Gilbert Contreras

I, Mr. Gilbert Carpio Contreras, have been an educator since 2003 with an honorary degree of Bachelor in Elementary Education. My experiences as an educator varied from structured to progressive education, ages 7-14. Five years were from two international schools in Jakarta and Manila on which Singapore-based curricula were used and another eight years from two IB PYP-authorized schools in Japan. 

I believe that learners must use their prior knowledge and experiences to construct meaning. Students should be invited to investigate significant issues by formulating their questions, designing their inquiries, assessing the various means available to support their inquiries, and proceeding with research, experimentation, observation, and analysis to help them find their responses to the issues. Begin with the student's current understanding, and the goal is the active construction of meaning by building connections between that understanding and new information and experience, derived from the inquiry into new content.

Pioneering the PYP Exhibition and leading Okinawa International School and Eisugakkan Elementary School to be IB PYP-authorized schools in 2011 and  2019 respectively, were the highlight of my IB Career. Consequently, I have been part of my current school's Language and Mathematics Committee and collaborated to help it become authorized last February 1, 2020. I have been involved in several professional development workshops from Category 1-3.