Authentic Learning at the International School of Düsseldorf

Students at ISD love learning and applying that learning in real life situations. They thrive on opportunities to hear from professionals in the field. Our students excel when working amongst these specialists on the work floor.

The new elective ‘sport management’ provides our students with a multitude of different authentic learning opportunities. Sport managers love to think big and sincerely enjoy the challenges of tasks that stand strong beyond the classroom. Sport management students are especially interested in projects that have a purpose, a meaning and a personal value to them

Task/project          = Do it

Purpose                   = (be) cause

Personal value      = you want to

The Sport management elective covers a new area of the curriculum. Sport managers enrolled in this course look at many different aspects of sport as a business. Throughout this school year they have been successfully engaged in:

Researching the requirements to organize huge events (like the training session of the German National Football team in the Esprit arena)

Organizing of multiple lunch time activities (Including, advertisement, programming, planning, health and safety issues, finance, food and beverage)

A full hiring process, where their peers applied for the position of tournament director and where at the opposite side students needed to take the role of Human resource and guide the interview process.

Assisting the organization of the NECIS basketball tournament hosted at ISD

Engaged in public speaking

Web design

Web content development (including the understanding of school policy and local law)

Social network services

Volunteering at the Metro Group Marathon of Düsseldorf

Recently 5 students jumped to the opportunity of acting as a volunteer at the Marathon of Düsseldorf. They contacted the organization of the event themselves in order to ask if their assistance was welcomed and needed. Without any hesitation the metro-group marathon immediately accepted these students as volunteers. They were among the youngest in the field, but highly applicable due to their capability of speaking over 7 different languages. On Friday April 25 they were allowed to assist the marathon group with the distribution of the starters kits. Our students were working amongst other volunteers, and were asked to translate for all those runners who came from far and abroad to participate in this annual event. One of the students commented: “This is so much fun! I feel that we are really needed here and I am so happy that we can assist this organization”. In other words there was a task, a purpose and a value the pillars of Authentic Learning. Do it (be)cause you want to!

When students show up on a Sunday morning at 6:00 am to volunteer for an event connected to their subject, without receiving community service points you know that the elective is working. I had the privilege to work side by side with these students, and I have witnessed them grow personally and professionally.

Authentic learning is a fundamental bridge between education and real life application. Among many, another great aspect of Authentic Learning is that it allows students to connect with the community outside the International School. During the Düsseldorf marathon their time, effort and dedication was very much appreciated by the organization of this event, as shown in a responsive from one of the of the event organizers.

“…..das freut uns wirklich sehr, denn von uns aus auch ein ganz großes DANKE SCHÖN an die ganze Truppe. Insbesondere am Start war es für uns eine riesen Hilfe und auch an der Startunterlagenausgabe und im Ziel hat es uns Druck weggenommen”                 Frau. V. Kral Metrogroup-Marathon

Authentic Learning pur sang at the International School of Düsseldorf.

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