Vivek Bammi, Theory of Knowledge teacher at Keystone Academy, teaches his bilingual International Baccalaureate course with a Chinese co-teacher, enabling him and his students to witness the Chinese love of deep learning in a global context. Fueled by a desire for fresh challenges and a fascination for Chinese history and culture, Bammi came here two years ago from Indonesia, where he taught at an international school for over 25 years. Although Bammi enjoyed a comfortable lifestyle as a child in East India’s Assam, where his father worked as a manager of a tea plantation, he did not follow his father’s footsteps, but was led to academia by his love for learning. Since then, he has never regretted his decision, but enjoys teaching the subjects he loves most: the humanities—history, geography, literature, and the arts—for the rich, multi-dimensional perspectives the subjects offer into the human experience

How would you (or your students) describe your teaching style?
My teaching style reflects my passion and enthusiasm for lifelong learning: I want to engage the students in an active exploration and discussion of ideas and issues that are shaping their world. Ultimately, the teacher must hand over the control of learning to the students, so that they can move away from ‘traditional’ and ‘out-dated’ models of thinking.

What are some of the topics you cover?
I cover different topics of world history, including aspects of social (such as family, food, sports) and aesthetic (music, film, art) history, since every individual is constructed by multiple influences. In Theory of Knowledge, we focus on contemporary issues which are often contestable and exciting, such as plastic surgery, cloning, genetic engineering, abortion, preserving or discarding cultural practices, consumerism, gender orientation, and equality.

What topic was the most challenging to cover with children? Why?
In my subject area, we cover many topics with multiple perspectives, which often challenge the students to re-examine their own viewpoints and opinions and to consider alternative ways of thinking and reasoning. This can be upsetting for young adults; it is also difficult to convey uncertainty and ambiguity in knowledge, since much of school education is predicated on the opposite.

What topic was the most interesting to your students? Why?
Paradoxically, the topics that are the most challenging (involving different perspectives and examining contemporary issues) are also the most interesting for most students! Many let me know that the active interaction and discussion with their peers helped to clarify their own thinking and stance. The teenage years are fluid, and an active engagement in the classroom begins to shape an identity (or identities) which they can further explore in the wider world.

What class project in your teaching career was the most meaningful to you?
I taught a course in anthropology in Indonesia; after studying the concept of “culture” in some depth, we organized a field trip to Central Java, which included a range of activities: a paleontological ‘dig’ at the site where “Java Man” was discovered, and visits to a Javanese village, an art school, the Palace, and a museum of “batik” cloth. This kind of “experiential learning” is very meaningful, and changed many students’ perspectives: most of them were international and tended to have a superficial view of Indonesian society based on their narrowed world view. After this experience, they began to appreciate the depth and beauty of Indonesian culture, its tolerance and acceptance of others, the kindness and mellow temperament of its people. This experience was transformative for me as well, and Indonesia is my favorite land in the world!

This article originally appeared on page 38 of the November/ December issue of beijingkids magazine. Click here for your free online copy. To find out how you can obtain a hard copy, contact distribution@truerun.com.

PHOTOS: UNI YOU, COURTESY OF KEYSTONE ACADEMY

For our new column, Ask an Educator, we turn to educators, whether teachers, tutors, or principals, to answer frequently asked questions from parents. To send in your question, email jessicasuotmaa@beijing-kids.com.

This week, our question is:

“What is the International Baccalaureate Diploma Program, and how does it differ from other high school diploma programs?”

Answering for us is Anna Sophie Loewenberg is an IB Language and Literature Teacher at Beijing No. 55 High School—International Student Section.

The International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme (IBDP) is a rigorous pre-university course study designed for students in the 16 to 19 age range. It is a broad-based two-year course that aims to encourage students to be knowledgeable and inquiring, but also caring and compassionate.

In comparison to other programs offered at international schools around Beijing, such as the U.S.-based Advanced Placement (AP) program, the IBDP is more rigorous and holistic.

The program follows a curriculum mandated by the International Baccalaureate Organization (IBO) in Cardiff, Wales. The course presents six academic areas: language and literature, individuals and societies, mathematics and computer science, the arts, language acquisition, and the experimental sciences. In each of the academic areas students have flexibility in making their choices, which means they can choose subjects that particularly interest them and that they may wish to study further in university. Students study two modern languages (or a modern language and a classical language); a humanities or social science subject; an experimental science; mathematics; and one of the creative arts.

Students also participate in the three course requirements that make up the core, these include: the Theory of Knowledge (TOK) course, which encourages students to think about the nature of knowledge and reflect on the process of learning in all the subjects they study; an extended essay (EE), a substantial piece of writing, which encourages them to develop the skills of independent research that will be expected at university; and a creativity activity service (CAS) component to the program, which involves students in experiential learning through a range of artistic, sporting, physical and service activities.

Unique to the IBDP, it is this comprehensive range of subjects and experiences that makes it a demanding course of study designed to prepare students effectively for university entrance.

I am well acquainted with the Language A: literature course, which I teach at Beijing No. 55 High School. What I like most about the course is the way in which it encourages students to appreciate the role culture plays in making sense of literary works. In the literature in translation part of our course, students have the opportunity to reflect on the geographical, historical, and ethnic context of texts, and the lives and times of their authors. During one of our most memorable discussions, a student who was a native Thai speaker–together with his Mandarin speaking classmates–discovered common ground with Franz Kafka’s linguistic and cultural dilemma: how can one inhabit a language, if he does not feel at home in that language?

The literature A course is delivered in English and our syllabus includes poetry, drama, and fiction by greats such as Yu Hua, Haruki Murakami, William Shakespeare, Robert Frost, and Alice Munro. Students have the opportunity to go beyond the mere “decoding” of texts towards a wide and humane appreciation of literature.

Overall, the IBDP offers a holistic approach to academic study, and I believe this approach allows students to flourish physically, intellectually, emotionally, as well as ethically.

Photo: courtesy of Anna Sophie Loewenberg