Please meet Mr. Anthony Partington, the Principal of GEMS International School at Tropicana Metropark. He explains how GEMS recognises that great learning does not happen through academics alone; it’s the whole package!
Abraham Maslow proposed in 1943 key stages of growth in humans – our ‘needs’. Before reaching ‘esteem’ and ‘self-actualisation’, humans and particularly children, need ‘safety’ and ‘belonging’. Once these needs are met, students can perform at the highest levels and grow in confidence, resilience and independence.
When choosing a school for your child, consider the whole package. The pandemic has sharpened our understanding and appreciation of the importance of social contact, attending school and interacting with others. These are not things that get published in good school rating guides or posters. But, these are the ‘needs’ that good schools meet.
We know that great learning does not happen through academics alone. Schools need to provide through co-curricular programmes opportunities for leadership and participation – experiences that develop aspiration, resilience and the understanding of others. When things are tough these ‘extras’, as some might consider them, are usually the first things to be cut.
At GEMS International School Tropicana Metropark, we set a high bar for safety and the welfare of our students. And we also work hard to ensure that our students feel safe and are happy. Because this is the ‘new normal’ and we cannot wait until things return to the way that they were before. We have worked hard to ensure that we don’t lose our community events such as Sports Day, Deepavali, Christmas, Lunar New Year, our Talent Show, Book Day and much much more, because they are important and matter to the students, their families and our staff, just as much as our examination results.
Maslow’s hierarchy of ‘needs’ tells us one thing: it is not a choice. You cannot have great academic outcomes without the whole package of support around a child from a school to ensure that they are safe and happy, as well as successful.
By Anthony Partington
Principal, GEMS International School Tropicana Metropark, Subang Jaya, Malaysia
About GEMS
At GEMS International School, Tropicana Metropark, our educational approach is anchored by the simple yet significant premise that all children are capable of great things. We have a diverse faculty of well qualified teachers that supports and facilitates students to be an active participant in their own learning. Education is not something that happens to them, but rather something that they are a part of and have responsibility for. Our teachers from expatriate and local backgrounds have rich experience with the British Curriculum and have worked in various international school environments globally.
Children who come to us here at GEMS will benefit from a balanced programme that emphasises academic, sports, arts and music education equally. Continuous assessments for core subjects such as Mathematics, Science and English also assist with performance monitoring. These assessments support and improve student learning and provide and informative record of their achievements.
