The stakeholders of WIS have agreed on the implementation of the International Baccalaureate (IB) Programmes, the IB PYP and the MYP, over a 2-year authorisation period in Primary and Middle school, in combination with other internationally recognised teaching and learning initiatives, preparing the students to be future-ready responsible learners.
We are very fortunate to have experienced and knowledgeable local and expat teachers from different curriculum and programme backgrounds, working together and creating and improving our written curriculum, to enhance all aspects of student learning at WIS. If you haven’t already, you will soon be shared some of these positive changes from different teachers. I am also preparing a series of meetings with parents in the Small Theatre here at WIS, presenting and discussing aspects and approaches to teaching and learning today and in the future, with a particular 1B focus. The first IB Programme specific meetings will take place at 18:30 on Tuesday 16 October for PYP, and Wednesday 17 October for MYP.

To give you a bit of a background to why we have chosen to join the IB here at WIS: At the centre of an IB education are the students with their unique learning styles, strengths and challenges. The IB focuses on each student as a whole person. Thus, IB programmes address not only cognitive development but social, emotional and physical well-being. The aim is to develop inquiring, knowledgeable and caring young people with adaptable skills to tackle society’s complex challenges and who will help to make it a better, more peaceful world. Validating the efficacy of the IB programmes is current educational research and more than 45 years of practical international experience. The IB programmes emphasize learning how to learn and teaching students to value learning as an essential, integral part of their everyday lives. The IB promotes the development of schools that:

• inspire students to ask questions, pursue personal aspirations, set challenging goals and develop the persistence to achieve those goals
• develop knowledgeable students who make reasoned ethical judgments and acquire the flexibility, perseverance and confidence they need in order to bring about meaningful change
• encourage healthy relationships, individual and shared responsibility and effective teamwork.