Principal Weekly Update 16 | Why Global Context Matters

Hello everyone,

I am Ian Barnes the International Principal at Concordia Ningbo.

This week, I’d like to take a moment to talk about something at the very heart of the PYP curriculum—Global Context.

In many traditional curricula, students are taught facts and skills without always understanding why they matter or how they connect to the wider world. But in the IB Primary Years Programme, we believe that learning should be purposeful, relevant, and meaningful. That’s where Global Context comes in.

By providing a global context for learning, we help students connect what they’re learning in class to real-world issues, cultures, and ideas. Whether it’s understanding the importance of clean water, how communities change over time, or how different countries celebrate traditions—these big ideas give meaning and depth to what might otherwise feel like isolated content.

This approach answers the question every child asks at some point: “Why do I need to learn this?” And when they see the connection—between their learning and the world they live in—they become far more engaged, curious, and motivated.

Take a simple science activity about weather. In a traditional setting, students might just learn to identify cloud types or record rainfall. But with a global context, we ask: How does weather affect communities around the world? What happens when it doesn't rain for months? What can we do to respond to climate change? Suddenly, the learning becomes much more personal—and much more powerful.

This isn’t about turning every lesson into a lecture on global issues—it’s about helping students see that they are part of something bigger, and that their learning has relevance beyond the classroom.

It also fosters international-mindedness—a key goal of the IB—by encouraging our students to consider perspectives beyond their own and understand the challenges and opportunities that shape our shared planet.

So when you hear your child talk about their “Unit of Inquiry,” I encourage you to ask: What is the big idea? Why does this matter to the world? These conversations help reinforce that learning is not just about what we know, but about what we do with what we know.

Thanks for being part of this learning journey. See you next week!