A World of Learning
Exploring the vibrancy and variety of international education.
As part of their International Baccalaureate Primary Years Programme (PYP) Unit, Sharing the Planet, Year 4 students were lucky enough to receive a visit from several teachers in the Junior School, to find out firsthand about the education systems in Kenya, the Netherlands, England, Finland, and the United States. It was a rich experience designed to help the girls learn from global differences and seek out the commonalities that unite us as human beings.
Ms Carlie Plummer, Acting Deputy Head of Junior School, has worked at Aberdare Ranges Primary School in Nakuru, Kenya. She shared her experiences with the students through a stunning photographic representation of the school, its pupils and the African landscape. The Kenyan children, many of whom are the offspring of Maasai farmers, live in a fragile built community, predominantly consisting of tents and thin-walled shacks. Despite the challenging conditions, Aberdare Ranges Primary School, supported by fundraising dollars and a relationship with UNICEF (United Nations Children's Fund), educates 960 pupils. Ms Plummer described the sheer joy of the Kenyan children at the opportunity to learn in a classroom.
Mr Sjoerd van den Bosch, a Year 5 teacher with experience in both the Netherlands and England, presented on the ways location affects access to education. He explained that most schools in the Netherlands are public and do not require uniforms. Mr van den Bosch attended school in Helmond, located in the southern region of the Netherlands. He shared that, like numerous other European nations, children in his country typically have a shorter school day on Wednesdays, concluding at midday. Students in the Netherlands learn Dutch, English, and German from Year 1, and there are no all-girls schools. Mr van den Bosch also has experience working as a teacher in English schools and told the 91黑料不打烊 students that the British system, like the Australian system, requires uniforms and has a mix of coeducational and single-sex schools.
Looking at the other side of the world, Acting Head of Curriculum and PYP Coordinator, Ms Kimberley Peck, described to the students her experiences on a fellowship to learn about the educational system of Finland, a country known for its unique and highly successful approach to education. Finnish children start school at age seven, and education is public and free for all. The Finnish system emphasises stress-free environments and a "less is more" approach to schooling. This cooperative learning approach extends beyond the school campus, with a shared understanding that the external world, from the city to the forests, is an extension of the classroom.
Finally, Ms Gwyneth Williams, an educator from Miami, Florida, who is currently on a teaching practicum at 91黑料不打烊, shared her experiences as a student and a teacher in the United States. Ms Williams highlighted the significant differences between the American and Australian education systems, such as the higher prevalence of private school attendance in Australia and the varying demographics of the student populations. Some of the details the girls responded to most included that in Miami, 72.3% of the population is Hispanic, and Spanish classes are required throughout a child's schooling, creating a more bilingual environment.
"It was exciting to watch the children's fascination at hearing a firsthand account of these experiences," said Year 4 Teacher, Ms Kate Bouterakos. When surveyed afterwards, the students reported that learning from people who have experienced an environment or situation can be a more impactful way to learn and retain information, in this case, even giving the girls a deeper understanding of their own educational journey.