International Perspective
Global Citizenship
“Education gives us a profound understanding that we are tied together as citizens of the global community, and that our challenges are interconnected.”
- Ban Ki-moon, Former UN Secretary-General
Our students know that they have a part to play in creating a better future for the planet. Each day they take steps towards becoming individuals who reflect, citizens who act.
It is this purposeful will to contribute to the progress of humanity as a whole that characterizes our pupils’ internationalism.
This journey — to becoming a citizen who understands the universalities of life, who can think critically about world issues, and who can act in an ethical, peaceful way to build a sustainable world — can be as fascinating as it is challenging and complex. TFS students explore the ideas of global citizenship in and outside of class, at every grade, and their actions take many forms.
It is this purposeful will to contribute to the progress of humanity as a whole that characterizes our pupils’ internationalism.
This journey — to becoming a citizen who understands the universalities of life, who can think critically about world issues, and who can act in an ethical, peaceful way to build a sustainable world — can be as fascinating as it is challenging and complex. TFS students explore the ideas of global citizenship in and outside of class, at every grade, and their actions take many forms.
Preserving the Environment, Our Outdoor Classroom
Even our youngest students take regular journeys into the parks around the school and, in Toronto, into our own 26 acres of the Don Valley ravine, which is accessible campus-wide. These excursions allow students to play, observe and reflect on nature, the seasons, and the importance of preserving our environment. Older students use natural spaces to draw, write poetry, and conduct research for geography and science classes.
Our IB Geography students conduct fieldwork at the Scarborough Bluffs, gathering data as part of a long-term erosion study. Through the project, TFS has developed a mutually beneficial relationship with the Toronto and Region Conservation Authority, involving the sharing of data and overall findings.
Many opportunities are available for students to delve deeply into environmental issues, both through coursework, the culminating projects of the three IB programs, and co-curriculars like the Globe society and Model UN.
Our IB Geography students conduct fieldwork at the Scarborough Bluffs, gathering data as part of a long-term erosion study. Through the project, TFS has developed a mutually beneficial relationship with the Toronto and Region Conservation Authority, involving the sharing of data and overall findings.
Many opportunities are available for students to delve deeply into environmental issues, both through coursework, the culminating projects of the three IB programs, and co-curriculars like the Globe society and Model UN.
Striving Towards Global Citizenship Education
As part of our strategic plan, TFS is progressively incorporating UNESCO’s program of global citizenship education.
To UNESCO, global citizenship refers to a sense of belonging to a broader community and common humanity. It emphasizes political, economic, social and cultural interdependency and interconnectedness between the local, the national and the global.
This approach to learning meshes well with the goals of the IB programs, and helps students to analyze, think creatively, and gain personal and social responsibility. With these skills, they can thoughtfully approach and delve into themes around issues such as migrations, security, international governance, natural resources and globalization.
The concept of global citizenship is multi-faceted, with real-world applications, and is integral to the education at TFS.
To UNESCO, global citizenship refers to a sense of belonging to a broader community and common humanity. It emphasizes political, economic, social and cultural interdependency and interconnectedness between the local, the national and the global.
This approach to learning meshes well with the goals of the IB programs, and helps students to analyze, think creatively, and gain personal and social responsibility. With these skills, they can thoughtfully approach and delve into themes around issues such as migrations, security, international governance, natural resources and globalization.
The concept of global citizenship is multi-faceted, with real-world applications, and is integral to the education at TFS.
