International curriculum
by
Art of Learning

Art of Learning
Setting up an international school is not At Art of Learning, we help you develop
just about bringing students and teachers and design school systems with
of different nationalities together. international outlook and as per
international benchmarks.
***
It is about an international curriculum that
promotes international mindedness, in all Teacher Training
the constituents of a school community.
Curriculum Design
Development & alignment of practices
Information Management
Assistance with Certification /
Authorisation

International curriculum
Global village is now a reality. The
exponential growth in global trade,
increased interdependence of financial
markets, greater mobility of workforce has
contributed to a need to have a global vision
along with a local focus.
Within this context, international education
has evolved. It is a dynamic concept,
shaped by changes in technology,
increased availability and dependence of
information and complexity of interaction
between global participants.
“At the heart of international education lies a fundamental tension between human unity and human
diversity. Learning to live with this ambiguity is the essential challenge of international mindedness”
(George Walker, 2004)

Teacher Training
What makes your teachers teach
the child and not just the
curriculum?
What it takes:
Didactic content with international orientation
Skills assessment and evaluation “A school system's most important asset is its
teaching force. And, the most important
Research and best practices investment a school board, administrators,
and parents can make in a school system is
Unlearning to learn
to ensure that teachers continue to learn.”
Job and site orientation American Federation of Teachers
Classroom support

Curriculum Design
What makes your curriculum
relevant, significant and
developmentally appropriate?
What it takes:
Interdisciplinary, Multidisciplinary, “A curriculum provides the framework for
Transdisciplinary what actually happens in a planned
environment where children interact with
Operational framework
materials, their peers, and adults…”
Vertical and horizontal alignment
Diane Trister Dodge & Laura J. Colker
Coherence and balance
Resource acquisition
Collaborative effort

Development & alignment of practices
As a school, do you work hard or
work smart on the journey to the
goal?
What it takes:
Programme standards and expectations You ask what is the use of classification,
arrangement, systemization? I answer you:
Process mapping order and simplification are the first steps
toward the mastery of a subject-the actual
Differentiated design
enemy is the unknown.
Best practices
Mann, Thomas
Monitoring

Information Management
Do you document the journey
spelling out the who, what, where,
why….?
What it takes:
Not having the information you need when
Collaboration amongst stakeholders
you need it leaves you wanting. Not knowing
Integration of priorities & requirements where to look for that information leaves you
powerless. In a society where information is
Clarity of thought king, none of us can afford that.
Review and refinement
Horowitz, Lois
Transparent practices

Assistance with Certification / Authorisation
Have you mapped the journey as
well as the destination?
What it takes:
Vision
Action plan “When you have completed 95 percent of
your journey, you are only halfway there.”
Gap analysis
Japanese proverb
Landmarks and milestones
Review & evaluation

International Curriculum : The Indian Experience
In India, international curriculum in Some of the common issues relating to the
educational institutions is a very recent conceptualization and implementation of
phenomenon. There are a limited number an international curriculum have been:
of schools who offer international
curriculum. For most schools, the journey
• Significant unlearning for all
to authorisation has involved significant
learning and rework through trial and error. stakeholders
• Lack of adequate understanding of the
programmes requirements / regimen
• Lack of trained manpower resources
• A tendency to adopt and adapt rather
than create
Inefficiencies in the design and implementation process result in significant wastage of resources

Payal Mahajan
Director, Art of Learning
Art of Learning is the brain child of Ms. Payal Mahajan. Ms. Mahajan is an educationist with over 15
years of experience in the field of education and has been involved with schools in India, Indonesia
and Canada. She has worked in various capacities with schools offering both national curriculum as
well as international curriculum. She is also a member of Ontario College of Teachers.
Ms. Mahajan has been instrumental in the implementation of international curriculum in schools in two
different continents (Asia and North America), and has in-depth working knowledge, experience and
requirements of CIE, IBNA and IBAP. Her training in India and Canada and her work with schools has
given her a global perspective and an insight into best practices and key success factors which she is
able to customise to the requirements of individual schools. Since her return to India in December
2008, she has undertaken a few advisory assignments with international schools to help develop their
systems and capabilities.
She has also co-facilitated Teachers’ Training workshop in collaboration with The Institute of Career
Studies.
Ms. Mahajan has co-authored a series of five General Awareness Activity books for Grades 1 to 5
and edited a set of two workbooks in compliance with the new curriculum for a leading publishing
house of India (1999 – 2000). She has also been an assistant-editor for a non-governmental
organization working in the field of environmental conservation - Friends of the Doon Society.

Career Timeline
2006 - 2009 2001 - 2005 1997 - 2001 1993 - 1997
Maple Crest Pvt School, Gandhi Memorial Intl. St Joseph’s Academy, GRD Academy, Dehradun
Canada School, Indonesia Dehradun, India India
• Creating school systems • Led and supervised • Coordinator of the Senior • Coordinator of Literary
& policies (curriculum planning and School Extra-Curricular Activities of the Senior
design, instructional implementation of the IB Activities. Organized 27 School . Scheduled,
strategies & assessment MYP in keeping with clubs as Friday activities organized and managed
and reporting tools) in multiple intelligences and for senior school to informal curriculum
accordance with IB PYP diverse learning styles ensure smooth and
• Teacher-in-charge of the
Standards successful delivery of the
• Striking a balance Students’ Council-
informal curriculum
• Develop action plan for between IB MYP, IGCSE facilitating meetings and
the school improvement & National curriculum • Co-facilitated All-India action plan for school
Training Workshop improvement
• Gap analysis with regard • Developed PIE (Program
‘Teachers as
to the implementation of of Intensive English) to • Organized Inter-school
Counsellors'’ in
PYP in the school deliver the curriculum to events like ‘One Earth’
collaboration with the
ESL students quiz
• Striking a balance Institute of Career
between Provincial and • Taught the IGCSE & IB Studies • Taught ICSE curriculum
IB PYP curriculum and MYP curriculum
• Founded and • Assistant Examiner for
expectations
• Conducted in-house coordinated the Student ICSE
• Professional workshops & provided Guidance and
development of teachers guidance about Counselling Cell
implementation of IB
• Liaison between the • Taught ICSE curriculum
MYP and IGCSE
school & IB

Education Timeline Professional Development
Additional Qualification (Junior) 2009 International Study Group, Reggio
2008
(York University, Canada) Emilia, Italy (April19th - 24th, 2009)
2007 Additional Qualification (Primary)
(York University, Canada) 2008 Participated in IB Workshops
- (PYP & MYP) - Level 1 & 2, in
2002 Indonesia and Canada.
2001
2001
- Bachelor of Education (Indira
Gandhi University, New Delhi)
2000
Volunteer work with Frontier
2005 College, Toronto and JUMP (Junior
1997 - Undiscovered Math Prodigy),
Masters of Arts (History) Toronto ( ESL and Math tutoring to
1996
- 2006
Ranked third in the University adults & school kids)
1995
Participated in the Cambridge
1993 2002 Workshop conducted by CIE, UK
Bachelor of Arts (Honours) (Lady Shri
1992
- Ram College, Delhi University)
1990
1991 Certificate course in Students’
2000 Guidance and Counselling from
the Institute of Career Studies
1990
ISC - School leaving Certificate
1989
-
Ranked first in the District
1988