By clicking “Accept”, you agree to the storing of cookies on your device to enhance site navigation, analyse site usage, and assist in our marketing efforts. View our Privacy Policy for more information.
Established in 2012 and licensed by the Vietnamese Government, Greenfield School is a bilingual private school offering education programs for grades 1-12. We are proud to be a member of the Cambridge International School System, with nearly 3500 students until now across the Vietnamese MOET Programme, the Cambridge International Programme, and the Global Citizen Bilingual Programme. We are thrilled to announce the opening of our new campus in South Vietnam during the 2023-2024 school year. This expansion reflects our commitment to providing exceptional educational opportunities to a wider range of students.
Greenfield School's mission is to establish happy schools where students are loved, cared for, and comprehensively developed to become responsible citizens actively contributing to the community. We are committed to preparing students for the demands of the modern world, which aligns perfectly with the Skills Builder program's focus on essential skills. We are pleased to report that the first year of implementation successfully raised awareness of these vital skills among students, teachers, and parents.
Overall impact
We are pleased to report that a key accomplishment of our Skills Builder Program from the previous academic year was the successful integration of Skills Builder into the curriculum of the Personal Development Subject (PDS) for both middle and high school levels. The Teacher Guide, meticulously crafted by the Skills Builder team, has proven to be an indispensable resource for our educators. This guide streamlines the instructional process for our teachers by providing clear, engaging materials and activities that cater to diverse learning styles. Moreover, the program's emphasis on cultivating essential skills fosters the development of confident and well-rounded learners among our students. One of the most highlights we are most proud of is essential skills are now integrated across various subjects beyond PDS and Career Counseling
Keep it simple
We are committed to maintaining a common language of essential skills throughout the school, especially with high school students. Names of 8 essential skills are consistently used in various channels, including parent workshops introducing the school's well-rounded educational framework, specialised skills development workshops, classrooms, lesson plans, and all school-wide communications when it comes to the skills development. We have also been developing a handbook for students that defines each skill and provides practical examples for application. Additionally, ongoing professional development workshops ensure a clear understanding of the Skills Builder program among all educators.
Start early, keep going
In the second year, we expanded the Skills Builder program to include students across all classes in middle and high school level of GC and Cambridge Pathway. This expansion represents a significant advancement compared to the previous year, where the program's application was limited to select demonstration classes. We carefully considered age-appropriate activities and differentiated instruction to cater to different learning stages. For example, younger students focused on foundational skills like critical thinking through play-based activities and interactive stories. Meanwhile, older students tackled more complex challenges that required in-depth research, analysis, and collaboration. While data collection is still ongoing, anecdotal evidence suggests increased student engagement and improved understanding of the essential skills across all age groups. Students are demonstrating greater confidence in applying these skills to various learning tasks.
Measure it
The second year saw the development of a more formal assessment process for the essential skills. We implemented a combination of tools, including online rubrics on the Skills Builder Hub platform and teacher-created assessments aligned with specific learning objectives. Data from these assessments will be used to inform future program planning and teaching strategies. For example, if student performance reveals weaknesses in a particular skill, we can tailor lesson plans or provide targeted interventions to address those specific needs. At the same time, the project-based assessment method still remained in place to provide students with continued opportunities to hone essential skills, particularly those related to teamwork, communication, problem-solving, and leadership.
Focus tightly
In the second year, we addressed skills differentiation by creating tiered learning objectives for each essential skill. These objectives varied in complexity based on the student's grade level and subject area. Assessments were then tailored to measure specific skill development within these tiers. For instance, in a history class, younger students might be assessed on their ability to identify the main idea of a historical document, while older students might be evaluated on their ability to analyze multiple sources and draw evidence-based conclusions. Or, another example within the high school curriculum, subjects such as Community Services offer fertile ground for the cultivation of all eight essential skills throughout the project implementation process where students will work in a team on a community project assigned by teacher from the beginning of the course and they practice those skills from the preparatory to concluding phase.
Keep practising
Essential skills are now integrated across various subjects beyond PDS and Career Counseling. For example, in mathematics classes, students practice problem-solving and communication skills by explaining their thought processes when solving challenging problems. In literature classes, students develop critical thinking and collaboration skills by analyzing texts and discussing different interpretations. We foster collaboration between teachers from different subject areas through regular planning meetings where they discuss effective strategies for integrating essential skills into their lessons. This ensures consistent reinforcement of these skills throughout the curriculum.
Bring it to life
In the second year, we expanded our efforts to connect essential skills to the wider school and community. We partnered with a local environmental organization to organize a school-wide project on sustainable practices. Students used their problem-solving, collaboration, and communication skills to develop and implement solutions in many different community projects in and outside of school. One of the big campaign we can mention recently is "Fix My Food" where our high school students are proud to be the youngest members joining - UNICEF's regional initiative bringing together young people, influencers, celebrities and food entrepreneurs who are committed to act for a better food environment. Guest speakers from various professions were invited to share real-world examples of how they utilize essential skills in their daily work.
What's next
Moving forward into the upcoming academic year, we plan to leverage the Skills Builder Framework with increased efficacy. This will involve not only its direct application within the Personal Development Subject (PDS) curriculum, but also its indirect integration into the assessment and expected learning outcomes of other subjects. Our educators, having gained a deeper understanding of our student body through a year of program implementation, are now well-positioned to tailor Skills Builder lessons to more effectively address the specific needs and learning levels of their students. Finally, we aim to cultivate additional opportunities for students to apply the acquired skills in real-world contexts, fostering a greater societal impact.
