In a crowded room of the Brandolini Rota Institute, on the night of 26th October, the future Gentium Schola Opitergium introduced its school plans and its educational programme.
During the meeting, Giordano Casonato, our Head of School, was present to explain his idea of talent and the concept of a student-centered school; Walther Hetzer, our Senior Education Consultant, briefly described the experience of being a father of two international school students; Barbara Gostisa, our IB Coordinator, provided an overview of the IB Diploma Programme; and Nicoletta Sforzin, our CAS Coordinator, presented the many activities planned for the IB Diplome Programme curriculum.
GSO will offer the International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme for the last two years of high school and will also offer a preliminary IB year. This school is set to open in September 2017 to students from 15-18 yearsfrom around the world.
The Diploma Programme adopted by the new international school will prepare students to obtain the IB Diploma, providing them with possible access to top universities throughout the world.
The subjects will be taught in English, while Italian will be offered as a second language at mother tongue level.
About the GSO philosophy, Mr Casonato said, “The student is set at the center of the educational focus, which means that the programme and the chosen subjects would be based on a student’s inclination and predisposition.
The Italian school programme has a strong presence in terms of knowledge and theory, but in my opinion, individual talent is not considered.
Our international school aims to link these two factors in order to prepare students to choose their own educational and personal experience.”
Mr. Casonato’s presentation was followed by our Senior Education Consultant, Dr. Walther Hetzer, ex-Director of several international schools. He shared with the parents the meaning of being a father of two international students and the advantages of seeing his children grow up in an international environment. He discussed the difference between international learning and learning to be international, a fundamental topic that involves our children’s future.
According to his experience, the student within an international environment is encouraged to develop international-mindedness, curiosity about the world, openness toward things “other” and a profound appreciation of the complexity of our world and our relationships to each other.
Afterwards, we heard from Barbara Gostisa, retired head of the International School at Gimnazija Bezigrad in Ljubljana, who explained the IBDP standards and the learning opportunities of the IB DP.
IB education aspires to help schools develop well-rounded students who respond to challenges with optimism and an open mind, are confident in their own identities and are prepared to apply what they learn in life outside of school.
That is why the students have a choice of subjects provided by the IB. In fact, in addition to the subjects, the students are also expected to choose the level and depth at which they want to take the courses.
The classes will start in September 2017 but registration is already open, with the possibility of booking an interview with our teachers and coordinators to ascertain an interested student’s English level and motivation.