Originally from the UK, Jasween joined OWIS when the school had only 120 students. What drove Jasween to OWIS was seeing the school place children first, championing open communication and having such strong core values – all of which remain true to this day.
Students in today's interconnected world need to have an educational experience that goes beyond the acquisition of information. Instead, they need to truly become knowledgeable — which is distinctly different from having knowledge or understanding basic facts.
Knowledgeable students are able to identify and understand issues from both a global and local perspective. They must be given opportunities to learn about the world through the lenses of various disciplines. This multidisciplinary approach allows students to uncover their strengths, personalise their learning experience and learn to think critically as they solve problems in their daily lives.
According to the IB Learner Profile, a knowledgeable student is one who critically explores concepts that have both a local and global significance. As they explore these important ideas and issues, they begin to develop a broad range of knowledge across many disciplines, and they reach beyond the surface.
For example, in the "How the World Works" Unit of Inquiry, our Primary students study the concept of structures and how multiple factors must be considered during the design phase. As an extension of the unit, students are required to work together to complete a new structure that others in the school community could use. Previously, students have set to work building dollhouses that can be used in the Early Childhood classroom, or they have used recycled materials to design shade structures for the playground facilities.
Another example of transdisciplinary learning is Maths Morning at OWIS, an annual event where students from Early Childhood, Primary and Secondary school explore the subject from the perspectives of different lenses - such as famous mathematicians over the ages, the Golden Ratio in Science, and the richness of data in Geography. At each age and grade level, students enjoyed different activities that appealed to their diverse learning styles and reinforced Maths concepts.
Recognising that students need to become knowledgeable to pursue their passions and achieve success later in life, we actively work to build this trait in all of our students. We help our students become more knowledgeable by:
At OWIS, we are proud of the fact that our students become well-rounded and well-adapted individuals who are ready to succeed in a global economy. Part of this is because we emphasise the development of the IB learner profile in both Primary and Secondary school.
For more information about the IB Learner Profile and to discover how this approach could benefit your child, schedule a virtual tour at our Suntec or Nanyang Campus.
Visit us from the comfort of your home and find out everything you need to know to make a well-informed decision about your child’s education.