A MESSAGE FROM MS JEN

As an aspirational school, we need to grow and innovate as a school community. Improvement is our driver for change – but in what direction should it lead us?

When I first started teaching in Australia, the role of the teacher was the keeper and disseminator of all knowledge. The teacher would stand at the front of the room, largely lecturing or talking at the students. The students were mainly passive, seen as vessels to be filled by the expert teacher. Students sitting in rows listened, took notes, and focused on memorizing the information the teacher told them so that they could take the test to determine their grade.

This, however, must change. Our changing world has demanded a different type of education. Schools must produce students who can solve problems, apply their knowledge, think more complexly, and get to a higher level of learning (IB classes, University, etc.).

To prepare for an uncertain world, teachers must emphasize students working in groups, integrating more diverse pedagogical approaches—not just lecturing. Classrooms must evolved into more student-centered learning environments, where students became more active and played a larger role in their own learning. Students need authentic, real-world learning experiences. We need to eliminate assessments of knowledge that can be Googled. Why are we preparing students for tests that computers can pass? We must put our students in a position to explore their passions and interests. Develop them as learners, not as students. 

I am very excited by the direction SIS-PIK is leading education in Jakarta. Our new robotics program, coding, Global Perspectives and semester assignments are directing our focus to authentic assessment, critical thinking and deep learning.