COLLABORATIVE CULTURE DRIVES INNOVATION

Alexis Ahn, MYP Design Teacher

How does Dwight's culture of innovation inspire you as an educator?

Dwight community’s adventurous and collaborative environment makes it easy for teachers and students to exchange ideas, encouraging everyone to embrace their inner innovators. At Dwight, Innovation is not just accepted; it is celebrated, shaping an environment where every spark of genius contributes to the collective creativity defining our school.

Knowing that you've had experience at other schools, how does Dwight stand out in the marketplace? How is it more innovative than other schools?

Dwight stands out in the Seoul education landscape for its innovative approach to a dynamic learning environment. Guided by an IB framework, it promotes a global community and an open culture, creating a diverse and collaborative learning space. Our Makerspace, equipped with sophisticated tools, further encourages innovation in students and teachers.

Can you give some recent examples of innovative student work? How was the work innovative in the way it was undertaken? How was the end product innovative?

Grade 6 Design students are currently working on their first unit, “Clock Tales: Once Upon a Time…” This unit is a collaborative effort between Design students and our school librarian, Ms Margie. In light of the recent renovation of our library, Ms Margie voiced a concern - there were no clocks in the library. Simultaneously, she wanted the space to be filled with our student’s creativity. Our students were asked to choose a special storybook and design a clock inspired by it. This innovative approach not only addressed the functional need for clocks in the library but also serves as an inspiring initiative for the Dwight community. Displaying these clocks invites other students to be curious about the stories they are based on, making the library a place where everyone wants to read and explore. Their clocks will significantly contribute to the overall aesthetics of our library, making the space not just functional but visually engaging.

Can you elaborate on the MYP Design Cycle? How is the Design Cycle executed at Dwight Seoul? How does the MYP Design Cycle foster innovation?

How is being an MYP Design Teacher different from being a Kindergarten Teacher or Art & Music Teacher? As different as those roles are, how does innovation get weaved into even those roles?

Being that you're relatively new to the role of MYP Design Teacher, what surprised you most about Dwight, your role and how it fits into the curriculum, and why?

At Dwight Seoul, the Design Cycle is tailored to ensure that the core concept is consistently learned across the entire school. We have carefully adjusted and redesigned the Design Cycle for each age group, from ECD to Grade 12. The integration of all grades with the Makerspace at least once a year provides a hands-on opportunity for students to directly apply the Design Cycle principles, cultivating a practical understanding of the innovative design process. These experiences empower students to think critically, solve problems creatively, and embrace a mindset of continuous improvement, ultimately transforming them into innovators.

While the roles of an MYP Design Teacher differ significantly from that of a Kindergarten Teacher or an Art & Music Teacher, each is infused with the spirit of innovation. In my Design lessons, innovation takes centre stage, inspiring students to explore and learn in their own unique ways. Although the tone may vary when teaching different age groups, the common thread remains. In Kindergarten, students become budding innovators in the unit ‘How We Express Ourselves’. Through this unit, they not only learn about various innovators around the world but also become little innovators themselves, contributing ideas to help improve the Dwight community. Through various roles I have had in Dwight, I have learned that Dwight plants the seeds of innovation early on, laying the groundwork for creative thinking and problemsolving. This aligns seamlessly with our commitment to foster innovation across the entire school.

Every morning, as I step into the Design Lab and Makerspace, I am grateful for our well-equipped and sophisticated spaces. It is remarkable that students are exposed to this environment from a young age, shaping them into risk-takers. The possibilities for my MYP Design students to explore are supported by the flexible nature of our school. Without rigid constraints, I take on the role of an innovator, consistently refining students’ learning experiences. This allows me to discover more exciting ways for students to actively participate in the learning journey.