Seoul Metropolitan Office of Education Aims to Nurture Future Talent Who Ask Questions

[Financial News] The Seoul Metropolitan Office of Education (SMOE) said on the 3rd that it will hold public open classes and case-sharing sessions throughout November at five IB (International Baccalaureate)-certified schools in Seoul. The initiative aims to spread examples of lessons that move beyond rote learning and encourage students to ask questions and explore topics on their own.
The event will bring together 610 teachers from Seoul and 13 metropolitan and provincial offices of education that have adopted and operate the IB. They will share examples of concept-based inquiry lessons and innovative assessment.
The open classes will be held in sequence at three elementary schools—Seoul Yanghwa Elementary School, Seoul Guro Elementary School, and Seoul Daewang Elementary School—and two middle schools—Seoul Girls' Middle School and Changdeok Girls' Middle School. Instead of lecture-based, teacher-led instruction, teachers will demonstrate lessons in which students ask questions and explore topics. The schedule begins at Seoul Yanghwa Elementary School on the 4th, followed by Seoul Girls' Middle School on the 6th, Changdeok Girls' Middle School on the 11th, Seoul Guro Elementary School on the 12th and 13th, and Seoul Daewang Elementary School on the 30th.
The elementary schools will hold open classes for the Primary Years Programme (PYP), for preschool and elementary students, while the middle schools will hold open classes for the Middle Years Programme (MYP), for students ages 11 to 16. Participants will then discuss innovations in teaching and assessment.
According to Seoul Daewang Elementary School's plan, 65 sixth-grade students will form 15 teams and hold an inquiry presentation event on the 30th. They will present their findings on topics including “Different Ways to Earn Money and Spend Responsibly,” “How Snack Packaging Design Affects Consumer Choices,” and “The Causes of Juvenile Crime and Ways to Prevent It.”
Seoul Metropolitan Office of Education Superintendent Geun-sik Chung said, “This is a valuable opportunity to share outstanding examples of concept-based inquiry lessons from the field and strengthen teachers' capacity for future education.” He added, “Through this, I will establish a school system that puts the development of teachers' professional expertise into practice and actively support the development of Seoul students' future competencies.”
The IB is an internationally recognized education program run by a nonprofit international education foundation since 1968. About 2 million people participate in the program at at least 5,900 schools in approximately 160 countries around the world. It aims to nurture self-directed learners who are knowledgeable, curious, and caring, focusing not on rote memorization but on understanding concepts and developing the ability to solve problems independently.
[email protected] Kim Man-gi Reporter