Hello I'm Sonya, I'm the writer of this blog and I'm here to tell you everything you need to know about WHIS. Things such as teacher ethics - a deeper look into their morals and hopes for this school; student ideas and what they hope to gain from this school, and my very own opinions of the school.
What makes WHIS different? If you’ve done your research, you’ll know that WHIS is an International Baccalaureate school that aims to teach students how to think outside the box and to navigate in the big world. It's a small school and unlike most schools - which prepare you to follow crowds and fall in line - WHIS aims to help you shine and stand out by working with each individual student and what they're good at. WHIS prepares you for the world by helping you scout colleges/ sixth forms, building your character and helping you work on your goals. When scouting teachers, the main attributes the school looks for in staff are a wish for change in the system and a wish to teach students in a more relaxed environment. Studies show students learn better in a more relaxed and friendly environment (positive reinforcement) and WHIS aims to implement this into their classes.
My first week's experience (an outsider's view). The things that really stood out to me about WHIS is the amount of change in the environment in comparison to other schools. Learning is in a more free and inclusive environment. Students are allowed to express themselves and their feelings to teachers, and on top of that take constructive criticism and implement it into their teaching. Teachers spend one on one time together with students, learning their strengths and weaknesses and creating projects for them - aiming to strengthen weaknesses and improve skills. The students are close and supportive. There are a wide range of creative and unique students. Each of them has their own quirks, allowing them to fill any gaps in their skills. It's a free environment and the school's restrictions reflect this in their trust in students, allowing anyone into the kitchens for water or warm drinks or simply to talk to our wonderful cooks!
To close this, the final impressions I have got from this school is that it's a friendly, free
and calm environment. Trust is a key factor that bonds the school together, and the teachers really push students to follow their dreams which, of course, is necessary when it comes to young minds getting lost in the busy world.
by Sonya, MYP5
Sonya joined WHIS in September