SOUTH African Gareth Allman hails from a family of educators and thus it is no surprise that he followed the same path that has taken him to various countries as Principal over the last two decades.
As Principal of Peninsula International School (Malaysia Campus), he is firmly committed to the school’s personalised teaching methods which he believes brings out the best in each of his charges.
Here he shares some of his thoughts on why the Peninsula approach is ideally suited to prepare students for future challenges.
What are your underlying education philosophies?
Learning should be personalised for each student and structures need to be in place to maximise their potential.
I believe in using data to monitor student progress and attainment and to triangulate data so that it cuts across all areas of a students’ well-being and development.
Opportunities should abound for students to participate in a wide range of skills development activities; from performing and visual arts to sports and clubs that cater for a wide range of students’ interests.
The intelligent and effective use of technology to augment teaching and learning should be ubiquitous. An essential element of a contemporary and meaningful education is the embedding of Global Citizenship Education into a school’s programme and curriculum.
We are not just educating students; we are educating Future Global Citizens.
What are the strengths of the Victorian syllabus that you wish to highlight to parents?
The Victorian Curriculum strikes the right balance between academic excellence, social and emotional development, examination and coursework assessment.
It equips students with the knowledge and skills that enables them to be lifelong learners and ensures they are set up for success in life after secondary school, wherever that may be.
Students are taught to be self-aware, locally aware, and globally aware, thereby empowering them to play meaningful roles as citizens of the world and their communities.
The curriculum also places importance on social and emotional development alongside academic excellence. The Victorian Certificate of Education (VCE) is a widely and highly regarded qualification for students who seek international university placement.
Can you expound on Peninsula’s ‘personalised teaching’ approach?
Our personalised teaching approach is so much more than just low teacher/student ratios. It is our student-centred culture that makes learning personalised for each and every student.
Teachers appreciate that they need to meet each student at their point of curriculum mastery and provide the support required for each student to progress at their optimal levels.
Peninsula students have achieved exemplary academic results in recent years. How does Peninsula maintain a healthy balance between academic and extra-curricular pursuits?
We are indeed extremely proud of our students’ results, and we look forward to maintaining and building on these outstanding achievements.
Balance is achieved through careful consideration of time constraint, curriculum demands and student needs.
Our student-centred culture means that each student receives individual support in order to ensure that they are exceptionally well prepared for their external examinations.
In these economically challenging times, how do you convince parents to invest in private education?
The pandemic, climate change and conflict are instances of global phenomena that have proven how unpredictable today’s world is.
How we react to and adapt to the changes forced upon us, by these and other events, dictate how we evolve and succeed. Education therefore, has to be so much more than just excelling in examinations.
Private schools that offer a contemporary, regionally and internationally relevant education, such as Peninsula, teach for life.
Our students’ characters and life skills are nurtured. Their communication, collaboration, critical and creative thinking skills are honed.
The development of their understanding of what it means to be self-aware – locally and globally – and how this impacts their contributions to society and their personal growth, serve to set them up to live meaningful and successful lives. – Sept 21, 2022
To find out more about Peninsula International School Australia (Malaysia Campus), please call 03-5033 8000
