All children are born with an innate desire to learn and explore. It is the responsibility of an adult to nurture their thinking by providing them opportunities to learn by exploring, reflecting and communicating. Cambridge has developed 5 learner attributes to help students develop knowledge and various skills that would help them be successful in school, higher education, the workplace, and life in general. We the teachers at TABIS diligently use these attributes to nurture learning habits in our students.
THE FIVE CAMBRIDGE LEARNER ATTRIBUTES
1.Confident:
The Cambridge learners are encouraged to be confident, secure in their knowledge, unwilling to take things for granted, and ready to take intellectual risks. At Tabis, the teachers seek to understand the students and their educational needs and also provide them with a lot of opportunities by engaging them in various language-building activities that would help them become fluent speakers. These activities include debates, PowerPoint presentations, etc. All the activities are planned, keeping specific goals in mind which are shared with the students. These opportunities help students develop their confidence in working with information and ideas, and at the same time encourages students to develop a love for learning and actively engage in their learning. We teachers firmly believe that “Confidence is the most beautiful thing you can possess.”
2.Responsible:
The Cambridge learners are encouraged to take responsibility for their learning and at the same time made to understand that their actions whether positive or negative have an impact on others and also on the environment. At TABIS, the teachers are extremely supportive towards students and constantly engage in a conversation both in a group and on one-to-one basis to motivate them by making them aware of their strengths and abilities. There are various strategies viz. creating timetables, reinforcement charts, that are incorporated to support student learning and instil good behavioural patterns in children. These strategies help students in becoming responsible towards themselves. This open communication between the students and teacher helps students realize their responsibilities towards themselves and others and also helps in instilling values of respect and empathy towards others. We teachers strongly believe “Inspire children to focus on the greater good”.
Also read: 5 Advantages Of Choosing IGCSE Curriculum For Your Child
3.Reflective:
The Cambridge learners are encouraged to focus on the process as well as the products of their learning and develop strategies to be lifelong learners. At TABIS, the teachers believe that learning is constructed in the learner’s minds, and it cannot simply be transmitted from a teacher or a book to the learner. Hence the teacher who is teaching the class tries to modify their content and plan their activities in a way that encourages students to think at an abstract level, form connections with themselves and the world. In addition to this, various visible thinking routines are practiced in classrooms to promote deliberate thinking and also provide a structure to the way the students go about the process of learning a particular topic. These school practices encourage students to become reflective and independent learners. Reflection, therefore we can say is a critical activity that not only helps students develop their ability to learn but also allows them to develop a deeper understanding of the content being covered. We teachers are certain that “Without reflection, we go blindly on our way creating more unintended consequences and failing to achieve anything useful”.
4. Innovative:
The Cambridge learners are equipped for new challenges of the future. They are encouraged to apply their knowledge and understanding to solve new and unfamiliar problems. At TABIS, the teachers provide opportunities to students that help them develop their creative and imaginative skills. The various strategies that are used to foster student imagination include engaging them in role-play, problem-solving activities that prepare them in becoming more resilient in facing the challenges that come their way. When engaged in problem-solving activities the students are also encouraged to look at a problem in various ways and devise strategies that would help them solve the problem. This not only helps students develop creative thinking but also encourages lateral thinking. We teachers strongly advocate that “We need innovation in education and dedication in the task before us”.
5.Engaged:
The Cambridge learners are encouraged to develop both intellectually and socially, they are not only motivated to learn new skills but are also taught the importance of being receptive to new ideas. At TABIS, the teachers include group activities in their lesson plans. These group activities are planned, keeping a specific goal in mind, and are a great opportunity for students to engage in collaborative work. The students develop social skills, cognitive skills while interacting with their peers, while explaining the content to peers, exchanging information, encouraging their peers when required. The teachers are also engaged in student learning as they are also providing inputs to support their learning. We teachers strongly vouch that "Learning is most effective when students are engaged in the task".
We believe that students who demonstrate these attributes are able to develop a broad range of thinking skills, social skills and also personality traits such as resilience, self-awareness which help them in becoming more balanced in managing themselves, their work, and also their relationship with others.
