School of the Nations (Bahá'í – Macau)

School of the Nations 澳門聯國學校
Location
Rua Do Minho, Taipa Macau
Information
Type	International School
Established	1988
Principal	Vivek V. Nair
Staff	100+
Grades	Kindergarten to Form 6
Number of students	600+
Colour(s)
Website	www.schoolofthenations.com

The School of the Nations (Traditional Chinese: 聯國學校; Simplified Chinese: 联国学校; Jyutping (Cantonese): lyun4 gwok3 hok6 haau6; Pinyin (Mandarin): lián guó xué xiào) is a Bahá'í-inspired school in the Taipa, Macau community. It is owned by the Badi Foundation. In 1988, as the result of the efforts of a number of Macau residents and the Government of Macau, the School was established. As an international school, it provides an internationally oriented English-medium educational program that meets the needs of both expatriate and local families.

File:School of the Nations Macau Wide Shot.jpg

The School of the Nations on Taipa Island in Macau, China.

File:School of the Nations Macau Very Wide Shot.jpg

A very-wide-angle view of the school.

History

The School of the Nations is an internationally oriented educational institution, licensed by the Government of Macau, as a non-profit organization. It originally opened in 1988 with 5 students, all of whom were enrolled in kindergarten. It came about as a result of efforts from a number of Macau residents who saw the need in the community for an English medium school. By the end of the 1989-1990 school year, the original premises in the Seng Vo building were filled to capacity. The demand for new enrollments however, continued to rise. It was decided to acquire additional property on the fourth floor of the Lei San building as an interim measure while a more permanent solution was sought. These premises were occupied for the school year 1990-1991 allowing the school to enroll approximately 200 students (a 100% increase over the preceding year). A 35% increase for the academic year 1991-1992 and a 29% increase for the 1992-1993 school year brought the school to a critical condition of overcrowding. To accommodate the influx of new students, in 1994 the school began to lease commercial properties and convert them to classrooms.

In 1997 all of Asia experienced a severe economic downturn, and enrollments at the school dropped. The decision was made to return all leased property, reduce overhead and limit enrollment to the number of students that could be accommodated in the properties belonging to the school. From that period until 2008, the school maintained a steady population of about 260 students.

In 2008, construction of the School of the Nations building was completed. The building is located on Rua de Minho, on Taipa Island, not far from the Nova City residential complex. This new facility has greatly increased the school's capacity, and in the coming years, the school will gradually increase enrollment.

Current status

About 70% of the student population is from Macau while the other 30% represents approximately 35 different nationalities. The parents of these expatriate students, for the most part, are in Macau for employment, working in Macau's private and public sectors. The Macau Government departments of Education, Economics, and Immigration, in consideration of the needs of these families for a high-quality English-medium education, have provided the school with their full cooperation and support.

Mission & Vision

As an integral component of the educational programs of the Badi Foundation, the School of the Nations is dedicated to nurturing the physical, intellectual and spiritual development of its students, and developing their capabilities to promote the well-being of their families and communities. The context for our work is the recognition that humankind is progressing towards a global civilization that is just, prosperous, and peaceful and united. The school seeks to contribute to this process in the context of the Macau Special Administrative Region through its educational programs and engagement with the broader community.

The educational work of the School of the Nations seeks to integrate material and spiritual dimensions. One way to think of this is that the material dimension of our work is like a lamp glass, and the spiritual dimension is the light that illumines the lamp. The graceful combination of these elements enables the world to benefit from the lamp's light.

The school, therefore, has highly trained teachers in all subjects recruited from all over the world; it maintains a safe, disciplined and friendly environment for learning; it promotes high academic standards, including offering top-level international examinations; and it prepares young people for attendance at top universities all over the world.

We believe, though, that the educational responsibility of our school extends beyond this. At the level of principle, our hope is to contribute, however modestly, to the establishment of the oneness of humanity, and heartfelt unity across the diverse cultures within the school and surrounding community is the aim of and stimulus for continuous efforts. With unity comes the flow of information, energy and commitment that ensures the "whole is greater than the sum of its parts" and makes transformation possible.

Our conception of human nature also illumines our approach to education. We believe that all human beings are endowed with, and intrinsically motivated to fulfil, a dual moral purpose—to promote the development of society and to refine their own character. In fact these two purposes are opposite sides of the same coin—developing kindness, understanding, perseverance and justice are necessary to effectively serve one's community, and service, in turn, stimulates the development of such attributes within us. In this view, true success and fulfilment are intimately linked with the development of character and selfless service to humanity.

Whilst these noble purposes and beautiful qualities are intrinsic in every human being, they are latent. Each of us possesses a higher (or spiritual) and lower (or animal) nature, and education is the process by which noble potentialities are nurtured and developed. Every human being is "a mine rich in gems of inestimable value. Education can, alone, cause it to reveal its treasures, and enable mankind to benefit therefrom."

