today.’ (IPC – The Stories People Tell)
Along with a focus on international stories,
students also examine stories from Chinese
culture. For example they may look at the
story behind the Qixi Festival and the
legend of the cowherd and the weaver girl,
and how this relates to the Double Seventh
Festival and Chinese Valentines Day. Or
maybe they look at the history and stories
behind the Dragon Boat Festival. These
local stories form the base of a child’s
understanding within this unit. It is from
this perspective that they can begin to look
outward.
Just as every unit has specific learning
goals, it is also very clear what the children
“The appreciation of others begins very locally; will actually be doing. For example in the
only over time and at the right developmental unit, ‘Building a Village’, which is a unit
level do the concentric circles of activity for grades 4 and 5, students examine the
actually spread to become ‘international’.” history and growth of Beijing.
(Martin Skelton – Designer and Founding
Director of the IPC)
‘Is this neighbourhood a good place to live –
what do you think? Have you ever wondered
Embedded within each IPC unit are a series
why people in the past chose to live here?
of developmentally appropriate learning
Together, we are going to find out about the
goals that define what children might be
places where people live. We’ll be looking
expected to know, what they should be
at different countries as well as different
able to do, and also the understandings
times in history and different societies.’ (IPCthey might acquire throughout the unit.
Settlements: Building a Village)
For instance in the unit, ‘Different Places,
Similar Lives’, taught in grade 3, the Students may compare old Beijing to
following are some learning goals:
other cities around the world or contrast
geographical or historical features; carry
Society: Know that people in different out interviews; research local artifacts,
countries have different traditions, food or agriculture.
celebrations and ways of living.
History: Know about how the lives of
people in the host country and the other
countries have changed in the last 100
years
International: Be able to identify activities
and cultures, which are different from, but
equal to, their own.
‘People lead different lives. Even people in the
same country, the same town or the same street
can have different lifestyles. But they can have
things in common, too – they can both like the
same food or football team! We are going to
find out about things that make us different and
things that make us the same.’ (IPC- Different
Places, Similar Lives)
Systems in Partnership
We are able to see from these examples
that there is a real need to look locally
first. By looking within the home culture
and then outside, students are in a better
position to observe similarities and
differences, examine conflict and unity,
see the connections between China and
its neighbours and, in a sense, develop a
deeper understanding of themselves. The
specific Chinese elements we see weaving
through our curriculum are in part due to
the flexibility of the IPC, and the necessity
to adapt and modify the curriculum to
meet our specific needs.
Gary Bradshaw with one
of his students.
the traditional subject areas in that students
examine each unit topic through the lens of
su