This October reminded us that community is how we come to know one another. In the light of Diwali and the laughter of Halloween, we saw again what it means to truly know each child and to celebrate who they are, and who they are becoming.
At Nagoya International School (NIS), we often talk about knowing each child. This is much more than a simple phrase, it’s a commitment that sits at the very heart of the NIS experience. To know a child means to see them for their unique identity and potential - not only as a learner, but as a friend, a thinker, a contributor, a comedian, an athlete, a performer and a leader. It means recognising their laughter, their questions, their creativity, and even their courage when facing challenges - all the moments, big and small, that reveal who they are and who they are becoming.
A mentor of mine, the late Bill Powell, former Head of School at the International School of Kuala Lumpur, once shared with me what he called the “secret” to success as a teacher: it is to know. To know your curriculum, of course - because you can’t teach higher-level mathematics or early childhood reading without a deep and specific body of professional knowledge. You also need to know yourself: who you are as a teacher, what drives you, what nourishes you, and what you uniquely bring to the classroom that helps you connect with the learners you serve.
Most important of all, you need to know your students - who they truly are, at a deep level. Learning happens when students connect new ideas to what they already know and to how they see themselves and the world around them. Without that deep understanding of who our children are, it is impossible to deliver the kind of high-quality, holistic learning we strive for, because we will never fully know what meaning our learners are making from the content we are teaching. Cultivating strong relationships with students is not an optional addition to support learning; it is the foundation upon which effective teaching is built.
At NIS, we don’t leave relationships to chance — we design for them. Through the relational teaching strategies we employ as a restorative school, the formative assessments we conduct in classrooms, and the experiences we plan beyond the formal curriculum, we are constantly designing for better and deeper ways to know our learners.
Our campus came alive this month in two very different but equally powerful celebrations of community that allowed us to know our students better. Diwali filled NIS with colour, light, music, and movement — a festival of joy made possible by the energy and leadership of our families from across the Indian subcontinent supported by friends from across the globe. This was more than an event; it was a moment of storytelling, allowing our students and families to share the traditions that shape their lives. At the end of the month, the spirit of connection took on a different form as Halloween transformed the campus once again. Our middle and high school students - together with our Family and Staff Association (FSA) - designed games, prepared food, and worked side by side to create a magical afternoon of inspiration for our Primary students. It was an event filled with laughter and colour that quietly taught the big ideas of leadership, service, and care
Knowing a child begins with noticing what lights them up. At Diwali, the light shone not only from the lamps and decorations of the festival, but from the smiles of our students (and their parents!) who knew they were seen and that their culture and identity were valued. It was a celebration of identity and inclusion - the kind of moment that reminds us that every child has something extraordinary to offer when given the space to share who they are. The funds raised through Halloween go toward our Secondary service clubs, supporting community projects throughout the year. So even as older students give their time and energy to create something fun for the younger ones, they are also fueling service initiatives that reach far beyond our campus. It is a circle of giving - joy flowing outward, connection flowing back. In those moments, we see our students not only as learners but as change-makers - capable, compassionate, and committed to others. We see them in ways we cannot when they are in their classrooms and formal lesson environments.
When we say that NIS is a community that knows, values, and grows with your child, this is what we mean. Knowing your child is more than reading their profile upon admission or analysing their academic scores - important though both of those things are. Knowing your child means building a relationship of understanding with them. It means creating opportunities for learners to be seen and to be known. Whether dancing on the stage at Diwali, wearing the NIS shirt in a soccer tournament, representing their class on the Student Council, or carving a pumpkin for Halloween, these are opportunities for students not only to have fun and to belong, but also to be understood for who they are and who they can be. Deep roots come from these relationships - from a community that listens as much as it teaches, that values the individual while celebrating the collective. When students are known – and I mean truly known - they feel safe to take risks, to explore, to reflect, and to become the NIS Dolphins they know they can be!
So next time you are enjoying a community event - perhaps like the up-coming Winter Bazaar, the Arts Nights, the sports tournaments, or the High School plays - remember that there is more to these moments than might first meet the eye. Yes, we’re having fun. Yes, we’re creating community. But we are also creating ways for students to know and to be known. And in that, we are a school that is continually evolving to know ourselves and our students — designing learning that supports each and every one of them in reaching their unique potential. To Inquire, Inspire, Impact — and Include, as the unique individuals they all are!
- Matthew Parr, Head of School, NIS
