Powerful life lessons
On the morning of the first full day, we asked students: “what are you going to learn” on summer school?”
Here’s what your children said:
Confidence:
The students told us how much they will miss their parents. They also told us that travelling independently without parents is an opportunity to gain self-confidence. We couldn’t agree more.
Communicating across cultures:
Our students understand that communicating with other teenagers from other cultures is a challenge, but also richly rewarding. While misundertandings can and will happen, gaining lifelong friends from the other side of the world is an opportunity not to be missed.
Global issues
Brazilians are experiencing climate change in one way. French in quite another. The students commented on the rich possibilities to look at global issues from the perspective of other teenagers in different countries.
Critical Thinking Skills
Developing language skills is of course important, but just as important as ‘how much English you know’ is ‘what you can do with the English you know.’ By exploring world issues and finding solutions to problems, our students will be developing their Critical Thinking Skills.
Collaborative Skills
10 hours to create a dance show. One week to learn the language of speech making then research and deliver your own speech. 4 afternoons to make script, shoot and edit a film. Looking after each other in the residence. Working together to keep bedrooms tidy. Our students understand that ‘no man is an island’ and together we achieve more.
Confidence
In their own towns and cities our students go to school with other teenagers they have known their whole lives. Here on summer school there is a golden opportunity for our students to redefine and expand their idea of who they are and who they want to be.
Any group of strangers who face a challenging new environment together become very close to each other as they travel that journey together. Being on summer school brings out the best in most teenagers helping them to develop their kinder more supportive side. Maybe the thought of speaking on stage in front of the whole school back home is terrifying. But here, with your new international friends who have joined you on the very same journey, suddenly you feel like you are with people who have ‘got your back’ and will support and applaud you to the very rafters.
Got a presentation to deliver in class tomorrow? No problem.
Language Skills
Naturally, all of this collaboration, thinking and doing will add up to rapid advances in English Language fluency. Very soon our students will be dreaming in English. But, if and only if, they apply everything that they told us on the first day.
Our students know what they have to do and what the benefits are. Together, we can make this summer a time of life changing moments. Thank you parents for giving us the opportunity to make this magic happen. You are superbeings too.
