IPC : Learning Today for Tomorrow
IPC : Learning Today for Tomorrow
areas through the IPC these come in the form of ‘ learning goals ,’ and are explicitly taught to ensure that children develop the knowledge , skills and understanding required to be globally functioning citizens . They are designed to develop in children a familiarity and appreciation that goes beyond that related to their own context . They are also designed to enable students to adapt to other education systems , develop national and international perspectives , develop an understanding of the independence and interdependence of peoples , countries and cultures , while also allowing for a clearer understanding of their own culture , country or context . Some examples of these international learning goals are :
• Be able to identify activities and cultures different from but equal to their own .
• Understand that there is value both in similarities and differences between different countries .
• Know about ways in which similarities and differences affect the lives of people .
• Be able to respect one another ’ s individuality and independence .
These learning goals shape the focus and content of the individual IPC units themselves . In units such as , ‘ Who Am I ’ in grade 1 for example , children learn about themselves , learn to celebrate and understand differences and similarities between themselves and their classmates , in their own families , homes and general lifestyles . Within this unit , children study their local environment in Geography , read books about families around the world and in China in
Language classes , share with each other their family trees and write illustrated stories about family members and things they do .
This unit usually comes at the beginning of the school year when children are becoming familiar with being part of a school community . So one of the projects we have done at Keystone within this unit is called ‘ Star of the Day .’ Each day a different student is selected to be the ‘ star ’. This student is then interviewed by the class about who they are , their family , their likes and dislikes , and the things they find significant . After the interview all the students have an opportunity to individually interact with the child and draw and write something about them . These are then put together in the form of a book , which becomes part of the classroom library and is also shared with the parents . This not only helps students to get to know other members of their class , but also seeks to highlight individuality and mutual understanding .
Meanwhile in the grade 3 IPC unit ‘ Different Places , Similar Lives ,’ we begin to see students examine the lives of other people from around the world more closely , while at the same time examining who they are . This unit has children doing studies on culture , history and contemporary life . Opportunities are created for students to reach out and connect to other schools and other children outside China . They begin to get a better perspective of the lives of others , and therefore begin to see each other as connected with a global community . In one grade 3 class this year , students created pen pals with schools in India and Turkey . They wrote letters , put together a pamphlet on some of sights and locations in Beijing , and sent video greetings . Both groups of students shared the contexts of their lives , their schools and local geographical environments .
The older students in primary school examine the global community in a much deeper way . In the IPC unit ‘ Making the News ’ for grade 5 , students examine forms of communication that spread global issues , challenges and understandings . Through different forms of media children examine the role of news and photojournalism in informing and disseminating information across the globe . Students research the lives , interests and perspectives of others , look at global interests , issues and trends . They also learn how the media reports on world ,
42 The Keystone Magazine