A core element of the Haileybury experience is fostering an international outlook in every student. This is achieved through the deliberate development of global competence from the Early Learning Centre through to the Senior School.
Global competence is about helping students to look beyond the ‘school bubble’ and to develop the knowledge, skills and respect for other cultures that enable them to travel, work and live anywhere in the world.
The activities offered at Haileybury are based on the School’s extensive and decades-long global experience and expertise, and on rigorous worldwide research conducted by Global Competence Associates, which resulted in the Global Competence Model™.
In Term 2, students in the Junior School have actively strengthened their global competence through Haileybury’s new ‘buddy classroom’ program.
Exploring the Asia-Pacific through our Buddy Classrooms
There was a real sense of excitement and buzz among our Year 1 students as they participated in their very first international buddy class exchange this term. Through this program, students had the opportunity to explore Australia’s closest neighbours; Timor-Leste, Papua New Guinea and Indonesia, gaining greater awareness and appreciation of our region. In Term 1, all Haileybury Year 1 students created postcards to send to their international buddies, sharing information about their favourite activities, foods and who is in their family.
The excitement grew when Dr Stephan Muller, Deputy Principal (Education Research & International) and acting Head of Newlands hand-delivered the Newlands students their return postcards from their buddies in Indonesia. Haileybury students watched a video message from their buddies and then matched their buddy with the school photos on the screen. In the coming months, other campuses will receive replies for their buddy classrooms around the Asia-Pacific region.
These thoughtful exchanges have helped to build meaningful connections and spark curiosity about life in other countries, which increases students’ attentiveness to diversity and open-mindedness.
We are now looking forward to our next exchange during Book Week, when we will share our favourite characters and stories with our international friends.
