The big news for the week was our IB Diploma authorisation, which has been a focal point for much of this and last year. It is crucial for students to be aware of exactly where their studies are leading them. In this case it is the Diploma Programme, aimed at 16 to 18 years, and the favoured programme for international schools. Even when students move away from Sohar, which is the reality of the situation for many, as the majority of our families are here for work reasons, it is likely that they will encounter the IB Diploma in another international school. The implication of this is that the IB Diploma programme is a relevant conversation for our students even if they may not be here to take it at ABIS. Thank you to my Secondary team for all the hard preparation work that they have already put in and will continue to put in to make the programme a future success, and more importantly help our students be successful.
Another piece of work relating to this that we have done this year is on motivation and the challenge of making learning both relevant and valuable to students. I have attached a poster that we have designed both for students and as a tool for teachers. The poster attempts to demonstrate that almost everything a student learns in school could be of future value to them though it is very hard to predict exactly how. As the poster implies, the default position for all of our young learners is to learn everything you can as you don’t know when and how it will be of value to you, even if it is to teach your own children, have a more informed conversation, or recall a bit of trivia in a quiz twenty years after you have learned it at school, which has often been the case for me.
I wish you an enjoyable weekend!
Leo Thompson
