We live in an ever changing, fast-paced world. Ironically we often are required to make decisions in complex situations and systems, and to take actions that are outside of our expertise. ‘We need to rethink education and build students’ capacity for a world full of Volatility, Uncertainty, Complexity and Ambiguity (VUCA) situations (Kosh, 2017). ‘ Now it’s the responsibility of the educator and the education system to develop students skills that will provide them with a system of thinking and take actions that are ethical. Equip them with the skills that will provide them support even in unfamiliar situations.

In International Baccalaureate, ‘Approaches to learning’ is designed and a lot of importance is given, keeping the above in mind. In the learning journey of students, focusing on  approaches to learning skills has become even  more important than ever. ‘Learners must be equipped with skills and strategies that allow them to be thinkers, communicators, risk-takers, inquirers, reflective, caring, open-minded, balanced, principled and knowledgeable.’

To build skills, is a process. This journey of skill building needs time and structure to be effectively developed in students. Diploma Programme is a 2 year programme and its challenging for the Diploma programme team to build skills in students who come from different curriculum. On the contrary the students who have a continuum of IB learning, for them in Diploma programme is at a culminating stage. But said that it does not indicate that students who are new to DP cannot develop the skills. It is definitely challenging but not impossible. And for this first and foremost aspect is acknowledge the fact that students  have the potential to be successful in the IB Diploma, may lack the skills that are necessary to access the IB programme but then a structure needs to be framed that fills the gap. It is to be considered that this building approaches to learning is  not something additional,  infact ATL skills are necessary to access the IB programme and will facilitate the success in the programme.

IB Diploma is challenging due to the  increased focus on independent approaches to learning. Additionally, the ability to assimilate new ideas and effectively communicate them. Keeping these aspects in mind the Pre IBDP course is designed at The Gaudium. The process is ongoing rather than being episodic. Students who have attended these courses have shared how it has helped them academically and personally. At The Gaudium, we are committed to our school philosophy and IB philosophy and that cannot be achieved without the approaches to learning.