The philosophies of "Environment," "Interaction," and "Evolution/Transformation," along with the ECE 12 Values, are integral to YCYW Primary and Secondary education. They define our high standards of learning and teaching across all sections, though the specific roles of teachers and students naturally evolve across different learning stages. Building upon the categories proposed by Professor Stephanie Sanders-Smith — such as "Perspective on Child and Relationship" and "Emergent Curriculum and Inquiry" — we have streamlined our expectations for High Quality of Learning and Teaching (HQLT) into three core domains that capture the essence of our students' learning journey:

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• Domain 1: Student Agency and Relationships

• Domain 2: Dynamic Curriculum and Inquiry

• Domain 3: Bilingual and Multilingual Learning

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​These domains serve as the definitive framework for our educational standards, consolidating our guiding

statements into a unified common language. The formation of these domains is shaped by the  YCYW

Learner Portraits, the Bilingual Learning Communities Framework, and the AI Competency Framework

published by UNESCO, supported by the latest research  and current practices observed in our 

classrooms. This underscores our commitment  to forward- thinking education, preparing students to

thrive in an increasingly digital and interconnected world.

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Within this framework, our approach to learning and teaching is driven by ten core learner commitments that span the three domains. These commitments articulate our aspirational goals and serve as key guiding principles for our learning communities (and are highly recommended as key evidence for our CIS accreditation process):

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1. We act with respect, diligence, and integrity to uplift our community.

2. We co-create a collaborative environment that empowers authentic choices.

3. We embrace constructive feedback to drive our lifelong learning.

4. We set aspirational goals to shape our personal and collective vision.

5. We learn through guided inquiry and free exploration to create meaningful experiences.

6. We thoughtfully use emerging technologies to enhance our practice.

7. We critically reflect on our skills and continuously adapt to improve.

8. We develop deep self-awareness and appreciate diverse perspectives.

9. We actively build our multilingual and intercultural competencies.

10. We demonstrate resilience and view challenges as opportunities for growth.

 

Crucially, these commitments also lay the foundation for developing essential career-related competencies for future—such as adaptability, digital fluency, and cross-disciplinary problem-solving—ensuring our students are not only academically prepared but also future-ready for a rapidly evolving world.

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Link to High Quality Learning and Teaching