In contrast, there has commonly been a separation of these different subjects when students move into Secondary schools. These subjects come to be arranged, somewhat artificially, as discrete and separate domains. Students move, for example, from Maths, to Language, to Individuals and Societies, without there being any sense of connection between these areas. At European International School Ho Chi Minh City (EIS), we offer the International Baccalaureate programmes (IB programmes) all way through so to counter this, the Middle Years Programme (MYP) encourages schools to create Interdisciplinary units, where students make connections and transfer their knowledge and understanding between and across disciplines. This creates the opportunity for much more authentic learning, as well as authentic assessments, and for students to build a broader perspective and deeper understanding of their learning.
Recently, in Grade 10, MYP students worked on an Interdisciplinary unit focusing on the theme of ‘Conflict’. They learned about causes and consequences of conflict in their Individuals and Societies class, about the way writers depict conflict, in their English literature class, and about persuasive techniques, in their English language class. Their culminating task was to put on an interactive museum exhibition piece which would teach others about the concept of ‘Conflict’. Middle and High School students were invited to visit the exhibition where they were able to interact with the different displays.
