Empowering Learners: Co-constructing Classroom Systems for Ownership and Agency

In the dynamic landscape of education, the International Baccalaureate (IB) program stands as a beacon for fostering and empowering children to co-construct systems within the classroom, providing them with a sense of ownership and agency of the world around them.

Relocate Editorial

19 April 2024

The IB learner profiles and approaches to learning serve as the foundation of this educational approach as students are encouraged to become inquirers, thinkers, and risk-takers while further reinforcing communication and critical thinking skills for an interconnected and student-driven education. John Dewey (1938) once stated that "Education is not preparation for life; education is life itself". The IB implores students to be principled and caring individuals, aware of their roles in a global context. Yet, to truly instil these values, students must have agency over their environment from an early age. In the words of Paulo Freire (1970), "Education must begin with the solution of the teacher-student contradiction by reconciling the poles of the contradiction so that both are simultaneously teachers and students." Co-constructing systems empowers students to become active agents in their education, breaking down traditional hierarchies and fostering a collaborative spirit. This echoes Chatsworth International School’s commitment to developing well-rounded individuals who are not just recipients of knowledge but internationally-minded and active participants within the world.

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