At SIS, we believe great teaching drives great learning. That’s why we run Professional Development (PD) Days every term to help our teachers grow in both mindset and practice.

These PD Days are carefully curated by the Academic & Curriculum Department to introduce research-backed teaching approaches and strengthen the “how” of the SIS way. More than just training, they are about building shared understanding, sharpening classroom practice, and aligning everyone around what SIS values most.

Each session is designed with a clear purpose: to help educators develop their skills in ways that make learning more meaningful for students. From curriculum clarity to student-centered strategies, these days reflect our ongoing commitment to educational excellence.

Why We Invest in Teacher Thinking: Design Thinking PD with GenEd

At SIS, we believe professional development is not just about learning something new—it’s about helping teachers think in new ways. This is in line with the A of SIS DSLO – Analytical Thinking. After the Six Thinking Hats for decision making was introduced in February,  we started our April PD Day with a powerful session on Design Thinking, led by our valued partner, Generasi Edukator Indonesia (GenEd).

After the introduction of the Six Thinking Hats for decision making PD, we opened our April PD Day with a powerful session on Design Thinking, led by our long-time partner, Generasi Edukator Indonesia (GenEd). This session set the tone for the day, reflecting our focus on helping teachers think differently and approach their practice with creativity and purpose.

GenEd is a social enterprise based in Indonesia that connects education with real-world thinking. Their mission is to equip students with strong thinking skills and support teachers in transforming their classroom practices—values that align closely with SIS.

Led by Ms Ghea and Ms Adrien, this interactive session introduced our teachers to the Design Thinking framework, and invited them to think innovatively about solving their everyday challenges. How the Design Thinking framework adds value is that it invites everyone to see a problem from the lens of empathy and structure the thinking process that leads to eventual innovation. We believe that a practitioner is the best teacher and therefore, by equipping our teachers with these thinking skills, we pave the way for powerful classroom experiences and growth in students’ DSLO across SIS. 

More than just a workshop, this training reminded us why we teach—to spark curiosity, grow confidence, and prepare students for the future. We’re proud to walk this path of innovation and reflection with GenEd.

Why We Build Curriculum Clarity: Preschool PD on Lesson Planning

Strong curriculum starts with shared understanding. The SIS preschool Group’s teachers joined a focused session on how to review and use the new SIS Preschool lesson plans for the upcoming academic year.

Led by Ms. Kavita Jaisi, the session helped teachers see the bigger picture behind the vision for the new SIS Signature Preschool Programme and its planning format—why consistency matters, how lesson objectives are designed, and how daily teaching can better support student growth when guided by clear plans.

This was not just a technical training, instead, it was a call for teaching with purpose. With the rollout of our SIS Signature Preschool Programme, this session ensured every teacher feels confident and supported to bring the new plans to life in a way that keeps children curious, engaged, and learning.

Following the session, each school’s Preschool Deputy Head led a team review of Term 1 lesson plans. These collaborative sessions helped teachers align, ask questions, and prepare for a strong start to the new year.