In the first year of the Skills Builder program within the school, our goal was to raise awareness and provide Grade 6 and 7 learners with a thorough introduction to the skills. Utilizing a multifaceted approach, we have seamlessly woven these skills into their educational journey. The strategies used to teach the skills were aligned with the Universal Framework. As a school, we've prioritized the integration of skills into every syllabus, ensuring age-appropriate content tailored to each group of learners. In our second year, we continued to raise awareness about what it means to Stay Positive, including grades 5-8. Students reflected on their own thought patterns and shared personal stories of resilience. Through storytelling, subject linkages, and discussion forums, learners built emotional vocabulary and resilience techniques. The spiral structure of the Skills Builder framework helped educators introduce each step of “Staying Positive” gradually, with regular reinforcement through weekly classes.

Learners undergo assessments in both formal and informal settings to ensure they feel unburdened and empowered to freely express themselves according to their understanding. Formal evaluations encompass activities such as skit performances, elocution, poetry recitals and storytelling competitions to gauge speaking proficiency. Informal assessments involve engaging with peers, actively listening to conversations for information gathering, summarizing subtopics from various subjects after careful listening and demonstrating appropriate body language and expressions while being attentive speakers and listeners. The school employs a distinctive approach to conducting AFL (Assessment for Learning) for every subject, utilizing innovative methods. For instance, skit performances are utilized for subjects like English and History, while subjects like Science and Mathematics involve sharing observations and inferences, effectively assessing both the speaking skills of the presenter and the listening skills of their peers. These methods enable faculty members to evaluate learners effectively and provide constructive feedback, while being flexible in approach. Additionally, learners are encouraged to articulate their reflections verbally and in written form to respond to application-based questions. The activities offered at the conclusion of each step within the Skills Builder Hub serve as a convenient and efficient method to assess students' comprehension following the completion of each stage. This year our assessment of “Staying Positive” was conducted through both observable behaviours and reflective tasks. Teachers observed behavioural changes such as increased participation after setbacks, more open-minded responses during group activities, and expressions of gratitude. Peer feedback and teacher check-ins also contributed to tracking emotional growth and building a culture of constructive praise. In addition, students solved the activities curated by Skills Builder at the end of each module. These scaffolded tasks, aligned with the Staying Positive framework, allowed students to apply concepts immediately, reflect on real-life connections, and demonstrate mastery at each level. These step-by-step tasks served as a practical and measurable tool to gauge individual understanding and engagement with the skill.

Every Friday, Grades 5 and 8 engage themselves in dedicated Skills Builder classes integrated into their weekly timetable. This allocated time serves as a pivotal opportunity for students to delve into the nuances of skill acquisition, fostering a deeper understanding of its practical application in real-life contexts. Our faculty members meticulously guide students through each step outlined in the Listening, Speaking and Staying Positive skill domains, supplementing learning with real-world examples to enhance comprehension. The age-appropriate content sourced from the Skills Builder hub holds paramount significance in ensuring student engagement and facilitating exploration through both collaborative and individual activities. Teachers utilize concise lessons from the hub to shed light on the skills being learned as part of this initiative. Teachers frequently rely on the KWL (know-want to know-learned) strategy as one of the most common methods to assess understanding of skill-based learning. This year weekly Skills Builder sessions were devoted to practical applications of positivity. Teachers used age-appropriate video clips and thought prompts from the Skills Builder Hub, supported by interactive tools like affirmations, problem-solving trees. Special focus was given to helping students identify internal motivation, track emotional responses, and adopt positive language during class discussions, collaborative projects, and assessments. In addition, teachers made daily efforts to encourage positivity by beginning classes with short affirmations or positivity prompts.Then praising students not only for achievements, but for their effort, perseverance, and growth. These consistent reinforcements fostered a supportive classroom atmosphere where optimism and resilience became part of the students’ daily mindset and behaviour.

Students demonstrate exceptional essential skills across all subject classes. For instance, Grade 7 students participated in the Learning Planet program- an initiative by the Learning Planet Institute and UNESCO, delving into global economies and engaging in analysis, strategic planning and envisioning sustainable economic development. They exhibited outstanding Speaking skills while presenting their models to the viewers and their adept listening skills facilitated gathering the necessary information for their projects. Throughout the school council election campaign, candidates confidently delivered speeches, showcasing the clarity and confidence in their speaking skills cultivated through this program. Furthermore, voters utilized techniques learned in Listening skill classes to discern the most suitable candidate. The class softboards showcase students' studies and their connection to the development of essential skills. This year across subjects, learners were encouraged to respond positively to challenges. For example, in Math, students were praised for effort rather than outcome, shifting focus from perfection to persistence. In English, learners wrote gratitude letters to people who supported them through difficulties. During Science experiments or projects, when results didn’t match expectations, students reflected on what they learned from the process, reinforcing a growth mindset.The school election campaign provided another platform, where candidates spoke not only about promises, but also about staying resilient under pressure.

At our school, we firmly believe in learning through meaningful, real-world experiences that help students apply their skills in socially relevant contexts. This year, as part of the “Staying Positive” initiative, students actively engaged in multiple outreach programs and school-based projects that reinforced the importance of optimism, resilience, and hopeful action in the face of global challenges. Our students participated in a Beach Clean-Up Drive, where they not only cleaned the coastal area but also inspired passers-by to take small steps toward preserving the environment. Despite the physical effort involved, students approached the task with enthusiasm and purpose, reflecting the positivity and perseverance they had built in class. In the Hi-STEAM initiative, students from other schools were invited to collaborate on technology and sustainability-based challenges hosted by our school. Working in diverse teams, our learners remained optimistic and solution-focused, even when faced with time constraints and technical hurdles. The interactions provided an excellent platform for staying positive through constructive dialogue, respectful disagreement, and collaborative effort.