名师专访｜对话2024爱德思教师大赛全国冠军Mary张老师

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Organized by Edexcel, the examination board under Pearson UK, this prestigious teaching competition spanned over six months with a rigorous selection process. From the initial submission of teaching materials to the final round of interviews, Ms. Mary Zhang stood out for her clear and forward-thinking philosophy: cultivating transferable skills in students.

In her winning presentation, she skillfully mapped multiple theoretical frameworks—OECD’s Learning Framework 2030, IB ATL and ATT skills, ISTE Student Standards, and the NRC's 21st Century Competencies—highlighting their shared emphasis on future-ready capabilities. She then demonstrated how these frameworks were embedded in a real lesson on “exchange rate systems,” showing precisely how targeted skills can be taught within a single class.

Mary also shared her experience leading the Economics and Business team at ISA Wuhan in developing Project-Based Learning (PBL) units. These sustained, real-world projects formed the foundation for building a truly skill-driven curriculum at the school level.

Winning the national title was not only a recognition of her pedagogical vision and execution—it also marked a new beginning. As an official Edexcel workshop facilitator, Mary will now contribute to the professional development of educators beyond her own classroom, extending her passion for teaching to a wider global stage.

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“Like many IB students, the IBDP was a major turning point in my life.”

Ms. Mary Zhang earned her IB Diploma from The British School in Colombo, Sri Lanka, which opened the door to higher education and led her to pursue a degree in Professional Accounting at Macquarie University in Australia. After graduation, instead of leaving education behind, she found herself drawn even deeper into it. The IB didn't just shape her as a student—it became a compass for her career as an educator.

Today, she is a trilingual IBDP examiner (English, Japanese, and Chinese), responsible for marking Business Management and Theory of Knowledge (TOK) papers worldwide. She has also led a team of Japanese examiners, ensuring grading consistency in alignment with IB standards.

Mary is also a regular speaker at the IB China Education Forum:

In 2024, she delivered a workshop session themed: “How can TOK be better integrated in Human Sciences classrooms?”

In 2025, she has been invited back to lead a workshop named: “ATT & ATL in Action: Designing Skill-Driven Learning Experiences for Business and Economics”.

“The IB offers a complete theoretical foundation, supported by a global community that continues to evolve. It has helped me become a better teacher—and inspired me to grow into a global citizen with international-mindedness.”

As John Dewey once said,
“Education is not preparation for life; education is life.” This quote continues to inspire her journey—as an educator, a learner, and a guide.

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In her daily teaching, Ms. Mary Zhang brings the student-centered philosophy to life through practical details. She has led and contributed to a series of projects that transcend subject boundaries, deepening students’ critical thinking and expressive capabilities:

A paper study on the 2024 Nobel Prize in Economics （G11 IBDP）

Students were guided to analyze the structure and methodology of a 2024 Nobel-winning paper in Economics. This deep reading served as a foundation for their Extended Essay (EE) writing, helping them understand what real-world economic research looks like.

Economics & Business News Conference (G10 IGCSE)
Students selected a key academic concept and, grounded in real-life contexts, explored and presented it through posters and short research papers—turning academic inquiry into public-facing communication.

Humanities Exhibition: The Interconnected World (Cross-disciplinary)
This interdisciplinary project brought together Economics, Business, Psychology, and Global Studies. Students explored how these fields intersect to shape our global society, breaking down disciplinary silos and broadening their understanding of human systems.

“We’re not just preparing students to take exams.
We’re preparing them to face an uncertain world with competence and confidence.”

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As the homeroom teacher for the Class of 2026 IBDP cohort, Ms. Mary Zhang pays attention not only to academic progress, but also to the quiet, consistent development of her students’ broader capabilities. She has designed a rhythmic morning routine that gives each day its own flavor and purpose:

Check-in Monday, Mindful Tuesday, ATL Wednesday, Creative Thursday, Fun Friday—

Five themed mornings that help students ease into the day while building communication, creativity, empathy, and leadership skills through hands-on experience.

Among them, ATL Wednesday is fully led by students themselves. They design and facilitate activities based on IB’s Approaches to Learning, learning how to grow by guiding others.

“We do just a little bit every day. It may seem small, but over time it gives students a sense of rhythm, direction, and belonging.”

Behind these small rituals lies a genuine bond. Mary shares that her relationship with students is especially close: some have drawn portraits of her, others have made handmade cards, and one even framed a photo of them together as a gift.

“My students give me so much energy. They’re the reason I want to make this ‘skills-based education’ something tender and real.”

She believes that education is never just about delivering knowledge—

It’s about building connections, 

and meeting each other halfway in the journey of growth.

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Behind every innovation in teaching lies a supportive environment—an ecosystem that trusts its educators and encourages exploration. Ms. Mary Zhang has emphasized repeatedly that without the open and inclusive atmosphere at ISA Wuhan, many of her ideas might have remained just that—ideas.

“The school has always been willing to provide access to external training and exchange opportunities, and it genuinely respects the professional autonomy of teachers. Whether it's entering a competition or leading interdisciplinary projects, the support from school leadership and colleagues gives me the confidence to try.”

At ISA Wuhan, Ms. Mary Zhang teaches IGCSE Economics, IAL Business, and IBDP Economics, while also serving as the Extended Essay (EE) Coordinator and the Business & Economics Curriculum Lead for the academic division. Her work spans curriculum design, subject leadership, and both teacher and student development—reflecting the school’s strong commitment to professional expertise and its capacity to nurture well-rounded educators within a dual-track system of IB and A-Level.

She believes that it is precisely this kind of institutional foundation that has allowed the philosophy of skill-driven teaching to move from concept to classroom, from isolated lessons to long-term interdisciplinary projects—and ultimately, into the fabric of student growth.

For her, this recognition is more than a personal honor; it reflects ISA Wuhan’s ongoing commitment to high-quality international education and meaningful teacher development.