Teaching a Respect for Community
During
adolescence a young person's view of the world widens to embrace a global
perspective. With technology so readily available, youth are exposed to many
different attitudes and cultures across a diverse landscape. The best private
schools in Torontohelp students understand their broadening view of society and participate in
the world around them. With an understanding of how different the world can be,
students will develop not only a strong education but also a sense of community
on a global scale.
First in life, a
student learns to participate in and contribute to his or her school. In top
private schools, respect and affection for the school community becomes
apparent in students' attire, in the way they behave towards one another and in
how they speak about their school. Private schools usually have a clearly
articulated vision of who they are and what they stand for. When families
choose a school with a vision that suits their own values, it helps to ensure
that they will feel a part of that school's community.
Creating Respect Among all People
Private school
culture promotes a sense of respect for self and others. Small class sizes
allow students to become familiar with and appreciate differing viewpoints.
Intramural house systems promote friendly competition within the school
community, while extra-curricular sports create friendships between teammates
and carry the school's values outside of its walls. The sense of pride created within
each student will be carried with them as they move into post-secondary schools
and the workplace. Clubs and teams solidify bonds between students and allow
individuals to learn and apply leadership skills.
The best private
schools are also fully integrated into their local communities. In Toronto,
students have numerous opportunities to participate in the life of the city.
Most curriculums have a community service component, which encourages students
to help their fellow Torontonians in a direct and experiential way. Private
school students are often called upon to organize social events for the school
or participate in fundraisers that not only benefit the school but community
organizations within their reach. City councillors and other notable citizens
may make classroom visits or address the entire student body. Courses that
examine the history of the city, the province and the country further promote
understanding of the community in which students live.
Teaching
Tolerance, Compassion
Many of
tomorrow's leaders will come from private schools and these institutions are
striving to make their student population as diverse as possible. Academic
courses within private schools offer opportunities for students to learn
languages, world issues, world history and to study Canada's role in global
affairs. This kind of attention on community is not felt with the same passion
in the public-school system. Some private schools even give lectures focused on
international law, politics and economics. Debate about global political and
economic matters is a time-honoured private school tradition; a way to help
young people comprehend and interpret the world around them.
Our children are
poised to enter a world that appears more complex, more dangerous and more
uncertain than ever before. Private schools are preparing students to deal with
that complexity by rooting them in their own communities and by guiding them
towards a well-rounded understanding of global issues. With this type of
comprehensive education, students who have developed celebrating diversity and different
cultures in their adolescent years are more likely to bring this learned
tolerance to the workplace and their own communities as adults. The best
private schools in Toronto help ensure that their students will go on to play
leadership roles in the world they will inherit.