Concept-based Curriculum and Instruction

What does it all mean?

Over the next few months, as part of our focus on academic rigour, the Junior School staff will be undertaking Professional Development focusing on concept-based curriculum.

This is very 'teacher based' terminology, so I thought it might be valuable to take a moment to explain the key ideals behind concept-based teaching.

In essence, when we explore curriculum though concepts, we frame the factual content of subject areas with transdisciplinary concepts and generalisations. As a PYP school, we aim to teach beyond topic-based units to develop richer understandings. Concept-based curriculum and instruction allows us to focus on concepts, facts and skills.

Research suggests that structuring learning in this way develops the brain for sorting, organising and patterning information, provides a relevant context for application of new and past knowledge and requires the synthesis of thinking at a deeper level. We believe learners feel more empowered and motivated to learn in this way and in the context of our focus on the fostering of rigor, concept-based learning certainly provides a more intellectually sophisticated level of interaction between students and teachers.

Over the course of the year we will continue to provide you with information on some of the important elements of Teaching and Learning at Scotch Junior School. I encourage you to ask questions of us and to share in this exciting journey.

Chrissy Gamble

Head of Junior School