I am an educator/teacher. I first stood in front of a class in 1979. Several superficial design changes have been effected in education over the years, U-shaped classrooms, more (or less) student displays, cross-curricular pedagogy, to mention a few. However, international travel and the internet, where schools have benefitted from being able to exchange ideas and practices, have opened a whole new world of opportunities for educators.
I have been fortunate to have taught in schools in several countries, most with a different approach to education, each with its own strengths and weaknesses. On this journey, I have learned the difference between a fad or fashion and something that is truly applicable to the culture of any given school.
St Edward’s College is, I believe, the best kept educational secret in Malta. Visual Thinking from The Project Zero Group based at Harvard, USA, is being applied throughout the college. We do not want our students to learn – we teach our students to think, understand, and then learn. Our use of internationally recognised methodologies has been key to the success of our students, some of whom have been admitted to the most prestigious universities across Europe and the US.
Along with using internationally recognised best practice, St Edward’s College teachers have that extra magic ingredient all teachers must have if they are to excel – the ability to care. This one ingredient, to me essential in education, is fundamental to the skill set of any professional teacher.
Students, encouraged and guided by our educators, will understand the benefits of taking responsibility for their own learning. This awareness has stood our graduates well through their careers and in the decisions they have made.
The author is headmaster of St Edward’s College, Cottonera.
St Edward’s caters for students from early years to sixth form. It runs the two-year International Baccalaureate (IB) diploma programme and the International General Certificate of Secondary Education (IGCSE) of Cambridge University. Its boarding programme is especially popular with students on the two-year IB programme.