ISB Student Spotlight: Where You Belong

ISB Student Spotlight: Where You Belong  

When you look through the annual surveys given to students at International School Bangkok (ISB), or when you talk to students and alumni, there is an ongoing theme that becomes clear. ISB is a place where students feel they belong. The surveys often mention “freedom”. Freedom to be oneself, freedom to follow one's own interests, freedom to share one's opinions, freedom of expression and freedom of movement around ISB’s campus and community.

Why Belonging is Important

Michael Allen, the ISB Elementary School Principal explained this well: “All human beings are pulled towards a sense of belonging and significance. When we talk about a sense of belonging, we are discussing the idea of connection and how we fit into a group, whether it’s the family, the classroom, or the community. A sense of significance comes from knowing that what we do – and who we are – matters. People who believe that they contribute to society in meaningful, cooperative ways tend to be happier people; they know that what they do makes a difference.”

At ISB, we know that a sense of belonging is paramount to well-being. We want every child, and their family, to feel that ISB is their home. We want them to know they can be themselves, pursue their interests and that they are accepted and supported. We want them to find their place at ISB, form close friendships, feel safe enough to leave their comfort zones and try new things, feel supported enough to work diligently towards their goals. We want every Panther to flourish. And that starts with social-emotional well-being.

An important part of fostering an accepting and caring environment is our commitment to being an inclusive school. At ISB we celebrate differences; we know that learning happens when we engage with people who are not the same as we are, when we hear other stories and perspectives, and when we develop empathy for others This diversity, alongside , a culture of care, deep and abiding values and our student attributes creates an environment where our students cultivate close connections and develop a sense of belonging that lasts a lifetime.

“ISB has a wonderful community that is both warm and accepting of all of our students no matter where they have come from or what their interests are. Together with our exceptional faculty, we are excited to welcome new students and families to our community,” shared Justin Alexander, ISB High School Principal.

ISB has a well-researched, adaptable, and balanced curriculum. There is an abundance of subjects, activities, programs and options to support our diverse and inclusive community and we see our students flourish within this learning environment. Their learning is experiential, meaningful, transferable and fun.

Whether at ISB for a year or for their whole school career, we work to instill in every student the values, attributes and skills they need to be fulfilled and successful in their lives.

Our Students

Over the past weeks we’ve explored our curriculum, our mission, vision and attributes, and how all of these combine to create the supportive environment we want for every ISB student. Most importantly, we’ve seen a number of our students, in the spotlight. This is a small, representative segment of the diverse and inspiring student community found at ISB. Each of our students deserves to be celebrated and recognised for their individual strengths and growth.

We continue to celebrate and support them each day, here at ISB.