What is Values?

The Values Department aims to enable students to participate as caring citizens in a diverse global society within and beyond the walls of RIS. As laid out by Ruamrudee's ESLR caring citizen, Values classes' desired learning outcome is to teach students to listen to and be able to understand the thoughts and feelings of others in order to appreciate other people and to work cooperatively in a caring, emphatic environment.

To this extent, the K-12 Values curriculum focuses on the development of certain dimensions of the individual student, the goal being that students wil: a)know themselves b) know others c) become caring, emphatic members of the global society. Specific areas of personal development our classes aim to address in self and others include spiritual, social, emotional, intellectual, ethical and physical.

At all grade levels, Values classes focus on the above elements of the individual student in relation to self and to the community. In addition to a process-oriented method of classroom instruction, where students engage in discussions and activities meant to develop awareness of self and others, Values classes often include an element of service-based, experiential learning through community service activities that challenge students to broaden their social, spiritual, environmental and personal horizons, opening their eyes to hte various types of people and communities that make up today's diverse global society.