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As a longstanding educator, I remain fascinated by the student voice.  ‘They’ say that should you want to know the truth, turn to a child.  It is all very well to delve into the ‘Big Picture,’ perusing carefully researched statistics of multiple authors in a Brookings report (March 3, 2022), or absorbing the interesting insights of Yong Zhao and Jim Watterston about the impact of COVID-19 on educational standards (Springer Link, February 2021).

But, are we really hearing the student voice?  The core of the educational project.  Post-COVID, how are they faring?  So, I attempted to do just that: I spoke directly with my students.  By chance, an eager group of Primary 5 girls had bounced into my office to ask me for my thoughts on a current IPC topic.  It was the perfect quid pro quo moment. 

To my surprise…

I took out a sheet and wrote the headings: Pro and Con.  Quite unlike the tone and content of COVID-related articles I have examined, I was genuinely surprised to find that, to a girl, they first launched into their positive memories of the lockdown, and Mexico’s had one of the longest.  They told me they “really enjoyed getting up-to-speed with new technology;” it was “surprising how good Zoom classes could be;” the “freedom to stay at home and still get an education” often took them unawares; plus, “being patient, and waiting to speak at the right moment, was an important thing to learn”.

Of course, some memories counter-balanced the above. “Not being able to socialize so easily” was the obvious main negative. 

It takes two to tango

In the interests of fairness and balance, I had to touch base with a few of the girls’ teachers in Primary.  I asked them the same overarching question without sharing what I had just been told.  This time they were far more cautionary about the efficacy of the online teaching and learning process.  This is the gist of what was shared.  “Motivating students without them actually being there was a challenge.”  “I felt a pressure to entertain, to teach, and to watch out for my students’ well-being issues.” “My students were too young to see the psychological effects working on them.  In some cases, I really began to see the sparkle in their eyes was lacking.”

Returning to the classes on campus required careful teaching, too.  The “students’ social skills had been very much affected”.  They felt more anxious about speaking up in class in front of their peers.  “Rules in general had to be relearned.”

On the flip side, teachers interviewed also agreed with their students that it was an “innovative experience,” especially regarding technology.  And that, happily, “the new knowledge and skills have stayed”.

And now…

The girls with whom I spoke today gave me a distinct impression that they can move on with life.  No victimhood!  Back with their friends, they have taken up the reins of their curriculum, and gallop along. 

Their ebullience impresses me.  While the 2022 Brookings report has kept its focus on damaged test scores in the USA, and Zhao and Watterston steam ahead with post-pandemic ideas of a “pedagogy that is student-centered, inquiry-based, authentic and purposeful,” my joyful girls are happy that they really can splice what was learned via zoom during the long pandemic with what is being offered live today.

We are thrilled to share a tale of discovery, wonder, and pirate adventures straight from the heart of Little Blessings International School. We are a school where education isn’t just about textbooks and tests, but a thrilling journey guided by the International Primary Curriculum. Our students have had a blast, especially with the thematic unit that turned their classrooms into the mesmerizing “Treasure Island.”

Let’s dive into the world of IPC and uncover the treasures it brought to our school.

The IPC Magic at Little Blessings International School:

The International Primary Curriculum is not just an educational framework; it’s like a passport to a global adventure. At Little Blessings, it has transformed the way we approach teaching and learning. To us, education isn’t just about memorizing facts; it’s about nurturing curious minds, fostering creativity, and preparing our little ones for the world beyond the classroom.

IPC has become the beating heart of our academic approach, emphasizing not just what to learn but how to learn. It’s a curriculum that speaks the language of collaboration, critical thinking, and cultural understanding. Our students are not just absorbing information but actively engaging and forming connections that go beyond the boundaries of subjects.

Adventure with “Treasure Island”:

 Now, let’s talk about the most exciting journey our Year 1 students embarked upon – the “Treasure Island” thematic unit.

Picture a classroom transformed into a pirate’s cove, complete with treasure maps, makeshift ships, and the echoes of pirate chants. It was more than a lesson; it was a full-fledged adventure that had our little ones hooked from the get-go.

Hands-On Learning and Smiles Galore:

The beauty of IPC is its ability to turn abstract concepts into tangible, hands-on experiences. “Treasure Island” wasn’t just a topic; it was an immersive journey. From treasure hunts that had our little pirates decoding clues to crafting their maps, the learning was active and engaging. The sparkle in their eyes as they discovered hidden treasures in the classroom was priceless.

Imagine the laughter and chatter as they collaborated on pirate ship designs, and created their pirate names. It wasn’t just about memorizing facts; it was about applying knowledge in a way that sparked creativity and fostered a love for learning.

Building Skills for a Lifetime:

 Beyond the pirate costumes and treasure chests, the “Treasure Island” unit served a deeper purpose – skill development. Our Year 1 student were not just playing pretend; they were enhancing their language skills through storytelling, improving math abilities by counting and refining social skills through teamwork.

The thematic unit provided a platform for these essential skills to flourish organically.

In Conclusion – Unearthing Educational Treasures:

 As we reflect on the impact of the International Primary Curriculum at Little Blessings International School, it’s evident that education is not a destination but a journey. IPC has turned our classrooms into adventure troves, with each thematic unit offering a new adventure. “Treasure Island” wasn’t just a unit; it was a testament to the power of immersive, joyful learning.

At Repton Cairo, Artificial Intelligence is currently being integrated into teaching and learning. By using AI-powered tools and strategies, our teachers personalise learning, improve pupil outcomes, and better prepare them for success in the digital age. 

