Headmaster McCathie smiled as a fifth-grader entered the room and introduced himself.
In this moment, the middle schooler was no longer the Lausanne student that McCathie had known since Pre-Kindergarten, but instead a business professional seeking an employment opportunity.
“It’s very nice to meet you, let’s begin your job interview,” said Headmaster McCathie.
It’s not very often a fifth-grader has the opportunity to interview for a job, but at Lausanne preparing students for life after graduation starts the moment a student begins their academic journey. With the International Baccalaureate (IB) students across all grade levels develop different skills through units of inquiry that involve real-world situations.
As a part of the IB Middle Years Programme (MYP) Biz Town Unit, the Class of 2026 is learning about job preparedness, financial literacy and an understanding of public vs. private goods and Services through experiential learning activities. To help students gain a better understanding of preparing for a job, students filled out job applications, built resumes and completed surveys that helped guide them in choosing three employment opportunities based on their interests before being interviewed by teachers and administrators around campus.
“The students focused on their body language, speaking in public and answering questions with integrity and honesty during their interviews,” said fifth grade social studies teacher Kyle Lawrence. “They did a wonderful job!”