Communicators: We express ourselves confidently and creatively in more than one language and in many ways. We collaborate effectively, listening carefully to the perspectives of other individuals and groups. (Taken from IB learner profile)
At Futuro Verde there certainly are a lot of ways to communicate! With eight different languages at home and three languages of instruction at school, 65% of our students are bilingual or multilingual; staff reflect the same diversity, with approximately half being bilingual. It’s a learning environment with people of all ages and from different backgrounds at their own stage of language development – sharing similar challenges, frustrations and personal victories. Remember! If someone is having a tough time communicating, it doesn’t mean they don’t have a lot to share – it’s just locked away for now. Certainly, do not assume that difficulty in communicating comes from a lack of intelligence!
We’re accustomed to a ‘good’ communicator expressing themselves through speaking and writing. However, spend even a short amount of time at Futuro Verde and you will see that our students use a multitude of ways to communicate. Just as they all learn in different ways, some might feel more comfortable communicating in other ways too. Sometimes you feel you understand most about someone when they are competing, performing, playing their instrument or painting.
Being a good communicator depends on feeling safe to be able to express oneself without fear of criticism or recrimination. Weekly peace practice provides such an environment. Students feel comfortable to share a joke of the day, or something more personal, because they know they are surrounded by other good communicators. Their peers understand that effective communication involves listening respectfully even if they don’t agree.