I had the privilege of joining our Grade 4 students, homeroom teachers, specialist teachers, instructional assistants, and nurses on the overnight field trip to Khao Yai National Park this past Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday. It was an fantastic opportunity to connect with our students, and it was an ideal opportunity to see the ISB Definition of Learning in action! At ISB we have thoughtfully defined the kind of learning we wish to see in our curriculum and classrooms AND these were also evident during the learning activities and discovery walks during the field trip. ISB values meaningful and transferable learning where we construct understanding by developing and applying knowledge, skills and attitudes. As learners, we develop and show our understanding when we:
Whether it be on guided discovery walks through the forests, grasslands, streams or on a cool night safari, students were applying their learning to new situations and inquiring to extend their learning.
Students were constantly self-managing and finding their own solutions to their daily needs such as ensuring they always had a full water bottle, managing their daypacks and supplies, putting away their trash and plates after all meals, preparing themselves for bedtime, etc.
Throughout the field trip students were communicating in writing via their journals as well as verbally through ongoing discussions and dialogues with their peers. Time to reflect critically on their learning was built into the schedule at several key points, especially as students were challenged to think about their impact on the environment and the importance of conservation.
If you know any of our fourth graders, please be sure to ask them to tell you all about their Khao Yai adventures…as well as how they came to learn about some of the local creatures!
Your partner in education,
Michael Allen, Ed.D.
michaela@isb.ac.th