Engaged and empowered learners were active across ISP this week as evidenced during Elementary School Morning Mixers and during the Middle Upper School Stretch Days. ISP has always prioritised authentic learning coupled with student choice and ownership of their learning. As we move to the IB full continuum, these practices will be even further developed and highlighted.
IB Standards & Practices
- Students actively develop thinking, research, communication, social and self-management skills.
- Teachers use inquiry, action and reflection to develop natural curiosity in students.
- Teachers use local & global contexts to establish the relevance of the curriculum.
Elementary Morning Mixers
Morning Mixers are BACK!!!
After a two year undesired hiatus, we were thrilled to see ES Morning Mixers back in action! We had an almost full house this week with more than 95% parents in attendance.
What are morning mixers?
Morning Mixers are part of our reporting system and a very special time for our students to share what they are learning and how they are learning in school with their parents.
Why do we have morning mixers?
- To provide an opportunity for student voice and choice
- For parents to develop an understanding of the learning process
- To celebrate students’ learning and progress
May 18 Middle School Stretch Day
In alignment with the ISP Mission, the Middle School Stretch Days are intended to inspire, engage and empower learners. Middle School Stretch Days involve more in-depth and/or different types of learning experiences, optimized by longer blocks of flexible time.
On Wednesday morning, students were in mixed grade levels by their language acquisition group. German and Spanish students were learning cultural dances. EAL students organized a culture fest and shared some regional food specialities with each other. This was our way to acknowledge, celebrate, and learn about our unique cultures while sharing a common language, English. Meanwhile, the French students experienced the animation technique of “drawn animated painting” in the stunning full length animated film, La traversee, playing at Kino Lucerna.
In the afternoon, students had a variety of choices per grade level as follows:
- Grade 6: Zero waste choices
- Grade 7: Coding, design, and data security led by the tech coaches
- Grade 8: PE choices
Grade 11 IB Diploma Programe Group IV Projects
Grade 11 Science students were involved in the IB Diploma Programme Group 4 , Projects, a collaborative activity where students from different science subjects work together on a scientific or technological topic, allowing for concepts and perceptions from across these disciplines to be shared. Through this process, students . . .
- Develop and apply 21st century communication skills in the study of science.
- Become critically aware, as global citizens, of the ethical implications of using science and technology.
- Develop an understanding of the relationships between scientific disciplines and their influence on other areas of knowledge.
Having chosen one of five challenges (see below) anchored in the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), groups identified potential solutions using their scientific skills and understanding, culminating in a presentation to a panel of students and teachers at the end of the stretch day.
GREENHOUSE: ISP greenhouse needs to be revived and put to use. Design a plan to fix the greenhouse and use it to enhance education and increase sustainability at ISP.
Airflow in classrooms and infectious disease: Figure out how to determine and create optimal air flow in a classroom and to minimize the spread of infectious disease.
Energy independence at ISP: Create a plan to make ISP fully green energy independent
Cafeteria Foodprint: Determine the ecological footprint of the food consumed at ISP. Design a feasible option to improve ISP’s “foodprint”, and justify how you know it would work.
Airport traffic mitigation A new airport runway is planned to bring increased air traffic over Nebusice. Design a plan to mitigate the impacts of this project on our school community, identifying challenges and proposing strategies.
This IB Diploma Group 4 Project reflects the importance of students consolidating their learning by transferring their skills and understandings to real world challenges.
The research is extensive to show that successful learners . . .
- can articulate what they’re learning, why, and how they’re progressing;
- are motivated to go further when they have choice in what and how they are learning; and
- are able to transfer their skills and concepts to new, authentic contexts.
