Learning Responsibility as Library Buddies

At Astor International School, we strive to be the best affordable international primary school in Singapore. This means that learning goes far beyond textbooks and classroom walls. For the Year 5 & 6 class, one of the most meaningful opportunities to grow in character comes through becoming library buddies to the Year 1 students.

Every term, our older students accompany the younger ones on a trip to the public library. While the goal is to help Year 1s choose books to borrow, the learning that takes place along the way is much deeper. It’s a real-world lesson in responsibility, independence, empathy, and leadership.

From the moment the students leave school, the Year 5 & 6s take on the role of guides and guardians. Taking public transport with younger students requires maturity. The older students make sure their buddies are safe on the bus, helping them tap their travel cards, finding seats, and keeping them close in a sometimes busy and unpredictable environment.

Crossing roads becomes another moment to model responsibility. Year 5 & 6 students check for cars, wait for the green man, and hold hands with their buddies to ensure they cross safely. These real-life safety lessons build awareness and care, as the older students become role models their younger peers look up to and trust.

Once inside the library, the atmosphere shifts to one of quiet focus and shared discovery. Year 5 & 6 students help the Year 1s browse the shelves, look for picture books, or explore new topics that interest them. They read together, discuss characters, and even help check books out. It's not just about literacy; it's about patience, listening, and guiding someone else through an experience many of them once found overwhelming.

But the library trips aren’t just a learning opportunity for the younger students. The Year 5 & 6 class benefit greatly from this routine. They learn what it means to be responsible for someone else’s safety and experience. They build confidence as leaders, improve communication skills, and begin to understand the value of serving others in a kind and thoughtful way.

The act of borrowing a book from the public library also teaches all students, young and old, lifelong habits. They learn how to use community resources, understand borrowing rules and due dates, and develop a sense of ownership over their learning. Visiting a public space as a group also helps build awareness of behaviour expectations, respect for shared spaces, and an appreciation for access to free books and knowledge.