There are not many schools that can lay claim to being an IB World School before the IB was officially established, but the United Nations International School (UNIS) of New York, USA is a school that can.
“UNIS has participated in the IB from its earliest days: the International Schools Examination Syndicate (ISES) was established in Geneva in 1963—its name was later changed to International Baccalaureate Organization—and UNIS joined as a formal participant in 1965”—UNIS website
Like the IB, UNIS is not one to simply rely on a positive history of educational excellence and instead looks at how it can innovate and further enhance students’ education opportunities. To this end UNIS has embarked on an ambitious reassessment and reinvigoration of curriculum, pedagogy and professional development under the guidance of its Executive Director and former IB Heads Council member Jane Camblin and Director of Innovation and Research Jeremy Birk. In collaboration with the school’s leaders, teachers, students, and community, Camblin and Birk are establishing long-term goals and benchmarks that UNIS can strive towards as it tries to reimagine the future of education.
In April 2016, UNIS invited the IB’s Chief Schools Officer Andrew Macdonald, Director of Professional Development Anthony Tait, and Global Head of School Enhancement Services Sean Rankin to brainstorm and collaborate about innovation in education. Their discussions included in-school innovation and development of the Diploma Programme (DP) curriculum as UNIS explores ways to restructure DP science offerings using blended learning. In their model, blended learning brings together the expertise of educators from multiple countries to expand the options available to students. They also looked at further developing a global politics course that uses a social justice framework to enrich students learning experiences.
To continue building momentum on the theme of curriculum innovation, a new School Enhancement Service from the IB will launch in December 2016. This service will provide IB World Schools with programme consultancy and supports schools who want to focus on in-school curriculum innovation.
In terms of the professional development (PD) of both UNIS educators and IB educators worldwide, UNIS are proposing expanded PD opportunities as part of their IB-approved workshop provider offerings that focus on curriculum innovation.
Reflecting on the day’s discussions, Andrew Macdonald stated: “The meeting only validated my belief that innovation for the International Baccalaureate will be found in our community.” As the IB community of schools continues to foster innovation in education, the UNIS school visit marks the first of several IB World School visits for more stimulating, inspiring and lively dialogues on the theme.
From left to right: Sochenda Samreth, Antoine Delaitre, Patrica Doyle Van Kirk, Abby Macphail, Luz Garcelon, Leslie Gross, Andrew Macdonald, Jeremy Birk, Sean Rankin, Anthony Tait, Proserpina Dhlamini-Fisher.
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