TFS - Canada's International School

F rom our origins in 1962, we have always taken a different view – a wider view. Anna and Harry Giles, the founders of Toronto French School, refused to accept the official policy of the time that said their anglophone children could not be taught in French, Canada's other official language. And so a little school was born in the basement of their home, with one teacher and six students. As it continued to grow, it attracted families from points around the globe, and teachers from Vietnam, Lebanon, North Africa, England, France and more. Today, 57 years later, TFS' understanding of an international perspective continues to evolve. French remains core to who we are, linguistically and culturally. Our embrace of the world, though, has grown, reflective of our ever-deepening intellectual rigour, broader examination of the Francophonie – encompassing countries on five continents – and our recognition of intercultural competency, as fundamental to our understanding of ourselves as individuals, citizens and humans. Across the globe over the last few decades, the advances of technology, including the ability to more easily communicate, industry and research partnerships, and increasing travel have created an intricacy to our connectedness in every arena of human endeavour. As Dr. Josep González, Head of School, states, "We all have many levels of identity: for instance, as a Torontonian, Ontarian, Canadian and human of planet Earth. It is through this perspective that we recognize our common experiences, such as parenthood, the daily activities of living, and feelings of joy, love, grief, hope, all universal human emotions." To have an international perspective, however, also means that we acknowledge each other's cultural distinctions. "This gives us the competency to see both our commonalities and differences, and allows us to engage in intercultural dialogue to seek and achieve deeper understanding." Dr. González sees this connectedness, this family of peoples, as a metaphorical river flowing just below the surface of our complex Earth, linking each country, each individual, as it circumvents our planet. Yet the composition of that water changes, dependent on its location. "The Canadian waters within the river of humanity have their own character, and you need to taste them," says Dr. González. No doubt you would detect snow, maple syrup and the love of hockey, as much as you would tolerance and acceptance, peace and freedom, opportunity and innovation. Jason Binder is in his third year of teaching at TFS' Senior School. Holding masters degrees in classics and teaching, Mr. Binder has taught Latin and English, advised students on the Diploma Program's Extended Essay and the Middle Years Program's Personal Project, and now teaches English language and literature in the Diploma Program. Mr. Binder has seen how meaningfully the perspectives and voices of others have been incorporated into the curriculum: "Part of the Level IV and V program includes mass communications. The students come to understand that they possess a context while reading a written piece that someone from another culture might not." To experience this for themselves, his students read literary works from other languages and cultures that have been translated into English. Through his personal travels, as well as taking part in TFS trips to China and Spain, Mr. Binder has learned first-hand how peoples of disparate lands can appreciate their commonalities and understand their differences, all of which can deeply inform a person's point of view: "International perspective is about more than awareness at TFS. It's one thing to talk about a culture, but here the students live it," he says. Level IV student Sarah M. is keenly aware of what it is to have an international perspective. Both of her parents are from Tanzania; when visiting family, they speak a dialect of Gujarati, reflecting their Indian heritage. In 2017, she and classmate Tanya C. were invited to take part in a session with The Knowledge Society's (TKS) Toronto affiliate, to develop a technologically based idea. An organization founded by Silicon Valley innovators, TKS seeks to mentor the next generation of idea initiators and entrepreneurs. The two created the Green Light Bulb, a citizenship initiative with a business application. They employed the Green Light Bulb image as a simple yet effective symbol for alerting refugees looking for accommodations within the Airbnb listings to which ones would welcome them. So impressed were TKS members that the duo was invited to present to executives at Airbnb's headquarters in California – which they did. "It is through this perspective that we recognize our common experiences, such as parenthood, the daily activities of living, and feelings of joy, love, grief, hope, all universal human emotions. This gives us the competency to see both our commonalities and differences, and allows us to engage in intercultural dialogue to seek and achieve deeper understanding." 11 TFS ENTRE NOUS 2019

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