Are you having a difficult time understanding what all of this lingo is about? Let me take a moment to slow down and define some of the terminology that goes into our IB program.
IB stands for International Baccalaureate. The International Baccalaureate Organization (IBO) was established in 1968 and is a non-profit, international educational foundation registered in Switzerland.
PYP stands for Primary Years program and is one of the three programs offered by the IB organization. This is what we are currently teaching at LBCS. It focuses on grades k-5th. The other two program models are MYP, Middle Years Program and DP, Diploma program for high school. As our school grows, we will be implementing the MYP program for our 6th, 7th, and 8th grade students.
The PYP focuses on the total growth of the developing child. It was developed based on best practice and a wide range if educational systems to create a challenging and engaging curriculum that offers an international education focusing on the needs of the whole child. This program uses guided inquiry as its main method of learning.
Each grade level writes their very own curriculum (usually science/social studies based, but not always!) This curriculum is called a Unit of Inquiry (UOI) or planner.
All of the units combined are what make up our Program of Inquiry (POI). Each grade level is teaching a minimum of four UOIs or planners this year. By next year, we will be teaching all six of our planners to create a first time completed POI. Even so, our POI will continue to change each year, updating and changing planners as needed. It is a constant evolving process that is never complete.
Introduction to the Primary Years Programme (PYP)
The Primary Years Programme (PYP) focuses on the heart as well as the mind and addresses social, physical, emotional and cultural needs as well as academic ones. At the heart of the PYP is a commitment to structured inquiry to facilitate learning. Six transdisciplinary themes help teachers and children explore knowledge in the broadest sense of the word. Teachers and students use key questions that are concept based to structure the units of inquiry. They acquire and apply transdisciplinary skills while developing an understanding of these important concepts. The development of explicit attitudes and the expectation of socially responsible behavior are also essential elements of the program.
Developing the International Student
The cornerstone of the Primary Years Programme (PYP) is the Programme’s Learner Profile. These are the ten most important attributes of an international person and answers the question: What kind of person do we want our students to be?
The aim of the PYP is to develop internationally minded people who, recognizing their common humanity and shared guardianship of the planet, help to create a better and more peaceful world. At LBCS, we want the students to learn to become inquirers, thinkers, communicators, risk-takers, knowledgeable, principled, caring, open-minded, balanced and reflective. In all areas of the school, the teachers, staff and volunteering parents model these attributes. Learning experiences are created so that the students are able to develop these characteristics. The profile helps teachers and students establish goals, plan units of inquiry, and assess performance.
The aim of all IB programs is to develop internationally minded people who, recognizing their common humanity and shared guardianship of the planet, help to create a better and more peaceful world.
IB learners strive to be:
INQUIRERS – They develop their natural curiosity. They acquire the skills necessary to conduct inquiry and research and show independence in learning. They actively enjoy learning and this love of learning will be sustained throughout their lives.
KNOWLEDGEABLE – They explore concepts, ideas and issues that have local and global significance. In so doing, they acquire in-depth knowledge and develop understanding across a broad and balanced range of disciplines. THINKERS – They exercise initiative in applying thinking skills critically and creatively to recognize and approach complex problems, and make reasoned, ethical decisions.
COMMUNICATOR – They understand and express ideas and information confidently and creatively in more than one language and in a variety of modes of communication. They work effectively and willingly in collaboration with others.
PRINCIPLED – They act with integrity and honesty, with a strong sense of fairness, justice and respect for the dignity of the individual, groups and communities. They take responsibility for their own actions and the consequences that accompany them.
OPEN-MINDED – They understand and appreciate their own cultures and personal histories, and are open to the perspectives, values and traditions of other individuals and communities. They are accustomed to seeking and evaluating a range of points of view, and are willing to grow from the experience. CARING – They show empathy, compassion and respect towards the needs and feelings of others. They have a personal commitment to service, and act to make a positive difference to the lives of others and to the environment.
RISK-TAKERS – They approach unfamiliar situations and uncertainty with courage and forethought, and have the independence of spirit to explore new roles, ideas, and strategies. They are brave and articulate in defending their beliefs.
BALANCED – They are understand the importance of intellectual, physical, and emotional balance to achieve personal well-being for themselves and others.
REFLECTIVE – They give thoughtful consideration to their own learning and experience. They are able to access and understand their strengths and limitations in order to support their learning and personal development.
The Five Essential Elements of the PYP
To achieve a balance in learning, the PYP emphasizes five Essential Elements of curriculum. These five elements are: concepts, knowledge, skills, attitudes and action.
I. Concepts
The PYP has constructed a set of eight key concepts which answer the question: What do we want the students to learn? Questions in each unit of inquiry can fit into one of these key concepts. While asking form and function questions might be easy, we want students to be able to learn how to ask deeper more challenging questions like, "How do we know?"
*Form What is it like?
*Function How does it work?
*Causation Why is it like it is?
*Change How is it changing?
