The Exhibitioner Award: Going Beyond the Classroom!
The Exhibitioner Award at La Côte International School Aubonne creates an opportunity and platform for our students to develop, grow and thrive within their specific areas of interest.
First introduced at La Côte International School Aubonne three years ago, the Exhibitioner Award creates an opportunity and platform for our students to develop, grow and thrive within their specific areas of interest: It seeks to cultivate skills which will enable our students to go forward in the world, to be ambitious, confident, balanced and take risks - attributes that intrinsically underpin the principles associated with the IB learner profile.
The modern-day curriculum is diverse and intriguing, yet the final outcomes are derived mostly from a series of summative assessments. However, significant life skills associated with the modern world are not always identified and developed from such forms of assessment; consequently, initiatives such as the Exhibitioner Award have emerged which are designed to challenge and celebrate students’ proficiencies beyond the prescribed curriculum, ensuring our students become well-rounded individuals.
The Exhibitioner Awards seek to cultivate skills which will enable our students to go forward in the world, to be ambitious, confident, balanced and take risks. These attributes intrinsically underpin the principles associated with the IB learner profile - something which we strive to integrate in our ethos at La Côte International School Aubonne. The application process for this prestigious award is rigorous and a challenge in itself, and includes a letter of application (no more than one side A4), an interview with an academic panel and the submission of further evidence associated with a specific area of interest.
IB Profile:
Inquirers | Knowledgeable | Thinkers | Communicators | Principled | Open-minded | Caring | Risk-takers | Balanced | Reflective
One example of recent years demonstrates the reasons why these awards were created: a particular student was successful in achieving the History Exhibitioner Award (Upper School) and exemplifies all the attributes associated with this accolade. In order to gain the award, he produced a bespoke inquiry-based essay focusing on the conflict in the Middle East, citing multiple comparative examples from the modern day and the past. Not only did this student present a well written and comprehensive critical essay, but also constructed and produced a strong oral account of his findings in a confident, sophisticated and assured way. Finally, the student demonstrated his passion for History by regularly visiting heritage sites, museums, researching archives and reading the most up to date published historical texts.
Whether they are successful or not, all students who engage in this process will gain valuable relevant experience going beyond the classroom and curriculum. They will develop their public speaking and time-management skills, and learn how to present themselves within a formal setting.
Finally, the skills nurtured and developed through this process are not finite but will become entrenched and embedded within their mindset for years to come, serving to support university applications and foster confidence in future employment interviews, for example. By working through this process, students benefit from the journey, not just the final outcome; they begin to embrace the notion of lifelong learning and begin to adopt the mantra of “sapere aude” or "Dare to know", to establish a foundation of independence, and in doing so, prosper in the world post-Secondary education.
Article by Adam Seymour
Assistant Headteacher: Teaching & Learning