In addition to our concern for the development of our students and school community, contributing to the development of the surrounding community is an essential aspect of the School of the Nations’ mission. An outgrowth of this is the school's collaboration with other institutions to provide young people and teachers with pathways for service in the wider Macau community, while also serving as a resource through activities such as teacher training, seminars and school exchanges.

All of these aspirations require practical means, and as a consequence the School of the Nations selects programs, methodologies and approaches that reflect the integration of high academic standards and the development of character and capacity for service.

In kindergarten and primary, the spiritual qualities and intellectual faculties of students are awakened and nurtured through a program focused on developing character alongside scientific, mathematical and linguistic capabilities. Between the ages of 12 and 15—a critical period when young people are acquiring the attitudes and attributes that will chart the courses of their lives—students develop a sound moral framework and ability to analyze society and the forces operating within it, while channelling their surging energies into service to the community. From the age of 15 onwards, young people are accompanied to take on a higher measure of responsibility to aid the development of those around them, especially younger youth and children.

Our efforts are also guided by the belief that science is a critical source of knowledge contributing to individual growth and the advancement of civilization, enabling humanity to rise above the animal state and unlock the secrets of nature. Science is studied by all students to a high level and emphasis is placed on developing capabilities to investigate reality with a humble posture of learning and cultivate scientific understanding, rather than simply acquiring techniques or facts. A scientific approach, when properly mastered, can be applied in the spheres of personal development and service to the community—not confined solely to the laboratory—and the school's focus on cycles of study, action and reflection is one expression of this idea.

Another power that motivates us to continuously discover new treasures in our hearts and minds, refine our thoughts and conduct and strive for harmony in society and with nature is attraction to beauty. Whether it be in the context of nurturing in students eloquence of speech and the power of expression, the school's emphasis on the arts, drama and music, the appreciation for the elegance of a scientific theory or the polishing of the gems of a noble character, the school cultivates attraction to beauty as an influence that draws students towards excellence.

In pursuing excellence, whether it is in studies, the arts, sports or service, young people discover fulfilment, confidence and joyfully develop useful skills. We see music as a ladder by which humanity can ascend and by whose power our spirits are uplifted. Sports and physical activity are incorporated as an integral part of school life, since they are an essential arena for developing qualities such as participation, cooperation and perseverance as well as contributing to physical well-being. In general, pursuing excellence helps young people to identify their talents, choose and focus on a career—something encouraged by School of the Nations and supported by dedicated staff. The development of a useful skill is key to enabling young people to become independent and useful members of the community, and as students pursue careers in a wide range of fields, they are equipped to uphold high standards and conduct themselves with integrity.

In terms of some of the other methods we employ, three examples that serve to demonstrate the application of the ideas expressed above are cooperative discipline, participation and service:

• Cooperative discipline: The school strives to implement cooperative discipline, an approach based on recognition of each student's desire to connect with others, to contribute to his or her community and to feel capable. This approach avoids the pitfalls of both an excessively relaxed attitude to discipline that can border on neglect, and on the other hand of an overly regimented approach that quells the spirit and creativity of the child. It builds on mutual responsibility and enhances a sense of belonging.
• Participation: Active participation is encouraged and invited from all children at the school since participation in society and the school are intimately linked. Participation includes, for example, involvement in sports teams, musical productions and the school council but it also extends into the classroom where class sizes, study content and teachers' skills in using participatory and cooperative methods encourage children to reflect and express their understandings and take an active role in their own learning.
• Service: The School of the Nations seeks to provide opportunities for students to apply and contribute what they are learning through service to the surrounding community. As students grow in age and capacity, this service has included activities ranging from being of assistance to their families, to visiting and cheering the hearts of the sick and elderly, to teaching classes and serving as mentors for younger students, within and outside of the school. As experience is gained and capacity is developed, the nature of such service can become increasingly complex and profound.

The school's success in all these areas depends on the clarity and depth of understanding of this vision within the school community. Since our aspiration to integrate material and spiritual education is ambitious and there are few examples to follow, we have to be willing to clarify objectives and questions and then experiment with, and learn from, different approaches. Supporting staff to undertake cycles of study, planning, action and reflection is essential. In our interactions with parents, we seek to learn more about the unique attributes of each student and bring them into this process as partners, recognizing the comprehensive effort that is necessary for the healthy development of a child. We aim to be an organisation that is constantly learning and this requires from all of us a willingness to cope with ambiguity, to persevere and reflect, exercising patience and forbearance. In short, we must manifest the qualities we hope to see reflected in the students.

