Using the IB Approaches To Teaching to drive Professional Development

Regents International School Pattaya

At Regents International School, Pattaya we follow the International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme for Key Stage 5. The IBDP Programme offers students a different way of learning compared to GCSEs or A-Levels. It focusses on allowing students to not just learn knowledge, but also how to conceptualise it and place it in a variety of different contexts.

The driving force behind the IBDP Programme is the Approaches to Teaching and Learning.

Approaches to Teaching: • Differentiating to meet the needs of the learners • Teaching to develop conceptual understanding • Developing local and global context • Promoting effective teamwork and collaboration • Inquiry-based learning • Using assessment to inform teaching

Approaches to Learning: • Thinking skills • Communication skills • Social skills • Self-management skills • Research skills

This year we are using the Approaches to Teaching as the driving force behind professional development. At the start of the year teachers complete a self-reflection against an ‘Approaches to Teaching Matrix’ (see below).

This form is then used when completing lesson observations and learning walks and teachers receive regular feedback on their use of these tools (please note- our observations are non-judgemental and are a purely supportive mechanism for professional development). Regular conversations are had with staff regarding the Approaches to Teaching and how they can be used to support different classes learning different topics at different parts of their educational journey.

Alongside this our internal CPD programme also focusses on each of the Approaches to Teaching, supporting staff to develop an understanding of each and allowing them to share different strategies that work in the teaching spaces. Each approach to learning receives a 3-4 week block of CPD sessions, sharing best practice and discussion time where staff can share their experiences of experimenting with different strategies within the chosen Approach to Teaching.

We have decided to focus our professional development on the Approaches to Teaching as we believe that these will, in turn, develop thinking, communication, social, self-management and research skills (Approaches to Learning), which are fundamental skills for students to develop in order to be successful beyond an educational setting.

So far, the impact has been positive and staff engagement is high. Teachers are taking risks and trying new strategies that will (hopefully) have a high impact on student’s experience within the classroom. We understand that using the Approaches to Teaching to underpin the learning experience at Regents is a long term project and we will use our observations and staff surveys to gauge which specific approaches need additional focus in next year’s CPD calendar and plan the programme of support accordingly.

Michael Harrowell, Regents Pattaya Assistant Head T&L, CPL / PE Teacher