Our Repton AI tools, which include our very own, designed, and created in-house, chatbot ‘Nour,’ assist teaching and learning through tailor-made lessons and customised learning based on the specific needs of individual learners. ‘Nour’ enables teachers to blend different curricula by generating lesson plans that draw activities from the IPC thematic units and/or other curriculum resources.  

By using AI and blending IPC themes and core learning objectives teachers support children in making connections between different subjects, thus making the curriculum relevant, engaging, and more meaningful to them. 

Here is a summary of ways in which Nour can assist our teaching staff: 

1. Answering Questions – provides answers to a wide range of questions, using the Repton Cairo knowledge base and selected internet sites as sources of information.  Answers to curriculum-related questions draw from a knowledge base that extends beyond the English National Curriculum, by including Personal and International Learning Goals linked to the IPC thematic units as well as to other international curriculum perspectives. 

1. Giving Advice – offers advice based on the information available. 

1. Providing Suggestions – provides suggestions to guide staff. 

1. Generating Ideas – for various tasks or projects. Curriculum units are adapted to include international and local resources, such as literature, artifacts, and geographical features, to enable the children to gain an increasingly sophisticated national, international, global, and intercultural perspective. 

1. Resolving Problems 

1. Writing Content – writes content, whether it is for a report, a presentation, or any other purpose. Online-based content, that children may use during research, or which may be used in class to support teaching and learning, can be adapted by ‘Nour’ to meet the needs of learners of different ages or at different language proficiency levels. 

1. Translating – translates text from one language to another. ‘Nour’ provides responses in the language used (e.g. English, French as well as Arabic), and makes sure they are concise and detailed as needed. 

1. Fulfilling Requests – ‘Nour’ includes relevant videos, links, and images, and even uses emojis to make the interactions more friendly!  

‘Nour’ enables teachers to customise individual lesson plans, to include purposeful differentiated and adaptive learning, to build solid knowledge and understanding foundations for all learners, as well as to foster the development of skills. These are then supported by selected AI-powered software, games, and applications, which are used to set strategies for pupils to reinforce these foundations and practice their skills, through repeated practice and consolidation.  

For example, in addition to ‘Nour,’ Read Theory and Atom Learning are used by teachers to identify different levels of challenge, as well as if a pupil struggles with a particular concept in reading comprehension, grammar, other language skills, mathematics, and sciences. Through these platforms, the teacher would then provide the pupil with additional resources and support, such as targeted practice problems or videos, to help them progress and master a concept. As pupils progress, the system, controlled by the teacher, would then continue to adjust the instruction and adapt tasks to meet the pupils’ changing needs. 

In addition, the virtual learning environments provided by our teachers, facilitate an immersive learning experience. VR headsets help pupils experience out of reach locations and artefacts. For example, Year 5 pupils, during a humanities lesson, were able to virtually visit Hampton Court Palace kitchens and gardens, and view various artifacts from different angles and positions, while researching and analysing the diet habits of the Tudors and comparing these with those from the present day. Year 2 pupils, supported by VR, have taken a trip to different world oceans to investigate the impact of global warming on ocean habitats. In addition to the provision of immersive learning experiences, teachers have noticed other benefits of VR, such as the impact that VR has on pupils’ focus in lessons by blocking out distractions and increasing attention spans.  

AI-powered educational games, such as Spelling Shed and Timetables Rock Stars, used by our teachers, make learning more engaging and enjoyable by using game elements such as points, badges, and leaderboards. Gamification motivates pupils to learn, it encourages children to be actively involved in their learning and to take responsibility for it. By using AI-based games, which adapt to their responses, children develop core skills such as problem-solving and critical thinking, which can then be used and applied during class-based learning. 

As a school, we are at the start of the process of integrating AI into teaching and learning. Our plans focus on developing processes to continuously monitor and evaluate the AI impact so that we can develop the confidence that both teachers and learners will benefit from these unstoppable advances in education.

Children should spend time developing a sense of self, their place in the world, and a sense of other. Being confident in their identity and taking an interest in others are the foundations for international mindedness and global competence. Engaging with the eight ideas below will support children with International Learning and Health & wellbeing.

Develop a personal sense of identity

Discussing what influences a child’s identity. Where they are born, the heritage of their parents and grandparents, and where they live now can all affect how a child sees themselves. Help them understand that some aspects are central to their identity and that others may change as they grow up.

Explore family traditions

Look into children’s family history. Talk about where family members were born and have lived. Talk about celebrations and traditions, and explain the unique aspects that make families special.

Engage with current affairs

Find an age-appropriate news source you can look at together with children. Discuss local and global issues exploring cause and effect. Try to identify bias or fake news modelling how to check for facts and accuracy.

Promote economic awareness

Talk to children about the things that you pay for such as goods and services. Help them to begin to understand the role of money. Discuss decisions with them that have a financial aspect, such as prioritising one thing over another to meet needs and/or wants.

Discover culture of home and host country

Talk about where children consider home. Explore the language, stories, food, traditions, music, and culture of that country and other countries you are connected to. Explore cultural influences from the culture or religions represented within their family.

Value similarities and differences

Encourage children to appreciate diversity by identifying similarities and valuing differences. Celebrate the uniqueness that makes people interesting, promoting respect and understanding.

Encourage empathy

Help children be aware that all humans share commonalities. Emphasise basic human needs and rights. Foster empathy, encouraging them to see the world from others’ perspectives in everyday life.

Appreciate people who help us

Many people contribute to our quality of life. Talk about the people working in the local community and help children to appreciate the contribution each person makes to helping society function. Talk about the people they don’t see who help us and the world such as farmers, energy workers, and scientists.

View the infographic.