I have no special talent, I am only passionately curious.
Albert Einstein
Resilient, reflective, versatile, globally minded, thinkers, communicators and collaborators; these are the qualities we nurture in every student as they make their journey through Rugby School Thailand from aged 2-18. We’re going to shine a spotlight on what it means to be a ‘thinker’ and why it’s important in life.
In the context of our School, the ‘thinker’ learner profile has three strands that encourage our students to:
• Question and be curious; ask questions to find out more.
• Think creatively and critically; question and challenge the information they’re given.
• Show innovation and originality; think outside the box and come up with new ideas.
Throughout the curriculum we teach students to question and be curious, to think creatively and challenge information they’re presented with, and to be confident in sharing ideas. In Geography we ask students to have curiosity for the new places they discover; in Art we invite them to critically evaluate by studying art history and asking themselves what art means to them; in Science students continually solve problems and learn how to present information in creative ways; in English we establish ‘thinking routings’ to promote metacognition; in Sport, we encourage students to think about tactics to help them excel in sports matches.
To support students as they develop our learner profile traits, we offer dedicated School assemblies to engage students in the profiles. Our Prep School has also started hosting specialist days to celebrate the different traits – and our forthcoming ‘Thinkers Day’ will draw specifically on this trait and get students to demonstrate their ability to be a ‘thinker’ in the ways outlined above. The day will culminate in the annual General Knowledge Quiz, where students will have to think on their feet in a fierce, but friendly, House competition!
For our littlest students in Pre-Prep (aged 2-7), we introduce the qualities of a ‘thinker’ through an engaging character: the Creative Chameleon. If we give them some cardboard boxes in the playground, it’s amazing to see what their creative minds think to do with it! As students make their journey up through the Prep and Senior Schools, the ‘thinker’ trait becomes a more conscious construct and we invite them to be active participants in developing their own thinking skills. When students reach the Senior School, the trait is renamed ‘Inquisitive & Investigative’, as they become more resourceful in seeking knowledge and understanding, and gain even stronger analytical skills. Our aim is for every student to leave RST with excellent critical thinking and a strong curiosity about the world around them.
In the words of Stephen Hawking, “Look up at the stars and not down at your feet. Try to make sense of what you see, and wonder about what makes the universe exist. Be curious”.
