International programs promote student autonomy

International programs promote student autonomy

Simon Marcus Gower, Contributor, Jakarta

The role of the teacher in a classroom is quite often a
difficult one. Trying to lead a group of students in their
classroom studies consistently requires a balancing act of
establishing and maintaining direction and being responsive to
students' needs.

A class ideally should be a group of like-minded people who
share the same aims, and intention to learn, but this is not
always possible.

Sometimes students are encountered who are deliberately
obstinate or unruly. Other times, the diverse range of abilities
and interests in a single classroom can be difficult to
accommodate. When teachers come up against such challenges there
is a temptation -- a danger even -- to become something of a
dictator.

Students who have been subjected to this kind of heavy-handed
approach in the classroom are likely to be obedient, but also
passive, unresponsive and unthinking. They have not been
encouraged or challenged to think for themselves and so have
become highly dependent on their teachers. It could be surmised
that their "education" has in fact stifled their development and
denied them the opportunities they needed to grow and flourish as
independent students and human beings.

The American author, Elbert Hubbard, wrote that "the object of
teaching a child is to enable him to get along without his
teacher", and this very directly indicates the more subtle and
encouraging role of the teacher. In essence the teacher should
not be so much of a demanding and domineering figure but should
instead be someone who is responsively helping the student in
learning.

This more "responsive and helpful" model for teaching and
learning is something that is quite expressly built into
international programs of education such as the International
Baccalaureate Program; or as it is more often referred to the IB
Program. This program is increasingly being offered in Jakarta
and is increasing in its popularity around the world; no doubt
because it is a more responsive approach to education.

But what is the IB Program? Well, it is an internationally
recognized curriculum that leads students in their 11th and 12th
grades of school to the IB Diploma. It should also be noted that
IB Programs are offered for the primary and middle years of
children's education, but for the purposes of this article the IB
Diploma level is focused on.

The IB Program is governed by the International Baccalaureate
Organization based in Geneva, Switzerland and general
administration and development comes from the International
Baccalaureate Curriculum and Assessment Center in Cardiff, Wales.
Schools from around the world can then adopt and implement this
program for their students and this is what is happening now in a
number of schools in Jakarta.

The IB Program very directly and expressly engenders a model
of learning and study that is student-centered and requires that
the students are active in their school efforts. Students are
encouraged to develop organizational skills and time management
to be more independent in what they do and are required to attain
a broad "world-view" that allows them to solve problems without
constantly requiring the assistance of a teacher. Teachers are
far more mentors in this model of education than, say, dictators
or controllers.

But what do students engaged in an IB Program actually do?
With much talk of greater freedom for students one could get the
impression that the students are at liberty to do pretty much
whatever they please; but this would be inaccurate as, in fact,
quite considerable challenges and requirements of rigor lie ahead
for IB Diploma students.

Within an IB Program students are required to complete and
take examinations in six IB subjects. These fall into quite
familiar categories of languages, sciences, humanities, arts and
mathematics but in addition students must write an "Extended
Essay", complete a course in critical thinking known as the
"Theory of Knowledge" and carry out 150 hours of activities that
are much more outside of the classroom context known as
"Creative, Action and Service Activities" (or CAS).

All of these engender a much more "hands-on" and practical
approach to learning and in many ways create a learning style
that is more relevant to today's needs. Students are not just
required to "hit the books" and follow lecture-type presentations
from teachers but are more and more required to be participants
and action-takers.

The "Theory of Knowledge" component of the program requires
that the students gain skills in analysis, argumentation,
evaluation and critical thought that very directly allows them to
become independent and clear-minded thinkers. The "Extended
Essay" element sets up the requirement for students to achieve
research skills, again with their teacher as mentor and guide but
not as their substitute thinker.

In entering into CAS, students might participate in dramatic
or musical performances, sporting and team activities or
community service activities such as caring for the elderly,
helping out at an orphanage or teaching younger children or
children with disabilities.

This is, perhaps, the most direct way in which students become
active and independent, as they gain the experience of working
for and with others and truly achieve awareness of the world
around them and how they may participate and contribute to it.

Ultimately, then, international programs of education such as
the International Baccalaureate foster rather different
approaches to education than have, perhaps, traditionally been
thought of. They are more challenging and require that students
are highly motivated and that motivation really has to come from
the students, it cannot be forced by teachers or parents.
Students need to have good reading and writing skills to succeed
in such programs because these skills are implicitly required.

Though demanding, such programs can have significant and
beneficial results. Students that attain IB Diplomas attain
qualifications that are internationally recognized and respected
but equally importantly they achieve characteristics that are
relevant and valuable in today's world. Significant among these
are awareness and skills in cooperative learning and community
service and a sense of internationalism that is highly valid and
valuable in times of globalization and a growing sense of the
"global village". -- The author is the Principal of Raffles
International Christian School, Pondok Indah, Jakarta