Dear Elementary Families,

We warmly invite you to our Elementary School Open Classrooms –  Tuesday November 19.

Your child’s homeroom teacher will soon be sharing a schedule with you, indicating which lessons are open for you to enter and observe.  

What are Open Classrooms?

Have you ever wondered what inquiry-based learning is like for your child? Here is your chance! Open Classrooms showcase learning in action. On the day, at selected times, our classrooms are open for you to observe lessons that put the philosophy and pedagogy of the Primary Years Programme into practice.    

Purpose of Open Classrooms 

Open Classrooms is for parents to get an insider’s view of what life is like inside the classrooms at UNIS.  By opening up our classroom doors we would like to give parents a glimpse of student-centered, constructivist teaching and learning in action. We aim to demonstrate our inquiry based teaching philosophy which is central to our identity as an IB school. 

How does it work?

• Classrooms across all subject areas in the ES will be designated as ‘open house’ events for certain lessons – November 19, 2019.
• A minimum of two lessons will be designated as ‘open’ in your child’s homeroom class
• All specialist lessons will be designated as ‘open’ 
• All ‘open’ lessons will be detailed on your child’s blog – communicated by their homeroom teacher
• Parents may attend any of their child’s open lessons – both homeroom classes and specialist lessons. 
• Parents may only visit open lessons in classes that their child attends.
• Please be aware that not all lessons are designated as ‘open’.  Be sure to check the schedule on your child’s blog

What might I see?

All lessons are different, though you may expect to see:

• Classes will be a reflection of our PYP programme.  What you will see will be a snapshot of our regular lessons, routines and activities.  Lessons that have a clear learning objective which has been explained to the students
• A variety of lessons and subject areas open for parents to observe (and in some cases, you may be invited to participate). 
• Lessons may showcase students demonstrating the Learner Profile
• Lessons may involve students using a variety of transdisciplinary skills (thinking, research, problem solving, social and self-management skills)
• Lessons that are based on students’ understanding of broad concepts, in addition to specific content (e.g. the concept of “form” in addition to the content of balanced gymnastics movements in PE). 

What is my responsibility as a visitor to an active learning environment? 

• Silence and put away all mobile devices.
• Please enter classrooms quietly and be on time. We recommend you stay for at least 20 minutes to see the flow of the lesson.  
• Please be aware of not interrupting the flow of a lesson/your child’s learning.  
• Interact with your children only when/if invited to do so.  Some classes will be ‘observe only’ while others may be more interactive.  

Other important reminders:  

• Please leave younger siblings at home with a caregiver, so that you may give you full attention to your child’s class.
• All parents must wear their UNIS Parent ID badge.
• Photographing students is not permitted.
• Parents must wear their Parent ID lanyards at all times.
• Parents may purchase food from the CAFE only, but may not purchase lunches from the canteen (we are unable to cater for unknown numbers).  

We look forward to welcoming you on Tuesday, November 19th.    

Sincerely,
Megan Brazil
Elementary Principal

HOMEROOM TEACHERS WILL SHARE OWN SCHEDULES & POST INVITE TO OPEN CLASSROOMS ON OWN BLOGS 

Here’s how a sample schedule looks like:

Class 04B Homeroom                                                                       Teacher – Mr David