By Poonam Arora
Bombay Cambridge International school has a rich history of quality initiatives in education. Our core objectives expound the all-round development of children, so that the values of human dignity and equality are enshrined in their hearts to create a true democratic and secular society.
The educational philosophy follows the ancient wisdom of Confucius: “I hear, I forget; I see, I remember; I do, I understand.”
We firmly believe that true education liberates us from the limitations of our experiences and the shallowness of our perceptions. We practise inclusiveness in all aspects of education. Our core objectives expound the all-round development of children, and all our efforts are committed towards student-centred learning and stress-free education.
With modules developed by the combined efforts of our teachers and counsellors, we aim to equip our students with awareness of their environment, personal response to situations and skills that are crucial in life for health, happiness and success.
Children deserve to grow in an environment that is safe and conducive to learning, which will help to mould them into global citizens. For this reason, the school has a life skills education programme from prep to grade 10 that was introduced 20 years ago. The programme consists of analysis of common situations, emotional expressions, interpersonal behaviours, health information and safety rules.
The life skills sessions include special modules of the personal safety education programme for younger children. The course is reviewed annually to ensure it stays relevant and meaningful for its participants. This is combined along with value education in a project we call GRASP (Global Responsiveness and Safety Programme). With modules developed by the combined efforts of our teachers and counsellors, we aim to equip our students with awareness of their environment, personal response to situations and skills that are crucial in life for health, happiness and success.
The pandemic taught us all that teaching can be delivered through e-learning and educational technology has become an essential part of the teaching and learning process. The pandemic also taught us that the social emotional wellbeing of young minds and hearts is of equal importance and schools need to prepare learners with the skills and values to support their future pathways. Social and emotional learning is the process through which children understand and manage emotions, set and achieve positive goals, feel and show empathy for others, establish and maintain positive relationships, and make responsible decisions.
Research shows that the most crucial skills for healthy emotional and physical development are social-emotional skills. Combining these skills with academic development creates high-quality learning experiences and environments that empower students to be more effective contributors in their classrooms today and in their workplaces and communities tomorrow.
According to the Education Development Center’s Shai Fuxman, “By learning Social Emotional Learning (SEL) concepts at formative stages, children grow up with an established foundation for socialisation and emotional management. They feel more empowered to think creatively, problem-solve, demonstrate persistence in the face of challenges, show empathy for others, and become more socially aware of their surroundings. And these skills carry over into high school, where children are not only better prepared to complete group assignments, become independent learners, and manage puberty’s intense emotions, but also ready to apply their social-emotional skills in college and beyond.
With critical social-emotional skills developed through age-appropriate and research-based programmes and practices, students can leave the school setting and enter the workforce “future-proofed”. They will have skills and behaviours that align with the dispositions — goal-setting, persistence, a growth mindset, responsible decision-making, relationship-building, self-awareness, self-management, and social awareness.”
Another article from Aperture Education states: “Research also shows that SEL influence in student learning makes them more engaged and invested in their education. It also empowers them to take control, show initiative and adopt leadership roles. Giving students voice and choice also helps them feel valued, encourages them to realise their interests and potential and can improve their academic outcomes.”
At Bombay Cambridge International School, students have the liberty to express their thoughts freely and share their views fearlessly, while the educators ensure that they learn not only about their rights but also their responsibilities as members of the school. In order to safeguard our children, the school has implemented a child protection policy that guides behaviour on campus to ensure students feel safe, respected and cared for. Senior students and counsellors welcome new students and guide them towards rapid adjustment and healthy participation in school. Every staff member is aware and trained to understand and respond to children appropriately, ensuring there is no compromise in safety standards for students; 100% of our staff and parent population is educated about POCSO (protection of children against sexual offences) through seminars conducted by trained counsellors.
The student council works towards creating a positive school environment through which we hope to reach out to the student body with the message of being helpful, friendly and kind, thus leading to a happy school experience for all students. Lead by the student council, students get involved in a number of social causes.
When the school and parents work with a spirit of trust and cooperation, it creates the best environment for children. A growing body of evidence shows that family engagement improves school readiness, student achievement and social skills, and they also become ambassadors in the community for child rights and progressive social thoughts. To establish positive relationships and mutual understanding, the school has several opportunities for interaction with parents, such as coffee with the principal, a collaborative learning experience programme for parents (Clepp), and seminars and workshops for parents and children.
Bombay Cambridge International School has been instrumental in touching the lives of students over the past 35 years. We have been leaders in initiating many practices in education and achieved many milestones. We have been recognised for our efforts and awarded for the same by many educational agencies. Our alumni are a testimony to our success as they have made their mark all over the world.
Here are some quick referral tips for school leaders to ensure a conducive social emotional learning environment:
- Ensure quality and consistency in all early years settings, so that every child makes good progress and no child gets left behind.
- Provide a secure foundation through learning and development opportunities which are planned around the needs and interest of each individual child and are assessed and reviewed regularly.
- Create a successful partnership between practitioners and parents.
- Establish an equal opportunity and anti-discriminatory practice, ensuring that every child is included and supported.
- Provide a safe and happy learning environment in school.
- Introduce a well-developed community outreach programme for learners to practise sensitivity and empathy towards others.
Our goal is to create ‘world graduates’ who are future-ready when they leave school and can apply 21st century skills to successfully negotiate every turn in life. It is our commitment to our students to provide the best learning environment, so that each one of them is confident, skilled and feels valued because, to us, every child matters.
Poonam Arora is Principal of Bombay Cambridge International School, Andheri, in Mumbai, India. Get in touch with Poonam via email.
