Education does not end nor start solely in the classroom. Life always provides us with opportunities for learning. Therefore, children in our School are encouraged to take part in Service as Action. This includes a range of activities that aim at making children motivated citizens who care for others and their community.

The students’ initiative Think for Good – a solid framework to reflect on and produce solutions – has a prominent place in our School. In the Think for Good workshop students from the 5th grade level to the 2nd grade level of Lyceum are informed on important issues, they are inspired, propose and then vote for actions to be supported by the entire PLATON Community.

Service per grade level

Starting from actions focused in the closed and familiar classroom environment, children upgrade to actions that embrace the entire school community, our society in general and, lastly, the entire world. In particular, our actions per grade level categorized as follows:

  • 6th Grade and 1st Grade of Gymnasium: Our Class
  • 2nd Grade of Gymnasium: Our School
  • 3rd Grade of Gymnasium: Our Community
  • 1st Grade of Lyceum: Our World

This way, gradually, children mature, learn to sympathize with others and care about others assuming initiatives that make our co-existence better.

Students through their engagement with service as action:

  • become aware of their own strengths and areas for growth;
  • undertake challenges that develop new skills;
  • discuss, evaluate and plan student-initiated activities;
  • persevere in action;
  • work collaboratively with others;
  • develop international-mindedness through global engagement, multilingualism and intercultural understanding;
  • consider the ethical implications of their actions.

Planning for service as action
Such engagements are planned on the basis of three pillars: inspiration, action and feedback

I care

  • What is community?
  • What does it consist of?
  • What is my role within the community?
  • How can I make a difference? How can I help?
  • Are there other communities? Which ones am I familiar with?

I give

  • I participate in the actions proposed by my school.
  • I continue providing my services on my own initiative.

Children follow the below path:

  1. They identify a problem or situation where their help is needed and discuss it with their supervisor, their class teacher or their parents.
  2. They collect the information they need and plan their action. They decide whether they will take action individually or collectively.

“I take action” in our School means that students deploy their imagination to figure out ways to help. They will have to dedicate some of their time without considering their own benefit. The greatest benefit for all is the sense of gratification for having served our fellow-humans and our community.

I reflect

  • How did I feel during the action and after?
  • What have I accomplished after taking part in the action; what skills I developed?
  • How did my action serve others?
  • Which aspect of the action fits my personality?
  • What troubled me? What challenged me?
  • Who helped me to overcome difficulties?
  • Did I try my best? How successful was my effort?
  • Did I work well with others?
  • What will I do better next time?
  • Was I inspired by the action enough so that I keep on participating in such actions? What do I think I should do in the future?

Reflection helps children maintain a positive attitude towards others and understand their power and the importance of their contribution. It also helps them evaluate their sense of responsibility on the basis of specific criteria.