Discover why Odyssey’s IB PYP Coordinator Alice Alagan believes in ‘learning without boundaries’.
When it comes to your child’s education, getting to really know the people behind the scenes is always a plus. As parents, we want to be assured that our little ones are in great hands, especially when it comes to school. Today we learned a lot about Alice Alagan, the IB PYP Coordinator for Odyssey Wilkinson and why she’s so passionate about her job.
Please tell us a little about yourself – where is your hometown and what would your students be surprised to know?
Singapore has been my home since the time of my great grandparents. If I were to quit working in education someday, I would definitely like to work with animals.
What’s your philosophy towards education?
I’ve always believed that education is a process whereby an individual thinks and explores different ways of finding answers pertaining to his curiosity. Thus, as an educator, I am a strong believer and advocate of the constructivist approach towards learning.
How is your school different to other international schools in Singapore?
Odyssey provides a global preschool education, that is a blend of an international curriculum and a Singaporean preschool education. We focus on developing international mindedness and global citizenship with academic skills in reading, writing and numeracy.
Can you tell us about the teaching approach at Odyssey?
Our curriculum experiences extend beyond the classroom and local context to the wider global perspective to ensure children develop a global mindset, understanding of world issues and life skills. We are strong believers of ‘Learning without boundaries’ where both educators and the learning environment at Odyssey do not set limits to how much children should learn.
At Odyssey, we promote active learning and teaching, where learning is embraced through exploration of hands-on, minds-on and hearts-on experiences.
Tell us about your school’s community: who are the people who love sending their kids to school there? What do parents tell you they value about the school?
The parents are from Singapore and 15 other countries. They value our approach as they share the belief that learning should not be confined to the norms of worksheets.
What do you think are the greatest challenges young people face today? And the greatest opportunities you feel are open to them?
The greatest challenge that I feel today is the rapid development of technology. Technology can expand and extend educational opportunities, and enhance the quality of learning for children. However, it can also create gaps in the areas of social-emotional and physical development in our local context.
Can you share any lessons you’ve learned about communicating and connecting with kids throughout your years in education?
One of the many lessons that I have learned is to be curious like the children. I enjoy listening to their innocent questions and then making connections, allowing them to construct their own knowledge through discussions with them.
What do you love most about leading this school?
To me, leading a school mainly means leading a group of people who are striving together, with the leader on the same goal to ensure a better future. Working with a team of passionate and competent educators who continuously challenge themselves to work through the many hurdles together, makes me love leading this school in the area of work that I do.
To learn more about life at Odyssey Wilkinson, go to www.theodyssey.sg
This post is sponsored by Odyssey Wilkinson.