Facilities

As a result of Macau's special circumstances, from the school's founding in 1988 to the completion of the new school building in 2008, the school was located in several different residential buildings. Classes were held in modified apartments. Physical education and other outdoor activities were carried out in the nearby facilities of a government school as well as public facilities where the School had access to basketball and mini-soccer courts and swimming pools.

In 2006, Macau's Education Department gave the school a grant of 2,500 square metres of land on Taipa Island, as well as substantial financial support for the construction of the new campus. The present school building is on these grounds.

Accreditation and Achievements

Through the years, the School of the Nations has been able to service a diverse range of nationalities and offer appropriate beneficial schooling for both the Native English Speakers as well as the Non-Native English Speakers, as it has through experience, been able to develop a program and teaching methodology that:

• Is of an international standard.
• Offers internationally recognized programs; the I.G.C.S.E certificate and the I.B. Diploma.
• Meets the Asian standards of Mathematics.
• Mandates the learning of Mandarin Chinese.
• Caters for the special needs of the Non-Native English Speakers.
• Challenges the abilities of the Native English Speakers.
• Requires total immersion into the English Language.
• Offers a unique beneficial opportunity for local students in preparation for their future.
• Pays significant attention to the development of character.
• Encourages collaboration as well as critical thinking.
• The School of the Nations has created an excellent, innovative pre-school curriculum that is now published and used by other schools in Asia and around the world. The Character Development program created for the secondary section has won awards at both the national and international levels. The School has successfully combined curricular elements from different parts of the world to create a program that addresses the needs of both local and international students. This program allows students leaving the school to easily continue their education in any country they may go to. It has also allowed graduates from the school to enter universities and colleges around the world. * The School of the Nations’ continued success may be attributed to a number of factors:
• The School of the Nations has learned from its experiences, and is continually evolving. Each year the School is more able to meet the unique needs of Macau.
• The School of the Nations does not seek to arbitrarily impose a foreign system. It seeks to develop, apply and adapt a truly international program that is most effective and beneficial for the unique circumstances of Macau. However, students also work towards attaining the I.G.C.S.E certificate and the I.B. Diploma.
• The School of the Nations demographic statistics of its student body reflects the unique demographic make up of Macau.

The character training program was awarded first prize in 1997 for innovation in curriculum by the Department of Education and Youth Services of Macau. It was also awarded 3rd prize by the International Schools Services in their worldwide competition for community service programs.

Programme

Character development, a spirit of social service and cooperation, including environmental awareness is a strong theme and distinctive contribution to the educational landscape of Macau in addition to the full suite of academic curricula required for the IGCSE exams in Form 4 including major subject areas of:

• All secondary students are required to devote almost two hours a week to service activities

(examples include working with the elderly, volunteering time at an animal shelter, and participating in environmental clean ups.)

• English
• Mandarin
• English Literature
• World History
• Information and Communication Technologies
• Geography
• Combined Science (integrating Biology, Chemistry and Physics)
• Math (through pre-calculus)
• Physical Education
• Art

I.G.C.S.E. Programme

The International General Certificate of Secondary Education (IGCSE) is an English language curriculum offered to students to prepare them for International Baccalaureate, A Level and BTEC Level 3 (which is recommended for higher tier students). School of the Nations offers courses in the following subjects for the IGCSE Exams.

• Biology - 0610
• Physics - 0625
• Chemistry - 0620
• Chinese - First Language - 0509
• Chinese (Mandarin) - Foreign Language - 0547
• English - First Language - 0500
• English - Literature - 0486
• Global Perspectives - 0457
• Information and Communication Technology - 0417
• Mathematics - 0580
• Mathematics - Additional - 0606

I.B. Programme

The International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme (IBDP) is a two-year educational programme primarily aimed at students aged 16–19. The program provides an internationally accepted qualification for entry into higher education and is recognised by many universities worldwide. School of the Nations offer the following subjects for the IB Diploma Programme.

• Theory of Knowledge (TOK)
• Creativity, Activity, Service (CAS)
• English A HL/SL
• Business & Management HL/SL
• Chemistry HL/SL
• Biology HL/SL
• Physics HL/SL
• Mathematics HL/SL
• Mathematics Studies SL
• ITGS HL/SL
• Chinese B HL
• Mandarin Ab. SL
• Psychology HL/SL
• Economics HL/SL
• Spanish Ab. SL
• French Ab. SL
• Visual Arts HL/SL
• Film Studies HL/SL

Scholarships

The school offers a scholarship to students who are in financial need and who have consistently and diligently demonstrated high academic merit in both their English- and Chinese-language classes. Scholarship recipients must also be noted for their cooperative behaviour, friendliness, helpfulness, respect for teachers and fellow students, and obedience to school rules. The scholarship is funded through ongoing fundraising efforts.

External links

• Official Webpage
• Badi Foundation Official Webpage
• International Schools Services
• Macau Baha'i Community webpage