This is an event where ISS International School’s primary students get to showcase their research, as well as apply critical thinking and communication skills they’ve developed, to share their learning journey with parents, teachers, and the wider school community.
Transdisciplinary learning isn’t a mere buzzword at ISS International School; it’s a learning that occurs in its classrooms on a daily basis. This is an education approach that requires students to explore global topics by looking through the lenses of all their subjects – from languages, science, arts, and even physical education. It’s also an approach that’s aligned with the International Baccalaureate (IB), which ensures that learning is never isolated.
Celebration of Learning: where transdisciplinary learning comes to life at ISS
Once a semester, ISS’ primary school students come together to demonstrate how transdisciplinary learning is carried out in an event that’s aptly called Celebration of Learning. As the name suggests, this event celebrates the students’ hard work, where they collaborate in small groups to showcase how they link a single learning topic to a variety of subjects.
This is an opportunity for ISS students to demonstrate what and how they’ve learned in their own way. By giving them a voice and allowing them to take ownership of their education, the school empowers students to tell their own stories and share their unique learning experiences with others. For example, Colin and his group scripted and staged a play to show the disadvantages of relying excessively on technology. “I enjoyed performing on stage in a play. It was wonderful when everyone clapped for us. It made me feel confident,” Colin said.
Parents get to witness their children’s learning firsthand
Another hallmark of ISS’ Celebration of Learning is that it actively involves the school’s parent community. Parents are warmly invited to check out their children and their peers’ work, which gives them a firsthand look at the IB’s unique transdisciplinary framework. Most importantly, this also means that parents get to play an important part of their children’s learning journey, fostering deeper home-school partnerships and strengthening family bonds.
But parents aren’t the only ones who enjoy the event; students enjoy showcasing their achievements to their families too. Mi explained, “I like sharing my project with adults, especially when they listen to my presentation and give me feedback.” Her schoolmate Neil agreed, adding that the recent Celebration of Learning has made him enjoy learning even more.
“It’s not just about the product, but the process”
At ISS, Celebration of Learning isn’t a competition to see who puts on the ‘best show’ – it’s about valuing the learning journey. The school’s IB Primary Years Programme (PYP) Coordinator, Ms Shagun Batlaw, explained that the event is designed to “honour the process over the product”. This creates a platform for students to develop agency, ensuring they feel a genuine sense of achievement and connection with their learning and school.
You can learn more about ISS’ IB PYP offerings through its website.
This post is in partnership with ISS International School.
