Nathaniel Atherton, Primary Principal
22 March 2024
Navigating Shades of Grey: Lessons from the Grade 5 PYP Exhibition
This week has been a celebration of learning in the Primary School as our Grade 5 students have shared months of work as part of the PYP Exhibition.
The Exhibition, the culminating event of the Primary Years Programme, highlights the best of the IB and its focus on international-mindedness. While globally we are seeing our politicians and thought leaders retreat to polarised views of black and white, our 10 and 11-year-olds have been wrestling with big issues and ideas, authentically living in the grey.
Since autumn, learners have been engaging with pertinent issues connected to the UN’s sustainable development goals. Months of questioning, research, analysis, synthesis and sense-making led to this past week's festivities.
Wednesday night, 20 March, was the showcase event when parents had the opportunity to engage with their child’s inquiry. During the school day on Wednesday 20 March and Thursday 21 March, the students also hosted a range of visitors from across the Primary School, and from schools throughout Switzerland (from Verbier to Zug).
Visitors had the chance to see how learners had translated their research and thinking into speeches, websites, artistic representations and authentic actions.
This year’s Exhibition holds a special place in my heart. Having previously taught the Exhibition and having worked in PYP schools for over 10 years, this year marks the first time I have seen the Exhibition through a parent's eyes and as a family, as my son Levi completed this year's Exhibition. The richness of a project as audacious as the Exhibition is, can permeate the conversations beyond the classroom to families' homes. Flourishing and significant dialogue can be held over the dinner table or potential weekend trips might help learners connect more deeply with the issue they are researching into.
These immersive experiences can provide a level of interest and dedication that enables these young children to be the agents of change that will resolve these global challenges.
As a school, we continue to champion the importance of embracing ambiguity, fostering critical thinking, and nurturing a generation of global citizens who are unafraid to navigate the intricate shades of grey in pursuit of a brighter, more equitable future.
Kind regards,
Nathaniel Atherton
Primary Principal