Integrating Services and Sustainable Development: Grade 9 and Grade 10 Critical Perspective at UWCSEA East Campus

All students in Grade 9 and Grade 10 at East take a class called Critical Perspective that touches on our UWCSEA Mission. The Service and Sustainable Development Department has worked closely with the Head of Critical Perspective to integrate experiential learning and action into many units in the curriculum. The goal of the partnership is to ensure that students reflect on their identity when it comes to issues they care about and service they could do, learn the system thinking tools, and take action as part of their class to support one of our service groups (Environmental Initiatives, Global Concerns, Focus Groups, and Local Services). Students in the past have created a lesson plan for a number of classes focused on the death penalty as part of the belief system unit of Critical Perspectives in G9, they made books for kids in K-5 to learn about LBGTQ+ issues in an age-appropriate way, have put together materials to guide our community members to compost at home in a context where most of our community members have limited outdoor space, or worked on preparing a website for one of our service group. 

Furthermore, our students delve into a dedicated unit on Sustainability in Singapore. This unit entails understanding the specific needs and challenges faced by the Singaporean community, as supported by our local services and environmental initiatives. Students engage in interviews with their peers who actively participate in these services, gaining an authentic understanding of how they contribute to the well-being of our local community. This immersive experience further deepens their connection to sustainable development and the role they can play in addressing real-world issues.