*Connection How is it connected to other things?
*Perspective What are the points of view?
*Responsibility What is our responsibility?
*Reflection How do we know?
II. Knowledge
What do we want the children to know? In answering this question, the program of inquiry is organized into six themed units. The following transdisciplinary themes provide the framework for the content of the program:
PYP Transdisciplinary Themes
Who we are
An inquiry into the nature of the self; beliefs and values; personal, physical, mental, social and spiritual health; human relationships including families, friends, communities, and cultures; rights and responsibilities; what it means to be human.
Where we are in place and time
An inquiry into orientation in place and time; personal histories; homes and journeys; the discoveries, explorations and migrations of humankind; the relationships between and the interconnectedness of individuals and civilizations, from local and global perspectives.
How we express ourselves
An inquiry into the ways which we discover and express ideas, feelings, nature, culture, beliefs and values; the ways in which we reflect on, extend and enjoy our creativity; our appreciation of the aesthetic.
How the world works
An inquiry into the natural world and its laws; the interaction between the natural world (physical and biological) and human societies; how humans use their understanding of scientific principles; the impact of scientific and technological advances on society and on the environment.
How we organize ourselves
An inquiry into the interconnectedness of human-made systems and communities; the structure and function of organizations; societal decision-making; economic activities and their impact on humankind and the environment.
Sharing the planet
An inquiry into rights and responsibilities in the struggle to share finite resources with other people and with other living things; communities and the relationships within and between them; access to equal opportunities; peace and conflict resolution.
III. Skills
What do we want the students to be able to do is addressed in the element of the transdisciplinary skills within the units of inquiry. The construction of meaning and, therefore, understanding is complemented by the students’ acquiring and applying a range of skills. These skills are:
* Social skills
* Thinking skills
* Research skills
* Communication skills
* Self-management skills
IV. Attitudes
ATTITUDES COUNT! As part of the PYP, we focus on the development of positive attitudes towards people, towards the environment and towards learning. At LBCS, the Attitudes are addressed explicitly throughout every aspect of our curriculum.
Appreciation- Appreciating the wonder and beauty of the world and its people Commitment- Being committed to their learning, persevering, and showing self discipline and responsibility Confidence- Feeling confident in their ability as learners, having the courage to take risks, applying what they have learned and making appropriate decisions Cooperation- Cooperating, collaborating, and leading or following as the situation demands Creativity- Being creative and imaginative in their thinking and in their approach to problems and dilemmas Curiosity-Being curious about the nature of learning and of the world, its people and cultures Empathy- Imaginatively projecting themselves into another's situation, in order to understand his/her thoughts, reasoning and emotions Enthusiasm- Enjoying learning Independence- Thinking and acting independently, making their own judgments Integrity- Having integrity and a firm sense of fairness and honesty Respect- Respecting themselves, others, and the world around them Tolerance- Feeling sensitivity towards differences and diversity in the world and being responsive to the needs of others
V. Action
In addition to the concepts and attitudes, knowledge of the curriculum, and the transdisciplinary skills of research, communication, thinking and self-managemet, action is one of the most important.
The International Student is challenged to choose his or her action based on the learning. We want to give the students the opportunity and the power to choose their actions, to act, and then reflect on these action in order to make a different in the world.
The action component of the PYP involves service in the widest sense of the word: service to fellow students, to the staff, and to the community. Through such service, students are able to grow both socially and personally, developing skills such as cooperation, problem solving, conflict resolution, and creative and critical thinking. These actions are, moreover, ways in which the students exhibit their commitment to the attitudes that teachers seek to engender within the PYP classroom.
Assessment Within the PYP, continuous assessment is integral to all teaching and learning. Both children and teachers will be actively engaged in assessing student progress as part of the development of their critical thinking and self-evaluation skills. This will require both formative and summative evaluation. Formative assessment being that which is interwoven with the daily learning and helps teachers and children find out what the children already know in order to plan the next stage of learning. Summative assessment is that which takes place at the end of the teaching and learning processes and gives the children opportunities to demonstrate what has been learned.
Many methods of assessment will be used to provide a balanced view of the child such as:
*Observations *Performance assessment of tasks with established criteria that are authentic challenges and problems *Selected response assessments such as tests and quizzes *Open-ended tasks in which children are presented with a stimulus and asked to communicate an original response *Portfolios of children’s work
Authorization
IB World Schools must undergo an exhaustive authorization process in order to offer one or more of the Pre-K - 12 programs, which includes a study of the school’s resources and commitment to the IB mission and philosophy. This process typically takes two or more years and includes site visits by an IB team. In the years preceding official authorization, the faculty of a campus participates in a great deal of intensive training and planning for their own philosophy and methodology to correspond with the standards and practices of the IBO. A regular process of evaluation is undertaken by schools that have been authorized and IB teachers participate in a wide variety of professional development opportunities to constantly update their knowledge and share their expertise with colleagues around the world.
