Satyajeet “SJ” Vijay (he/him)

IB PYP Music & Arts Coordinator

Oberoi International School, IndiA

How did you get into teaching?

Me and my daughter, Antra

I grew up in a musical family and was always inclined to sing and to play music. In my deepest thought, however, not once did teaching occur to me. I pursued my MA degree in Music and needed to find a stable way to earn a living outside of performance. I created a resume thinking maybe I would become a part-time singing teacher. Looking back, I think the universe called me to work at an International Baccalaureate (IB) school. I didn’t know something like IB existed or what it was about. Upon joining, I felt positively overwhelmed listening to the IB philosophy: teacher as facilitator and ‘play’ as a method for deep learning. I understood nothing at first. Still, I am a risk taker and with my go-getter attitude I started researching, reading, and asking a lot of questions. I jumped right into IB workshops and am now a passionate IB Music specialist. It’s been almost a decade since I started teaching and every day is an exciting, new experience for me.

Who was the teacher who made the most positive impact on your life?

My life coach and teacher; my father

My father is my “teacher hero” because he was the person who has introduced me to music. Music is not just my passion but it is in my blood. Today my siblings too are in music all thanks to him. It was my father’s teaching helped me to adapt to the IB Philosophy and a transdisciplinary way of learning. He emphasized the importance of making mistakes and learning from them. He shared the importance of maintaining calmness in all situations. He gave authentic feedback whether it was in favor of the student or sometimes not pleasing. Finally, he exposed us to all kinds of instruments and allowed us to explore.

What is a professional inquiry you are currently pursuing?

How can I best help early years students build on their inquiries?

‘Tell me and I forget. Teach me and I remember. Involve me and I learn’, and this is exactly what I'm trying to do.

Understanding of the techniques of playing different percussion instruments

The learning process should encourage students to ask questions and share their wonders. Once, when my 5-year old students walked into the music class and were full of conversations and more conversations, one student stepped out onto the choir bench and asked for his friends to be quiet and maintain some peace. Another student then asked “What is the meaning of peace?” Soon, the conversations started buzzing about peace and what it means to them. The discussion was taken beyond our four walls of the classroom. I have been making my notes from the book Dive into Inquiry by Trevor MacKenzie which has help me learn how to gradually pass on the responsibility to students to become agentic learners.

During a session with the Kindergarten students, while asking students some questions, one student asked me “Why are you asking so many questions?” This led to a class inquiry about why we ask questions and what is the purpose of asking questions? It was fascinating to hear the students share ideas (“Questions help us know more and to discover the world!”).

Something that I am still working on is the use of technology in the early years classrooms. I am still trying ways which will help young students to independently handle computers to research and look for ways to connect with other students around the globe. While we were online during the pandemic, I took a risk by asking my 4-year olds and their families to create a water xylophone. I was honestly very hesitant about this and didn’t know what the might parents say. But these were just some inner fears because as soon as the class started online, I saw not one student without these materials! It made my day! Moments like these help make me feel like a hero.

What is a personal inquiry you are currently pursuing?

How do I stay balanced?

This is the best picture I thought I could use to illustrate my attempt at balancing myself. My students inspired me to try this during a field trip together!

I am a learning go-getter! Reading, researching, developing the readiness to move from one task or thought to another, making decisions that take into account the demands of the different stakeholders without dropping anything…it’s all really challenging. So, handling multiple roles and ensuring I can manage my time and prioritize everything is a big goal for me right now. Healing myself spiritually helps a lot. I take time out to read some motivating books like Amazing Secrets and The Ikigai Journey.


At the beginning of the year, my students are as curious about me as I am about them!

What three best ideas do you have to improve the teaching profession?

  1. Open yourself towards sharing and listening

We must encourage students (and teachers) to have conversations that invite the whole community to ask and to share - and to constantly celebrate the little and big joys in life (like bringing in a cake for birthdays). We have regular professional development days where teachers are given opportunities to sign up for the sessions that relate best to their needs. Teacher well-being is a driving force to keep everyone motivated. Sharing and intentionally creating a community of learners opens doors for building trust, regulating work, and collaborating.

II. Connect with real life examples

Burning questions during the media unit

I believe that it is always important to share your own personal experiences with students. For example, when I was late to school one day, I told my students about how I felt being stuck in a traffic jam. I share with my students my aspirations of becoming a famous singer and show them my YouTube music channel (My Music Channel - Satyajeet Vijay). The students come to know a different side of me through these stories. It was overwhelming to hear that some of my stories are shared with the students’ parents! I received a lot of appreciation from the parents for this. It is OK to show students our human side: that we have risked, we have tried, and while we may not have always been successful, we have not given up.

III. Create a culture of celebration 

Yes, celebration is all about enjoying an event or a day or even a small moment. And, it’s okay to celebrate the acceptance of our own mistakes, too. It simply means you are brave enough to accept responsibility and now committed to bring a change. We must ensure that we let students make mistakes. During this process, students might even come across some things to explore taking a new personal inquiry forward.

You gotta see this!

My life is a journey which is filled with beautiful experiences that I love to share with others! Please get in touch and join me: