What is Teranga? Why is the Secondary School teaching and learning hub called The Teranga Center? As the students learn across the 8 subject groups in the IB MYP and 6 in the IB DP, they also are learning much more. They are learning how to be a part of a community. How to be a person who looks beyond themselves and sees how ideas connect to a larger picture, and how they are part of a larger community.
This video is a wonderful example of how Teranga is at the heart of Senegal. Teranga is also at the heart of ISD. As students aspire to live the CORE values of our school; Creativity, Open-Mindedness, Responsibility, and Excellence, they grow in their understanding of Teranga and bring that ideal to life. The ideas of sharing, acceptance, tolerance, as well as respect for difference, speak to the common ground that ISD has with our host nation and a shared commitment to making the world a better place for all.
At the Middle School Community Time last week, some of the students and teachers gave and received Kudos. Kudos are given to a member of the ISD Community when they display one of ISD’s CORE values. A 6th grader gave a member of his class a Kudo for staying home “because when he felt sort of bad instead of coming to school he stayed home, and for me that could have saved people and that is taking responsibility”. Students recognize when teachers show open-mindedness by listening to different points of view, they recognize excellence in each other when they work together and present their best work, they recognize respect when members of the community have differences with each other and work through the differences, they recognize creativity when they are sitting at lunch and turn weeds into daisy chains….our students live and recognize our CORE values.
As we continue to work together as a community in these challenging times, the spirit of Teranaga can continue to be our inspiration in seeking to positively impact our community, the wider community of Senegal and ultimately the global community.
