*This week's images are taken from the Grade 4 show, a visit to Grade 5 by second-year medical students at the University of Aberdeen, the Grade 1 trip to Tamala Farm, a student-initiated Preschool trip to the climbing wall and the Grade 4 sailing trip to Peterhead.
"I can’t do it… Oh, maybe I can do it… I did it!"
This powerful line from the opening video of the Grade 4 production, Time Travel Catastrophe, encapsulates the journey that so many children experienced during this remarkable learning process. It is a journey that began with vulnerability - the fear of forgetting lines, of being seen, of being laughed at, of not being good enough - and ended with the triumphant realisation that, with effort, belief and the right support, they can do it.
It was a journey of risk-taking.
To stand under the spotlight in front of hundreds of people is no small feat—especially for a child. It requires students to take a deep breath, push past uncertainty and put their trust in themselves and each other. Every actor who stepped on stage made a choice to confront vulnerability and self-doubt. It is important to remember that the value of risk-taking in learning and development isn’t limited to the stage; it lies at the heart of so much of what happens in schools. Earlier this week, we watched Salman in Preschool do something extraordinary: after weeks of feeling unsure about the climbing wall, he faced his fear of heights and, with the encouragement of his peers and trusted adults, climbed higher than ever before. Like our Grade 4 performers, he showed us what it means to take a risk in the name of growth.
Time Travel Catastrophe was not just a school play. It was a bold, joyful demonstration of student agency and transdisciplinary learning, where academic content and creative expression merged seamlessly. In doing so, it brought the IB learner profile to life in the most vivid, entertaining and authentic way possible. Throughout the process of developing, rehearsing, and performing their original production, the Grade 4 students demonstrated the full range of the IB learner profile attributes—proof of the powerful learning that happens when student voice is at the centre.
The story of Time Travel Catastrophe wasn’t a typical time-travel tale. Instead, it was a clever, funny, and moving journey through the children’s own Grade 4 year—revisiting real experiences and learning moments. From their inquiry into history to their explorations in science, art, PE, maths and literature, the students brought their learning to life on stage, celebrating not only what they learned, but how they learned it.
To do this, they had to be true inquirers—asking questions about what mattered to them, reflecting on how to translate classroom experiences into scenes, and working collaboratively to shape a meaningful and engaging narrative. The play was entirely grounded in student-led exploration, with children making choices about structure, dialogue, movement and message.
They became thinkers, constantly problem-solving and evaluating how to best communicate ideas. When a scene didn’t quite work, they revised. When a transition was clunky, they reimagined it. This wasn’t just acting; it was design thinking, storyboarding, drafting, editing and iterating. The play evolved through critical thought and collaboration.
To make their work understandable and impactful, they needed to grow as communicators. Whether on stage or backstage, they practised expressing themselves clearly and listening actively. They gave and received feedback, encouraged each other and learned how to bring an audience along with them, through tone, timing, body language, and voice.
All of this demanded deep knowledge. Not just content knowledge from their units of inquiry, but the meta-cognitive awareness of how their learning connects and flows across disciplines. As they revisited topics, they showed how knowledge can be shared and celebrated in creative and unexpected ways.
They also practised being balanced. Preparing for a major performance required them to manage their time and energy with care. Balancing school, rehearsals, after school activities, family life and rest is no easy task for adults, let alone Grade 4 students! The students showed maturity in finding harmony between commitment and wellbeing.
Every rehearsal, every moment backstage, every performance required the students to be caring, towards themselves and each other. They looked after one another’s feelings, offered kind encouragement and helped pick each other up after mistakes. The emotional safety and sense of belonging they created for one another was just as important as any line learned or prop painted.
To engage fully with the collaborative process, students had to be open-minded. They welcomed ideas different from their own, embraced unusual character choices and respected the many varied ways their peers expressed themselves. The result was a show that felt truly representative of the group: a patchwork of voices, styles and stories that came together as one.
Throughout, they stayed principled. They committed to doing their part, even when it meant staying in at recess, giving up parts of a weekend or repeating the same scene until it felt just right. They respected shared spaces and each other’s work, taking care of costumes, props and responsibilities with care and integrity.
And finally, they were deeply reflective. Whether during a rehearsal note, a post-performance conversation, or the writing process itself, the children consistently evaluated their learning and growth. They considered how they’d changed over the yea, both as learners and as people, and shared those reflections with their audience through performance.
On one level, we can all enjoy the stupendous entertainment that these performances have given us. We can be so proud of the signing, acting and movement of the performers on stage. And, on another level, it is important to consider this event, and all that went into the production, as a wonderful example of ISA’s values and approach to education brought to life in meaningful and memorable ways. As demonstrated so powerfully in the short video that opens the performance, this was a truly transdisciplinary endeavour (including language arts, music, drama and dance, all while showcasing the children’s work in social studies, science, mathematics, modern languages, PE and Art).
In the end, the audience saw a show.
But what we witnessed was learning at its most joyful, powerful, and human.
Thank you!
In order to successfully put on a show of this scale, members of the entire school community must come together, lending their time, expertise and support to one another. Our parents/carers and volunteers have been invaluable, whether that has been helping with costumes, make-up/hair or supervision (not to mention enduring line-readings and singing at home). Sarah Barlow, from our catering team, helped nourish those staying late for performances, and Denise Wishart made sure that the theatre was always in tip top shape for every rehearsal and performance. Teachers from across the Elementary School helped with supervision and corralling performers backstage, before and after the shows. Grade 10 design students helped with prototypes and designs for the time machine. Kat Williams (set/props/time machine), Kent Walter (light/sound/staging/tech) and Stacey McMorran (vocals/movement) all joined the Grade 4 team to bring the children's vision to life, adding their enthusiasm, expertise and hard work to the mix. Diane McBain and Paul Bertolotto were also key players, assisting in the wings and even with some sound effects! I must also mention the children (and their families) who are in other grades, who came to enjoy the performances and cheer on the actors. Each of these members of the community played a key part in helping the children to showcase their talents at the very peak of their powers. Last, but certainly not least, we have to recognise the vision, commitment, high expectations and joy that Claire McMahon and Debbie Cooper, the Grade 4 classroom teachers, brought to this project. Time Travel Catastrophe is the children’s achievement, but it could not have happened without Mrs. Mac & Mrs. Cooper!
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