International Baccalaureate WS

Good morning. As some of you already know I am also a new International Baccalaureate PYP teacher.

International Baccalaureate education is wonderful! and I am taking an online workshop called “Making the PYP happen in the early years: Implementing agency” right now.

It has been a wonderful learning experience but… I’m about to cry because the content of the training is so intense and far beyond the concept of education that I know. It feels especially hard especially for someone like me who is a new teacher and also who made a career change at middle age!!

I have been working as a fashion designer in New York City for many years, but after the Corona pandemic, I found myself working at a kindergarten in Nagano, Japan, teaching English and working as an interpreter in the school office.

It just so happened that the kindergarten was accredited for the International Baccalaureate.

The more I learn about the IB educational policy, the more profound in me it becomes, and I am learning a lot every day, both as a teacher and as a person.

I am now in my second year as a new teacher.

I am very honored that the kindergarten let me take the IB online workshop “Making the PYP happen in the early years: Implementing agency” right now. The workshop started at the beginning of this month.

I’ve taken many online courses before (seminars on fashion, business, yoga, etc.), so I thought it would be easy breezy to take this one as well.

But….

As expected for the credible International Baccalaureate Organization…

The content was very intense. I am having such a hard time keeping up with my studies every day.

I have been living in the U.S. for more than 20 years, and I have graduated from an American university, as well as having experienced social and professional life in the U.S., so I undeveloped my English is, as well as my expressive skills in any forms. OMG.

In this blog, I would like to include a memorandum of what I have learned in this workshop, as well as what I have learned and felt through the International Baccalaureate education.

I would be happy if I could share my experiences with you, current IB students and parents, and everyone who might be interested in this journey.

I look forward to hearing your opinions as well!!

I am very worried about whether I can keep up with the workshop studies though…. I will try my best!

Rika