30.09.2022

Guiding principles of the Beacon curriculum are the agenda for the meeting with families 

By Lais Carvalho

In our Café & Educação meeting about the Beacon curriculum, principal Audrey Peverelli and coordinator Lais Carvalho presented the guiding principles of Beacon’s curriculum from G1 (2 years old) to 5th grade (Y5) and the guidelines for the organization and monitoring of classroom work.

The event addressed the pillars of curriculum construction and its fundamental principles. The speakers talked about the curriculum as a contract between the school and the student, guaranteed by the transdisciplinary Units of Inquiry that encompass all the areas of knowledge. They also explained that the focus is on inquiry, conceptual understanding, and the “enduring understanding” of the student. “The content takes into consideration the national curriculum guidelines (BNCC) along with the scope and sequence of the IB (International Baccalaureate). Based on these two references, learning expectations are created, thinking about the progression of content by age group and referred to as Beacon Standards,” explains the coordinator.

Families were also able to understand how assessment and evaluation processes are intrinsically linked to expectations and the entire teaching and learning process. 

The Educational Director also talked about how the curriculum is designed, reviewed, and applied and who is responsible for this, as well as the strategies that are used for differentiation.

The Professional Development Coordinator presented the curriculum management system used by the school and how the educators’ continuous training takes place to ensure horizontal and vertical alignment among the school’s knowledge areas and grades.

Finally, Audrey and Lais made the connection between all the material that the school delivers to families such as the portfolio, the report, and even the parent meeting form, demonstrating how they are related to the curriculum.