Phorms Campus Frankfurt City – Global Perspectives in the classroom
‘We wanted to develop a subject that gives our students modern core skills and supports them in feeling part of a global society,’ says Nickolas Praulins, head of the primary school at the Phorms Campus Frankfurt City. The new subject of Global Perspectives is based on the Cambridge International Primary Programme (CIPP) and will be taught at the Frankfurt site for the first time this year. From year 1 to year 4, the teachers explain to the children how they can explore the topics of collaboration, reflection, innovation, problem-solving, and research with an international outlook. The teaching methods are further developed with each school year and adjusted to the ongoing learning process.
Together with the teachers, the students research the backgrounds of topics that they are familiar with from their everyday lives. Praulins reports: ‘For example, we looked at the following questions: what happens to cocoa beans on their journey to becoming chocolate? How is the cocoa farm involved in the whole process? Are the plantation farmers paid fairly? What transport routes does the product follow before it reaches the supermarket? How is the price of the chocolate decided, and is it justified?’
In another project, the children looked more closely at their own journey to school and asked themselves what difference it makes if they travel by car, public transport, or bike. They then learned about what journeys to school look like in other countries.
‘We always look at a topic on the personal, local and global levels. The children are encouraged to reflect on how their actions can make small changes for themselves, for their local area, and also on a global scale,’ says Praulins.
Global Perspectives has been enthusiastically received by teachers, students and parents alike. For example, the new subject has already inspired some parents and children to opt for the climate-friendly option of cycling more frequently.
