How to Raise Responsible Children: How Much Do Schools Play a Part? 

Is it only up to parents to raise responsible children? Here’s why schools play an important part in teaching children responsibility (and why you should look for a school that prioritizes this)

One of the most important tasks parents have is to raise a responsible child. A child who is taught self-control and management from a young age will grow up understanding the importance of taking accountability for their own actions. They will be motivated, disciplined and organised, and they will be able to succeed in any field or industry that they choose.

But is it only up to parents to raise responsible children? After all, as the proverb goes, “it takes a village to raise a child”.  All caregivers — including a child’s teacher — play an important role in teaching children what it means to be responsible.

Teaching a child to become self-motivated and self-disciplined requires more than just a simple lesson introducing the concept. Rather, adults in leadership positions need to gently guide a child and encourage them to take on age-appropriate tasks on their own.

Do Schools Play a Part in Teaching Children to be Responsible?

Given children spend so much time at school, it’s fair to say that schools play an integral role in teaching kids about the importance of responsibility, and in showing students how they can be accountable for their own actions and decisions. Teachers in early childhood, primary school and secondary school implement different programmes in order to encourage students to be responsible within the classroom setting.

In early childhood, for example, young students may be required to clean up after themselves if they have finished playing with a toy. Secondary students are likely to have more responsibilities. They must turn in their assignments on time without reminders, and manage their time well enough to complete their work by established deadlines. It is important for administrators, teachers and staff members to complement the effort of parents and to help students learn to become independent, organised and disciplined.

How OWIS Cultivates Student Responsibility 

At One World International School, their school culture, curriculum and teachers all play a role in creating an environment where students take ownership of their own learning and become responsible organically. Some of the school’s most innovative initiatives include:

• Offering a curriculum that is based on independent inquiry, student agency and research. Students are given the opportunity to take control of their own learning experience, inquire deeper into topics that interest them, test hypotheses and analyse the results of their inquiry. This helps them become independent learners who drive their own learning.
• Establishing behaviour agreements between their students and teachers. Rather than listing rules that students must follow in the classroom, in common spaces and in lunch rooms, their behaviour agreements allow students to feel empowered to make their own choices.
• Implementing a Kindness Council; OWIS has implemented a Kindness Council that is a democratically-elected board of students who are charged with creating kindness initiatives and setting a good example for their peers. This encourages good behaviour in students of all ages and motivates students to embrace accountability for their actions.

Parents who raise responsible children will find that their children grow up to become successful, independent adults. When parents select a school that complements their efforts, they will quickly realise that their children adopt positive habits that they will carry with them for the rest of their lives. OWIS is an international school in Singapore that encourages students to be responsible and to take accountability for their actions, while also providing students with a welcoming and inclusive environment.

For more information about the OWIS curriculum, get in touch with them today.

One World International School
Nanyang Campus: 21 Jurong West Street 81, Singapore 649075, Tel: (+65) 6914 6700
East Coast Campus: Block G, 231 Mountbatten Road, Singapore 397999, Tel: (+65) 6914 7350
www.owis.org