One of the most powerful influences on student learning is the quality of the teacher in front of them.
Educational researcher John Hattie’s work consistently highlights that highly effective teaching has one of the greatest impacts on student progress.
At MIS, we believe teachers are even more effective when they learn collaboratively. Professional learning is not something that happens in isolation; it happens through dialogue, reflection, and shared practice. We see ourselves as a learning community, where growth extends not only to students, but to educators and parents as well.
As reflective practitioners, our teachers regularly examine their own practice, seek feedback, and refine their approaches. This reflects the philosophy of the PYP itself. As an inquiry-driven programme, learning, for both students and adults, is shaped through collaboration, questioning, and reflection.
Collaborative planning time is therefore not just logistical; it is professional learning in action. Teachers design learning together, analyse student needs, and align expectations across classrooms.
Across the Junior School, this collaborative learning is embedded in everyday practice. Teachers engage in moderation, where student work is reviewed together to calibrate expectations. Teams participate in data walks, examining student learning evidence to identify trends and next steps. Workshops and professional development sessions allow staff to engage with research, refine pedagogy, and strengthen shared approaches.
A recent example of this culture in action was our coaching rounds focused on student goal setting.
Teachers met in small cross-grade groups and shared classroom artefacts showing how students set goals and track their progress. Colleagues then coached one another by noticing strengths, asking reflective questions, and offering practical ideas.
These conversations were not evaluative. They were professional dialogues grounded in trust and shared purpose. Teachers were able to see their work from fresh perspectives, celebrate successes, and identify small next steps to strengthen practice.
The accompanying video offers a glimpse into this professional learning in action.
Student goal setting continues to be an important focus across the Junior School. When students set goals and track their progress, they build motivation, ownership, and confidence in their learning.
Professional learning at MIS is ongoing and deeply collaborative. When teachers learn from one another, reflect together, and refine their craft, the impact reaches every classroom.
Because when educators grow, students do too.