Round Square
Round Square IDEALS and 'Discoveries'
Stanford Lake College places a premium on providing a world-class education to all Stanfordians.
In the junior years (Grades 8 & 9) all students are exposed to the ‘Dream an’ Do’ Outdoor Education programme which instils in each student the school’s seven values through a structured experiential learning programme. The junior students are also exposed to the academic Round Square Discovery Framework, which places at its heart the six Round Square IDEALS and twelve ‘Discoveries’. These skills, values and characteristics provide students with the skills and context required to make their learning relevant to our ever-changing, global world.
In addition, Stanford Lake College students are given the opportunity to attend Round Square conferences around the world every year. In Grade 10, pupils are given the opportunity to go on exchange, studying for a period of six weeks to three months at any of the Round Square affiliated schools worldwide.
What is Round Square?
Founded in 1966, Round Square maintains and facilitates a worldwide network of 200 schools in 50 countries. Those schools share a holistic approach to learning built around six IDEALS of learning.
Membership of the Round Square network offers schools a framework for excellence and continuous improvement, along with structured opportunities to collaborate and share experiences with like-minded peers around the world.
The Round Square Discovery Framework
Developed collaboratively by an international writing group of Heads, Teachers and Curriculum Directors from Round Square schools, the Round Square Discovery Framework captures and describes the spirit of a Round Square learner who develops and exhibits competencies and attitudes in relation to each of the six RS IDEALS (Internationalism, Democracy, Environmentalism, Adventure, Leadership and Service).
The framework connects the spirit of the RS IDEALS with twelve Discoveries that students make on their learning journey (inquisitiveness, tenacity, courage, compassion, inventiveness, ability to solve problems, self-awareness, sense of responsibility, appreciation for diversity, commitment to sustainability, communication and team-working skills). The framework is designed to support the integration of these Discoveries into curriculum programming, and signpost to ways in which they can be given tangible value in an academic context
world.