Karen is Australian-born and has a total of 24 years of teaching experience across Australia, Scotland and Singapore. She holds a degree in Bachelor of Arts in Education from Edith Cowan University and a TESOL Certification from Aberdeen College. She also holds a BA in Primary Education.
Karen's main focus as an international educator is to:
Karen strives to unlock the hidden potential within each child, and to mould him/her into one who can contribute back to their global and immediate society.
Looking at how OWIS started and has grown, Karen believes the school and her share the same philosophy of educating young minds - by ensuring every kid gets the best out of their education path.
Karen plays tennis, dives and travels extensively. She also enjoys lamb chops and curry!
The shapes and patterns of foliage, counting the types of flowers in the garden, or observing angles that can be found in nature - numeracy is never dull in the outdoor classroom. And while it’s true that nature holds valuable Maths-related lessons for children, the subject also becomes stimulating simply by conducting hands-on activities outdoors. The change of scene from studying indoors works wonders for reinforcing Maths concepts and creating a love for the subject.
Outdoor learning is a key component for children enrolled at One World International School. In fact, it's part of what makes us a leading international school in Singapore. Students and parents find value in our non-traditional classrooms, open-air learning spaces and outdoor activities.
Being outdoors in a beautifully landscaped space is inspiring. It gives students room to move and stretch. And the fresh air and sunshine awaken the mind and boost the spirit. Outdoor learning is an enjoyable way to separate segments of time throughout the school day. It invigorates and replenishes both mind and body, and our students find it motivating and intriguing. At OWIS, we place solid value on outdoor Maths activities for several important reasons.
Moving the Maths classroom outside gives children a bit of a break in what might otherwise feel like a long school day. There are many benefits to this, including:
Evidence shows that students make better connections between concepts and real-world applications through outdoor learning. Outdoor Maths activities at OWIS allow children to bridge the gap and engage in projects they don't have room for inside. Common activities include such projects as:
Recent Maths-related outdoor learning activities at OWIS included our lesson on building three-dimensional shapes. Children used straws and connectors to recreate their own ancient civilisation building structure, which connected to the past. This linked nicely with a unit of inquiry and allowed students to develop their critical thinking and creative skills. This open-ended task was completed in an informal setting, guided by their 5th-grade teacher.
A second project took OWIS Primary learners to our outside lawn, where they planned and marked out garden plots, using string and pegs to create intriguing shapes, such as triangles, rectangles and circles. Children not only learned more about measurement and geometry, but this project tied into gardening as well.
There is much you can do as a parent to help your child practice Maths outdoors. One World International School encourages parent participation at every level. For this reason, our teachers recommend the following activities:
If your family is interested in learning more about our private primary school campuses in Singapore, where we believe in the benefits of experiential and outdoor learning, reach out to schedule a virtual tour today.
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.