Nicholas Buckland, Head of Primary & Grade 1 Homeroom Teacher

At Cranberry International School all the main subjects are taught using English as the primary language of instruction. It’s fundamental that students’ comprehension and understanding of the vocabulary is monitored and assessed. Reading a wide range of materials is encouraged to develop lexile range and reading fluency as this skill is vital to the self-development of the students. As a teacher of the Common Core Curriculum, it is essential that the students are meeting the targets set out for them, so they are reaching grade level standards. In areas that the students are under performing, I will focus more on these by spending more time reinforcing areas of weakness, so that each student has an opportunity to grow and develop to meet the standards. 

My style of teaching could best be described as the discussion style, whereby I promote learning through interaction to encourage critical thinking and lively discussion by asking students to respond to challenging questions. I play the role of facilitator by guiding discussion rather than directing it. This way students learn to have opinions and to back them up using facts and data. My personal interest in the subjects of geography and history means that I particularly enjoy teaching and imparting knowledge about topics related to social studies and Earth Sciences. My enthusiasm for this rubs off on the students who learn a wider appreciation for the world around them and the stories of human civilizations that have shaped our world till today. In addition, I also focus on art, as I believe, it is through a deeper appreciation of imagination and creativity that we can learn the real value of learning and life in general. My lessons consist of a mix of book work and practical skills with an emphasis on self-directed learning. I understand that repetition is key to learning, so I make sure that I use cross-curricular instruction so that they are reminded from one subject to the next of the new topics they are being taught weekly. 

At Cranberry International school we believe that happy teachers make happy students, and we strive to make our teaching fun and creative so that students enjoy coming to school and are happy in their learning. I do not emphasize homework, as I think that children need time to be children and develop their own interests outside of their academic school work.