Raising learners with aspirations to make a difference

ARE we raising our children to become responsible future leaders who also respect and care for the environment, people, and their surroundings?

In today’s rapidly evolving world, schools bear a significant responsibility of educating students, equipping them with the tools to embrace the challenges and seize the opportunities that await them.

At Taylor’s International School (TIS), students are taught to be responsible and play a significant role in society, where they can take the initiative, actions, and ownership to make a difference in the world and make it a better place.

Both TIS schools (Kuala Lumpur and Puchong) raise students who are ready to take responsibility and be change-makers.

Care Movement (Care.mvmt) initiatives and projects are embedded into school life and challenge all members of the community to care for the world, others and self.

Care for the world

Caring for the world is part of the curriculum in every year group, from three-year-olds to 16-year-olds.

Students know what the Sustainable Goals are and how they play a part in helping to achieve them.

There is a creative approach to delivering green messaging in school with art from waste initiatives and hack-it competitions where students craft discarded materials, reusing them and making them into unique designs for a different purpose.

Each year, the Puchong campus hosts its legendary ‘Oceans Week’, which delivers the important message to look after the oceans.

As well as eco-education, there is also a firm commitment from TIS to invest in greener technologies.

Both campuses have recently installed a total of over 1,600 solar panels with the aim of building a cleaner and more sustainable future.

Students are taught about the use of renewable energy, its impact on schools, and its benefits for the planet.

“Installing a sustainable electrical energy source such as these solar panels, creates a safer and healthier future environment for our students,” says TIS executive principal Peter Wells.

TIS Kuala Lumpur is one of the first schools in Malaysia to have a dedicated reverse vending machine to recycle bottles and cans, and in 10 months, over 12,000 containers have already been recycled and saved from landfills.

Care for others and self

Caring for and respecting oneself and others in the community, whether in school or at home, is also an important part of educating students.

For example, mental health in today’s world has become increasingly important, especially following the pandemic.

TIS schools know their communities and what they need, and they take the initiative to run workshops on mental health for students, teachers, and parents.

For example, recent workshops have included how parents can support their children's well-being at home.

Teachers are taught how to counsel students and how to recognise students who are in need.

Students participate in mental health awareness weeks and learn how important mental health is and how to develop a range of coping strategies.

Responsible leaders and citizens

“As educators, we have a unique opportunity and responsibility to inspire and guide students towards understanding the importance of caring for society and the world, the underlying principles involved, and the actions they can take to make a positive impact in their communities.

“This is what we are heading for: for our students to have the knowledge, value and skills to prepare them for the challenges and opportunities of tomorrow,” says TIS Kuala Lumpur principal Edward Bantry White.

Aspirations for change

At TIS, our students, teachers, and parents make it a shared mission to care for the natural world and reduce our collective carbon footprint.

TIS strive to be more attuned to one another’s mental health and to support one another in times of flux or difficulty.

The students it fosters have a sense of purpose and become leaders with verve, compassion, and people who put others first.