The KIST student community is a large, multicultural group of individuals with varied beliefs, customs and behaviors. To enable all students to learn together effectively and to minimize conflict that may arise in such a diverse group, it is important to identify behaviors that are both appropriate for the school environment and culturally acceptable within the context of our host country, Japan.
The management of student conduct is an integral part of the teaching and learning process. Expected standards of conduct must be clear within the day-to-day life at school, and the contexts associated with these should be transferable to unfamiliar contexts so that students are able to make informed decisions regarding their behavior. Students have a responsibility to meet all school expectations to the best of their ability as respectful members of the school and local community and as upstanding global citizens.
At KIST, the school’s expectations regarding student behavior are based on the following three standards of conduct:
Respect
Students treat others the way they would like to be treated themselves by making decisions that show consideration and respect for others and acceptance of differences.
Responsibility
Students meet certain obligations towards themselves, others, the community and the environment by making decisions that demonstrate responsibility.
Safety
Students contribute to the physical and emotional well-being of themselves and those around them by making decisions that show considerations of safety.
While we recognize that students’ understanding of the three standards will differ according to their age and developmental level, we hope to empower students to think, understand and process for themselves what is meant by appropriate behavior so that, when faced with a choice to make in terms of conduct, students will reference the standards by asking themselves: “Is it respectful?” “Is it responsible?” “Is it safe?”
A complete Student Code of Conduct, including examples of behaviors appropriate for each of the above standards as well as details of consequences for inappropriate conduct, is provided to students and their families upon initial enrollment.
