot of Shanghai Community International School’s multifaceted approach to service-learning. As a result of the pandemic, students have seized unique opportunities through virtual conferences, allowing them to connect with others around the region, and even the globe. These opportunities have helped them become well-informed and brainstorm action plans focused on community concerns like youth mental health, inclusivity and belonging, and environmental degradation.
Our older students have pursued avenues to volunteer locally more so than ever before. The strong pastoral program provided for our students not only fosters investigation into service-oriented topics but builds leadership capacity and collaborative skills. Yet, the cornerstone of our growing program continues to be curricular integration that provides students with authentic experiential learning.
A Focus on Community
When considering community engagement, we believe that several principles should be kept in mind, including ethics, notions of justice and equity, sustainability, empathy, and flexibility. A key aspect is modeling the process of service-learning for students internally. The support of an open-minded administration, enthusiastic faculty, and eager parents has insured those initiatives are not only possible but that they thrive.
One such ongoing project is titled Community Voices, an initiative that allows us to pause and reflect on our namesake. In Individuals and Societies, concepts of fact versus perspective come alive through student-authored memoirs for grandparents, which uncover generational views and interpretations of historical events. In connection with this unit, there are plans for future collaborations with a local elderly home.
Multilingualism and musical creativity come together in a music classroom; the study of guitar riffs around the world provides opportunities for students to connect with their families and promotes intercultural understanding. The Language Acquisition Department has paved the way in creating an authentic connection with our host country. Archetypes and other models of language and literature have taken on more meaning as we’ve connected and celebrated the everyday heroes of our community.
It is clear that a rigorous IB curriculum can also address genuine needs. Students inspire others across divisions. They take the lead while planning for guest speakers on key issues. They evaluate what it means to be a community member at school, then consider the bigger picture of global citizenship.
Expanding Partnerships
#SCISDragonfit is a wellness initiative that not only emphasizes curricular links, but also poses social media challenges inviting participatory reflection from students, teachers, and parents alike. Submissions have come in all forms - whether it’s recording a conversation questioning ableist mainstream views, sharing a recipe and accompanying food story, or writing a piece about feelings on vulnerability after failure. How is this project further reinforced? A partnership with Lifeline, a 100% volunteer-run, non-profit organization focused on mental health that provides confidential support across China. Planning alongside the Lifeline team provides exceptional learning opportunities both in and out of the classroom grounded in reciprocity.
Additionally, SCIS is committed to its ongoing partnership and support for Heart2Heart. Planning skills have been put to the test as upper school students in the National Honor Society strategize fundraising events. Our early learners contribute their artistic skills, which eventually become a source of pride with parents, during the ECE Charity Auction. Through service-learning and in line with the IB mission statement, our community is dedicated to “developing citizens who will create a better and more peaceful world.”
SCIS. Positive Contributors.
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