It's not often the breeze picks up so it's perhaps a bit hard to recognize the green flag that sits along side our school flag on each campus. It's our "Eco-Schools" green flag. When it waves it's a clear sign that we do much at ISKL to study, appreciate and support local efforts at sustainable development.
Thankfully our campus involvement and learning is much more steady than the wind so it's only a matter of looking around to see learning taking place. This week alone a number of classes participated in various activities intended to foster the understanding of sustainability in a local context.
The grade 6 service learning classes are busily working on action related to global issues. One class has identified the issues or water and health in the context of the flooding on Malaysia's east coast. Their goal is to engage the MS community in supporting the flood victims, and especially children. The other class is focusing on the health issues related to mosquito borne illness, namely dengue.
Grade 7 had a number of visiting experts on Wednesday in what will hopefully become an annual affair: The grade 7 Ecology Symposium. Speakers will be visiting (and on Skype) and not only presenting what they and their organization do but also asking students to participate in role playing as if they are the speaker in action. Analysis of appropriate decisions is a powerful result of this, increasing learning a good deal.
Finally, our grade 3 classes completed their "tree planting" project. Since November they have measured the space left open by the reconstruction of a new wall and studied plant species appropriate for the space. On Monday they planted 24 plants which, with some on-going love, attention and water, we hope will adorn the campus for many years to come.
It's wonderful to see children understanding, connecting dots and growing in such meaningful ways. Whether the wind has picked up or not, whether the flag is waving or still, our students are true Eco-Schools exemplars in action!
