No one knows the future but we do know the skills our children will need in the future are different to those needed in the past.
The United Nations lists complex problem solving, critical thinking and creativity as a top three skills our children will need in the future. These skills align with the International Primary Curriculum (IPC) we use at North Zealand International School. Our curriculum encourages and practises these skills so they become a normal part of life for our children. For example, they might be asked to inventive a new sport or design a new fairground; projects the children can really engage in.
To hone these skills we use our Personal Goals with our children. As educators, we speak about and demonstrate these goals throughout the school day. We define them like this for our children and parents to make them more accessible.
- Adaptable
- Collaborator
- Communicator
- Empathetic
- Ethical
- Resilient
- Respectful
- Thinker
As our children move through each class they further develop their understanding of the eight Personal Goals. Our learners are able to talk about how they have shown the personal goals. This deeper thinking and use of the growth mindset, enables all of the students to be lifelong learners, equipping them with skills they will need in the future.
We also teach international mindedness and develop global competency which allows us to look beyond food and festivals to practices that we share and the differences we value. In class, we use Denmark and the host/heritage countries of our children as case studies to illustrate this.
The International Primary Curriculum is a rigorous and innovative curriculum which engages our children. A key part of this is helping the children to understand the differences between Skills, Knowledge and Understanding. The children can then guide their own learning and know that skills are practised, knowledge is learnt and understanding is the most challenging as it develops over time.
The IPC continues to be developed to ensure that children are using a topical and highly relevant curriculum based on the very latest research into the brain and how children learn. Many of our teachers were attracted to NIS because of the IPC and so they enjoy teaching this curriculum. The IPC is a holistic approach which encourages a sense of responsibility in the children beyond themselves. Parents like the IPC because it is benchmarked to the National Curriculum of England and Wales.
The IPC is used in schools all over the world; currently over 730 schools in 92 countries. At North Zealand International School, we are proud to have become an IPC accredited school in May 2019.
If you would like to find out more about the IPC at NIS, please view the Case Study below.
