PROGRAMMES | LUMEN
5
A
New Beginning
By Wang Qiaochu and Olivia Chew
The many years of preparation have finally borne fruit . On 1 February 2013 , the International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme was officially launched with the first batch of 80 students .
Academics are important , but it ’ s the floor , not the ceiling .
Dr Koh Thiam Seng
It took a decade to launch the International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme ( IBDP ).
The journey to gaining approval from the Ministry of Education to offer the IBDP has been long , fraught with a number of obstacles along the way .
“ We were happy and relieved that all the hard work finally bore fruit ; that we could finally set up the senior school ,” said the Director of the IB programme , Mr Tang Woh Un .
Extensive preparation began immediately once approval was granted . This involved recruiting staff both locally and overseas , stepping up training for them and publicising SJI ’ s new IB programme in secondary schools . Much also had to be done to ensure that the facilities of the school were all in place for 2013 .
The Senior School is different from most schools in Singapore .
This page ( top ): JC 1 students reporting on their first day of school
This page ( bottom ): Students having contact time with their teachers Ms Sarah Samuelson and Mr Lee Siew Tong
Classes are smaller , with a maximum of twenty students per class . There is a mix of foreign and local teachers , bringing in new ideas and perspectives . This makes for a more internationalorientated education , essential in this increasingly globalised world .
The physical space of the Senior School was designed to facilitate better student-teacher interaction . Couches have been placed in the common spaces . Classroom table arrangement is unconventional , promoting collaboration and efficacy in group work and discussions .
Even the Orientation Programme was uniquely catered to the small cohort . It involved much creativity , thinking and camaraderie . Activities ranged from discussing attributes that an IB student should possess , building a mobile completely from vegetables and limited stationery , catching prawns to rowing a dragon boat .
The physical arrangement of the Senior School , the conduct of lessons and contact time with the teachers all fit with the promise of a holistic education under the IBDP . Not only that , it aligned with the ethos of SJI as well .
Our Principal , Dr Koh Thiam Seng , says , “ Academics are important , but it ’ s the floor , not the ceiling .”
As a result , the environment in SJI Senior School is extremely refreshing , as any JC1 student will testify .
While there are differences between the secondary and Senior School , one thing remains constant and common — the Josephian spirit shared by everyone . In fact , Dr Koh commented the girls display much of the Josephian spirit despite the short time they have spent on the SJI campus .