Fostering critical thinking, creativity, problem solving skills

How is your school integrating tech in classroom learning?

Here are some specific ways in how our school has integrated with technology. By using interactive white boards and displays, we transform traditional lectures into dynamic lessons with multimedia and interactive activities. By using educational apps and software, we provide interactive exercises, quizzes and games that make learning fun and effective. Our online platforms streamline the organisation of assignments, grade and class materials. They provide a structured environment that helps students stay organised. Technology can keep parents informed about the child assessments, assignments, progress and expectations through messaging apps or portals.

What are the cultural and extra-curricular highpoints of your school in the past year?

Every year we conduct “The voice of Saint Francis” and “The dancing star of Saint Francis” to explore the talent of our dear students in singing and dancing. We have organised debate competitions which enhance the public speaking of students. We send our children to various inter-school and state-level sports competitions such as basketball, chess and volleyball. To our pride, our students bring the trophy, which is a tangible symbol of their and teachers’ efforts.

Innovation has become an important part of school curriculum, how have you incorporated it?

Our school curriculum focuses on three main areas — content, pedagogy and assessment to bring an innovative method in teaching style. The “What” and “How” of learning is about updating the content, teaching methods and learning environment to be more relevant, engaging and effective. Our school has shifted the education from a traditional rote-learning model to one that fosters critical thinking, creativity and problem solving skills.

What skills are important for students in this tech-driven age and what steps has your school taken to instil these?

In an era where technology can handle anything, we try our best to encourage our students to develop the skillset where they move beyond rote memorisation to generate original ideas, solve problems in novel ways and adapt to new situations. We enhance their ability to collect, analyse, and interpret the data. We also make them aware of cyberbullying and other online threats. While foundation skills like reading, writing and arithmetic remain essential, technology has placed the new premium on a set of core competencies that enable children to navigate, create and innovate in a digital world.

Have any mental health measures been taken to ensure holistic growth of students?

The school takes initiatives designed to benefit all students to stay mentally strong. We are fostering an inclusive and positive culture that involves celebrating diversity, kindness and implement anti-bullying policies to reduce stress and anxiety. We are encouraging our teachers to talk about mental health in classrooms and normalise the topic to reduce stigma. We are training our teachers and staff to recognise the early signs in students like changes in behaviour, academic performance or social withdrawal.

Your long-term vision for transforming education?

In a world where information is instantly accessible, we focus to nurture the whole student and not just the intellect. The vision is to cultivate ethical, empathetic and responsible global citizens who are prepared to contribute to their community. The long term vision for education is a continuous lifelong process. This means bridging the digital divide and creating truly inclusive learning environments.