By clicking “Accept”, you agree to the storing of cookies on your device to enhance site navigation, analyse site usage, and assist in our marketing efforts. View our Privacy Policy for more information.
We are HELP International School, located in Selangor, Malaysia, with a total of approximately 1500 students K-12. Our mission is ‘To ignite a passion for lifelong learning, so that we can nurture resilient, compassionate, critical thinkers in a constantly changing world.’
Our Super Curriculum offers opportunities for students to develop learning beyond what the regular curriculum provides and is implemented using strategies to build essential skills that are linked directly to the Ten Masteries - Intellectual, Moral, Physical, Technology, International Mindedness, Emotional, Social, Career, Leadership and Creative.
Overall impact
The aim of the Super Curriculum is to develop a strong student competencies portfolio. We encourage students to build effective deep learning skills including Listening, Speaking, Problem solving, Creativity, Staying positive, Aiming high, Leadership and Teamwork. Utilising Skills Builder has allowed us to identify and measure skills development and given students deeper insights into their subjects of interest. It has also developed work readiness through our apprenticeship programmes.
It has never been more important to build a set of essential skills to succeed in life: the ability to creatively solve problems, to self-manage, to communicate effectively, and to work well with others. These are skills that are needed to do almost anything well. The need for these skills is clear, but there is still a gap – too young people do not build these skills to the level they need, and so miss out on opportunities to thrive in other parts of their lives. Too often this is an area where terminology is confused and confusing. The work of all the schools, colleges and organisations in through skill builder is to cut through this: to refine a consistent, universal approach to these essential skills: Listening, Speaking,
Problem Solving, Creativity, Staying Positive, Aiming High, Leadership and Teamwork.
Keep it simple
Student Reflective Inquiry Portfolios are currently used by the Sixth Form students. The 8 essential skills and icons are included in this portfolio. Awards are given at the end of year for students who presented an excellent reflection on their essential skill development. We use Linkedin profiles for student leavers that include endorsements from the school. These reference essential skills and are shared with parents. Teacher training sessions have been completed by all teachers. This has helped teachers to use specific skill steps and common language in their classrooms. They have also been supported in embedding essential skills into their lessons.
Start early, keep going
An initial trail in 6th form has been implemented. Within our Super Curriculum programme we have implemented an initial trail with 6th form students. This will give these students opportunities to develop their learning beyond the regular curriculum that is directly linked to essential skill development.
Measure it
At the start of the programme students self-assess their essential skills using Skills Builder - Benchmark to discover their strengths and areas for improvement. Backward mapping this against their potential career options, students are able to make an informed data-driven decision to select the appropriate Super Curriculum components offered
by the program. During the programme we use student portfolios that require students to complete baseline assessment using Benchmark at the start of a 20 week project. They are required to complete 3 reflections during this period and a final assessment at the end. Students are able to provide evidence of the essential skills that they have developed on their personal statements / university application and during interviews. This evidence allows the school to write meaningful and comprehensive references using the journal entries. Teachers use this data to monitor engagement, next steps and progress for each student. The emphasis for teachers to focus on formative feedback on the skills they want students to develop. This is assessed through discussions and observations where teachers discuss with students ‘what went well’ and how they can improve further, so they can reflect on, and improve, their performance. At the end of the programme students repeat the self-assessment of their essential skills using Skills Builder - Benchmark and conclude their digital journal by submitting a Reflective Video journal which will be assessed by teachers using a predetermined rubric.
Focus tightly
Students use their baseline self assessments to self select the skill and step level to work on. Our teachers then access resources from the hub to explicitly teach each student at the correct step level. We timetable approximately 2 hours per week for skill development.
Keep practising
Our students use a Reflective Inquiry Portfolios to record examples of skill practise across their studies. They prepare a video presentation where they reflect on their skill development during the 20 week project. We share a rubric that explains the essential skills they will be assessed on and we use peer sessions to allow students to discuss their skill development with others.
Bring it to life
Our students are given many opportunities to discuss essential skills with our employer partners, including Aviation industry partners when students are building aviation projects and A.I. credentials with IBM. Our students also benefit from varied career experiences, including our Gourmet Graduates programme and TED Talks on creativity. Students discuss their experiences and reflect on the development of essential skills after these programmes.
What's next
We hope to implement our programme with the wider school next year and increase the impact of essential skills for our students. The Reflective Inquiry Journal will be further improved based on our Spiral of Inquiry Action Research. Further opportunities of industry collaboration will be explored through the CREST Gold Award. We will also be organising community events including an MUN Conference and TED event @ HELP International School.
